Transcript: Vegan Epidemic
How common is vitamin B12 deficiency among vegans? Last year, a study was published in which B12 levels were measured in the blood of hundreds of British vegans. What percentage do you think were deficient? Less than a quarter? Almost a half? More than a half? Or, were more than three-quarters of vegans testing vitamin B12 deficient?
Now I’m not talking below average B12, or suboptimal B12 levels, or even what’s clinically called B12 depletion, where your levels place you at high risk for deficiency—but actual bonafide vitamin deficiency, meaning that your levels are so low your biochemistry is screwed up. Your body just isn’t working the way it should.
And the answer is: more than 50%. Meaning, you run into a vegan on the street (or at least on a street in London), odds are they are suffering—whether they know it or not—from vitamin B12 deficiency.
52% deficient; 21% depleted. What about ovo-lacto vegetarians? 7% [deficient] and 17% [depleted]. One thing I hear from whiny vegans is that B12 deficiency isn’t exclusive to vegetarians. Meat-eaters can get it too. They’re right: 0.4%.
There’s still enough in the general population for public health professionals to debate whether or not we should just mandate adding B12 to the grain supply. Until then, though, what could explain this epidemic of vegan B12 deficiency? Easy—only a small fraction of British vegans were taking vitamin B12 supplements. Well, no wonder then! Hopefully, vegans elsewhere are smarter. Everyone eating a plant-based diet must ensure a regular reliable source of vitamin B12.
To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Dianne Moore.
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B12 supplements are not good for our health –they can be seen on exams, but they are NOT absorbed.That´s why I eat organic eggs.Report
Eggs are very poor sources of b12, b12 supplements are actually well absorbed if taken in the correct dosage. Please see Dr. Greger’s video series on b12.
http://nutritionfacts.org/video/safest-source-of-b12/
http://nutritionfacts.org/video/vitamin-b12-recommendation-change/Report
Vegan here, I take a regular supplement. No need to call Vegans whiney though, you did a fine job making your point about vitamin deficiency. A lot of non-vegans say that Vegans don’t get enough protein, which is not the case. Have you ever heard of a real case of protein deficiency? Ha! It’s a joke. Beans, lentils, tofu, vegetables… a lot of us Vegans get more protein and vitamins than most non-vegans! Many Vegans may be lacking Vitamin B12, for which they should take a supplement, but many non-vegans are lacking many vitamins from eating too much starch, meat, and processed food. There has to be a balance. Thanks.Report
We’ve been vegan for 23 years and my B12 levels are just fine! Yes we eat tons of plant foods.Report
I just eat dirt! :)Report
Was the “whiny vegans” comment necessary?Report
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2933506/
“In conclusion, the results from this study show that vegetarians and vegans have much lower concentrations of serum vitamin B12 but higher concentrations of folate in comparison to omnivores. Mean serum vitamin B12 was not associated with the duration of adherence to a vegetarian or vegan diet, which may indicate that mechanisms that maintain circulating concentrations of vitamin B12 are upregulated in vegetarians and vegans. Further research into the health effects of vitamin B12 deficiency and depletion in vegans and vegetarians is warranted and vegetarians and vegans should ensure a regular intake of sufficient vitamin B12 from fortified foods and/or supplements”Report
I myself am trying to follow a mostly plant based diet. But don’t these type of studies show that despite the other demonstrated benefits of plant based diets, they eventualy would lead to a major nutritional deficiency, i.e. Vit B12 deficiency, suggesting that they are actually not the best diets for humans? Or would we be getting vitamin B12 from other sources (bacteria in underwashed plants coming from the soil for instance) if we were living in more natural conditions?Report
Dr. Greger, The study showed that more than half of these vegans were “deficient” in B12. But were any of them manifesting symptoms of ill health?How do we know how much B12 is necessary for good health?Report
B12 deficiency is nearly identical to HIV infection. One would question if being Vegan could simulate HIV infection, or if there was a relationship. B12 levels are low among the HIV infected population.Report
Perhaps it’s covered in the comments, but what purpose does sufficient B12 serve vs. insufficient?Report
Hi Peter – Vitamin B12 helps keep the body’s nerve and blood cells healthy and helps make DNA. Vitamin B12 also helps prevent megaloblastic anemia.Report
Hi Dr. I recently bought spirulina capsules that say they are also a source of B12. I emailed the lab asking about the bio-availability of this B12 and they answered that since it comes in such high amount it is enough for the human body (320mcg every 10g). Is this true? Thanks!Report