The 29-year-old defender reveals why he made the decision to quit animal products and the benefits he has seen since

'I'm feeling a lot of physical benefits from it' (Photo: Twitter)

Manchester United footballer, Chris Smalling, announced he's been following a vegan diet, which seems to have increased his 'strength and power'.

Smalling claims his body 'recovers much quicker' since going vegan, and explains how he first started noticing a difference when cutting out red meat.

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'My fatigue levels have gone down'

In an interview with Sky Sports News, Smalling said: "The second day after a game is often when I feel most fatigued, but my fatigue levels have gone down and, on the second day, I've felt a lot more recovered than previously.

"We did a test of our hamstrings and I've increased by 35 percent from the last test. On the bike, my power output has gone up."

'I'm feeling a lot of physical benefits from it'

Smalling also noticed an improvement in his skin, commenting: "I had a lot more breakouts before than I do now. I'm feeling a lot of physical benefits from it."

The footballer has also taken to social media to speak about animal rights issues, to his 1.51 million followers.

He tweeted: "Spent the afternoon with DogsTrust Manchester raising awareness for their re-homing campaign. Please consider adoption. #adogisforlife"