Many people, including athletes, choose a lifestyle without meat or animal products. In the past, being a vegan or vegetarian strength athlete would have been a rare thing, but today it is commonplace, and the numbers are increasing. This has placed pressure on supplement companies to produce vegan-friendly supplements that are as effective as their “animal-derived” predecessors.

For those who are living the vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, you likely already understand the importance of getting enough vitamins like vitamins B12 and D, along with adequate amounts of iodine, iron, calcium and zinc. You are likely getting enough protein because vegan-friendly protein food sources and supplements are abundant. What you may not know, though, is that many of the science-backed animal-derived supplements are now produced synthetically (with no animal-based starting products) or produced purely from vegetable matter.

In an effort to help you with your fitness goals, we have highlighted four key research-supported supplements that, as a vegan (or vegetarian), you may not have considered before.

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