Today’s Vegetarian Elite will be presented in German, with subtitles in Arabic, Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese, English, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Nepali, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Thai.

Open-minded viewers, in the first part of our program last week, we met Dr. Katharina Wirnitzer, a scientist, athlete, author and vegan from Austria. She not only placed herself among the leaders of one of the world’s toughest mountain bike marathon race, the TransAlp Challenge 2004, but was also the first scientist to study excellence in mountain biking in connection with the vegan diet.

The TransAlp Challenge involves a complete transverse of the rugged European Alps mountain range, covering nearly 600 kilometers and 20,000 vertical meters, all within eight intensely grueling days in the elements. It was during her participation in the TransAlp Challenge 2004 that Dr. Katharina Wirnitzer had carried out her fascinating doctoral dissertation project.

For me it was important to investigate mountain biking where it takes place, that is, outdoors in the mountains. Therefore, I made the decision to carry out a field study during the authentic stress of competition. And the challenge to persevere in this field study to the end was very difficult due to the overall complex conditions, because of course the competing team was stationed at a new start and finish every day.

These overall conditions with accommodation, with hygiene, with food intake, were very challenging. And in relation to this, I simply tried to study the athletes, the subjects that I researched, under the truly authentic stress of competition. In terms of capability, for example, heart rate analysis or fluid shifts in the body, which gave very good conclusions. Or how is the endurance profile of mountain bikers who are even able to finish after eight days? And there was simply a lack of studies.

So it was just as important to carry out this study for the first time, because the stress is simply a very different kind, whether I complete a race in 1.5 hours on a circuit, which I manage for the fourth or fifth time, where each of the technical difficulties already is known to me, or whether I have to overcome a TransAlp Challenge where I don’t know at the start what are the difficulties I have to cope with that day.

You have written a book called “bikeeXtreme.” Can you perhaps tell us more about that?

If I may show it to the viewers. My book actually was created at the end of my science project, which is also called “bikeeXtreme,” in the context of my PhD thesis. And perhaps I may add generally – all the projects I do, always have a final goal for me, namely, to make the knowledge that I thereby acquire available to other people. Because I think knowledge and increasing knowledge makes sense only if it is accessed by humans.

The idea of the book was to investigate this toughest mountain bike race as a whole for the first time, and perhaps I may explain why my study, my project as well as this book are also revolutionary and so special. I'm the first scientist in the field of sport sciences who for the first time ever researched a mountain bike marathon race.

Then the second point is: worldwide, I am the first one who researched a stage race, and then even this toughest stage race, to research the performance capacity during the stress of mountain biking over eight days, specifying the endurance profile of mountain bikers. Then, I was also the first woman who researched this extreme stress during an ultra-endurance exercise.

And last but not least, the fifth factor as to why my research is brand new: I have brought the vegan diet for the first time in the context of high- performance sports, which was never before done. And these five factors have never been studied in sports science. So, this book brings together five factors that constitute completely new territory on the map of sports science, especially that of mountain biking.

And what are the reactions of the other athletes and are readers reacting to this?

The feedback from sports colleagues in this area and from people who are very well-versed and know about cycling, about training, nutrition – it’s very positive. And they designate my book, my work, my academic research differently: either as the standard by which to optimally design training and planning, or as basic reading for the Alpine- bikers, for those mountain bikers participating in the TransAlp Challenge, or athletes, or just as the manual for marathon runners, for the mountain bike marathoners, whether it be for one day or several days of competition. So overall, the response is very positive.

When we return, the tremendously active and accomplished Dr. Katharina Wirnitzer will share some knowledge about the best nutrition for athletes.

Welcome back to Vegetarian Elite. The right nutrition is very important for peak performance in athletes. For Austrian extreme mountain biker and sports researcher Dr. Katharina Wirnitzer, the choice of an animal-free diet was crucial both for the science and for her heart.

For me it was a very clear decision. Out of ethical reasons, I do not want animals suffering for my happiness in life, for my food, for my pleasure. It was extremely easy for me to make this transition, because actually for me it was a longer process to decide. All the scientific facts that I gathered during my studies came together with the ethical information, the exploitation of animals, the torturing of animals; it all simply came together in a perfect mosaic with all its small puzzle pieces. And it was for me a very clear and simple path.

Athletes are always very concerned that they consume enough protein. What are the biggest errors and how much protein do athletes actually need?

Overall, protein is the nutrient that is most misinterpreted and misunderstood and now I would like to emphasize clearly: it is far overemphasized. This chart shows the energy needs according to the general popular dietary recommendations, as would be covered by the individual nutrients, from carbohydrates, protein, and fat. But you must know that such nutritional recommendations for omnivores who eat a mixed diet are supported by the meat lobby and dairy industry because they want to sell a product that the body does not really need.

