| Most vegans have heard that the one vitamin | | | | they should think about adding a vitamin B12 |
| they simply cannot get from plant foods is | | | | supplement to their diets. There are also a few |
| vitamin B12. That statement is usually followed by | | | | non-animal sources in nature. |
| someone alerting them to be careful not to | | | | But how likely is it that a vegan will actually |
| develop a vitamin B12 deficiency. | | | | acquire a deficiency? |
| Do vegans really run a serious risk of deficiency if | | | | That's hard to say as well. Vitamin B12 deficiency |
| they choose not to eat meat and dairy products? | | | | is hard to diagnose because its symptoms can |
| The answer depends on the person. A vegan in a | | | | often be confused with other problems, like |
| developed country who eats a varied diet is | | | | anemia. The most common symptoms are |
| unlikely to become deficient in vitamin B12. A | | | | fatigue, weakness, lightheadedness, pale skin, |
| person who lives in an undeveloped nation who | | | | sleep disturbances, and overall sickness. |
| has no access to reliable sources of food is more | | | | Because the deficiency is difficult to recognize, it's |
| likely to develop a deficiency. | | | | hard to know the exact incidence of vitamin B12 |
| Animal products do provide the best sources of | | | | deficiency. Some reports say that as many as |
| vitamin B12. Basically, vitamin B12 comes from | | | | 39% of the population has low levels of vitamin |
| bacteria in dirt. When animals eat foods | | | | B12, and many other reports say the levels are |
| contaminated with this bacteria, it grows and | | | | much lower. |
| flourishes in their stomachs, spreading through | | | | Also, we do know that vitamin B12 is stored in |
| their blood around their bodies. | | | | the stomach, so the human body does have a |
| Then, when humans eat those animal bodies, they | | | | stockpile of it that lasts for a few years. |
| get adequate amounts of the vitamin. However, | | | | The good news for vegans is that there are |
| for people who don't eat animals, they run a | | | | several ways to get vitamin B12 without having |
| greater risk of having a deficiency. | | | | to eat animal products. There are many vitamin |
| What's ironic is that our ancestors never bothered | | | | supplements on the market, but make sure your |
| with disinfecting everything they ate like we do | | | | vitamin doesn't contain any animal products. It's |
| nowadays. Rather, they pulled veggies out of the | | | | common to use animal products as binders in |
| ground and ate them raw and dirty. With those | | | | vitamins. |
| dirty vegetables, they ate a good amount of | | | | Also, many vegan foods are now fortified with |
| vitamin B12 and never worried about taking a | | | | vitamin B12, including nutritional yeast, soy milks, |
| vitamin supplement. | | | | and breakfast cereals. So you can have your |
| Unless vegans are willing to eat dirty vegetables, | | | | vitamin B12 and eat it too! |