If you look at the average person on a vegan diet, you see already clearly that on the one hand, the carbohydrate field is increased, but at the same time – so, the yellow bar – the protein requirements of these scientifically proven, healthy vegan living people, that I would also emphasize, are reduced to one-third already. That means it is scientifically confirmed that the excessive value given to protein is unnecessary and is not rooted in human’s physical needs, but is really just a marketing strategy.

This graph shows probably the most difficult bike race in the world, the Race Across America, and my study of the TransAlp Challenge from the year 2004. It is so clear and confirms all previous studies that the preferable nutrient under maximum peak performance in sports is carbohydrates, which during my mountain bike competition comprised more than 80% of the overall diet, so that the body was able to maintain the high performance for a long time on a maximum power level.

You see clearly that the top athletes, bodies that are tailored perfectly for extreme loads so to speak, in which the body works already extremely efficiently with a maximum 12-13% of protein of the total energy that it has to take in daily – has more than enough. This means if it has more protein, there will be difficulties, it means a reduction in the athletic performance. And it has just been shown that the body with a protein requirement of high-quality protein in the range of 8% to 12% or 13% of the total optimal intake of daily energy functions optimally and has all the essential amino acids.

This is mostly said by the opponents of the vegan diet – that only meat would have the essential amino acids itself and vegetable protein would not. That is just complete nonsense and one can also prove this scientifically quite well. Even in the large number of plant-based products, the protein in the plant diet has all essential amino acids. In total there are only eight essential amino acids which humans have to take each day to more than meet their needs.

And studies for vegetarians and vegans – non-athletes – also show clearly that vegetarians far exceed their protein requirements as well as their iron, (the second critical and often criticized nutrient) and also exceed the daily nutrient recommendations. Thus, protein deficiency is absolutely no issue. On the contrary, it actually only burdens the body when one takes too much, and 30% protein is far too much.

Quite clearly, humans, whether athletes or non-athletes, do not need more than between 8% and 12-13% of protein in relation to the total amount of energy that humans consume per day. Apart from the fact that these vegetarian-meat products are very delicious and I would not want to give them up because they greatly enrich the menu, be it when we have veggie cheese or even vegetable steaks for barbecue dinner, seen from the side of demand, it is not really necessary to consume these meat substitute products.

Indeed, if you know that if you eat a bowl of bean salad, for example from kidney beans, and a luscious brown bread from whole-grain, for example, this 10% protein, which I have to take in per day, have been covered. So when I regularly eat and because I like to eat whole grain bread or cereals like whole grain pasta, then this protein requirement is already more than covered.

What are your future goals?

Ah, my future is very exciting, I think. Scientifically, I have an enormous amount of ideas in my head. This scientific area that I have entered still has so many unknowns that my head actually overflows with great ideas in the area of mountain biking, but also in the area of the vegan diet. From an athletic point of view, I have withdrawn from competitive sports a little. I am out daily in nature, I do not need competition with others.

Fueling both body and mind with healthy plant-based fare, it is no wonder that Dr. Wirnitzer is so radiant with vitality and flow of creative ideas.

Would you like to convey a message to our viewers in conclusion?

For me there is actually no way back. It was the best, most important and most sensible decision of my life to live vegan. I need no meat, no animal suffering to be externally pretty and internally beautiful, to be satisfied, to be healthy. On the contrary, everything points to it. Therefore, cherished viewer, become vegan, save the world, save your health, be active and physically fit. You will benefit every day of your life. I never regretted this decision and for me personally, there is no way to go back anymore. So, “Go vegan!”

Our appreciation and best wishes, Dr. Katharina Wirnitzer, top-notch athlete and respected scientist with many talents and a caring heart. May we all find inspiration seeing your energetic life spent in nature, as well as your important contributions to sports science, fitness, and nutrition.

For more information on Dr. Katharina Wirnitzer and vegan health, please visit www.bikeeXtreme.org Her book “bikeeXtreme” is available on www.Amazon.com

Bright viewers, it was a pleasure having you with us today for Vegetarian Elite featuring the plant-strong and intelligent Dr. Katharina Wirnitzer. And now, coming up next on Supreme Master Television is Between Master and Disciples. May we all thrive on the life-enhancing vegan diet.

Be Veg, Go Green 2 Save the Planet!

Bright viewers, it was a pleasure having you with us today for Vegetarian Elite featuring the plant-strong and intelligent Dr. Katharina Wirnitzer. And now, coming up next on Supreme Master Television is Between Master and Disciples. May we all thrive on the life-enhancing vegan diet.