Guest guest Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 " Our body does not need a lot of vitamin B12. What we stored in our liver prior to becoming a vegetarian can supply our body's need for several years. " Well, this is what I heard at a nutrition convention. If this is true, a new vegetarian should not worry too much about the shortage. I hope someone knowledgeable in this area can comment and correct me if I am wrong. Joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 At 02:29 pm 16/06/08 +0000, you wrote: > " Our body does not need a lot of vitamin B12. What we stored in our >liver prior to becoming a vegetarian can supply our body's need for >several years. " Well, this is what I heard at a nutrition >convention. If this is true, a new vegetarian should not worry too >much about the shortage. I hope someone knowledgeable in this area >can comment and correct me if I am wrong. I don't know if it's true *enough* to be counted on, but nobody who's been vegan less than 5 years is likely to have little enough B12 to have symptoms. Every study I've seen that shows a clinical (i.e. symptomatic) deficiency has been vegan for at least that long. That does *not* necessarily mean it's good to count on it, though. >Also, are there additional vitamin shortages when you take out the dairy? The B12 *is* the shortage you need to worry about if you are vegan. It is widely available from all animal sources, including dairy or eggs. Unless you stop eating both (or nearly stop), you don't have to worry about B12. Without dairy, you need to work harder at getting calcium. However, if you eat no dairy or eggs, your diet has much less protein. Higher protein levels in the diet (as in *too much* in the SAD) cause an increase in the need for calcium. It is a lot harder to get enough calcium in a dairy-free diet that includes meat or eggs than in one that doesn't. Among the best sources of calcium from non-animal sources are sesame and almonds. Almond milk is nutritionally an excellent replacement for dairy milk; it has calcium, protein, and riboflavin--the main 3 nutrients of dairy. Green leafy vegetables also contain calcium. Many of them, however, also contain oxalic acid which interferes with mineral absorption (at least calcium and iron). Spinach is one of the ones with relatively high levels of oxalic acid. Kale is low in oxalic acid. So spinach is *not* a good source of dietary calcium (nor iron), despite its reputation. Beyond spinach and kale, there is a lot of disagreement over which vegetables have high or low levels of oxalic acid; I haven't been able to find reliable information that isn't disputed by equally reliable information that says the opposite. Brandel in Jerusalem /^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\ Life's tough. It's tougher if you're stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 I think you are correct - I read the same on VeganHealth.org. I highly recommend reading VeganHealth.org articles on B12 and other health items for vegans! --Pamela , Joshua Gan <joshuagan2002 wrote: > > " Our body does not need a lot of vitamin B12. What we stored in our liver prior to becoming a vegetarian can supply our body's need for several years. " Well, this is what I heard at a nutrition convention. If this is true, a new vegetarian should not worry too much about the shortage. I hope someone knowledgeable in this area can comment and correct me if I am wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 15, 2008 Report Share Posted September 15, 2008 I just wanted to start by saying good afternoon. Next, I just say something disturbing about us vegans. On CNN, they had a medical report about us not getting enough B12 in our diet, and this leads to brain shrinkage. I know that B12 is found in nature, and that animal eaters get their B12 by eating vegetarian animals who produce the bacteria. I've also heard from a friend on Youtube.com that you can find B12 in creek waters because it grows naturally in shaded moist areas. Also vegetarian animals get it two in the plants they eat because the bacteria naturally grows on the skin of grass and plants. Because we rinse the dirt off our foods we also rinse off the bacteria that produces B12, but the bacteria can be grown, and it can be supplemented with vitamins, nutritional yeast, and etc. Of course we vegans already knew the risks of not getting our vitamins and minerals. It was on CNN this morning. So what do you all think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 15, 2008 Report Share Posted September 15, 2008 Haha! Funny... brains that shrink *rofl*Some of the smartest people I know are vegan and they don't take supplements and they've been vegan for years and years... so I really don't buy the 'brain shrinking' thing. I think it's just another way for the meat industry to influence people to keep eating meat.... scare tactics... most people fall for it...Just my honest opinion of course...Kris On Mon, Sep 15, 2008 at 8:25 PM, candyazz28 <candyazz28 wrote: I just wanted to start by saying good afternoon. Next, I just say something disturbing about us vegans. On CNN, they had a medical report about us not getting enough B12 in our diet, and this leads to brain shrinkage. I know that B12 is found in nature, and that animal eaters get their B12 by eating vegetarian animals who produce the bacteria. I've also heard from a friend on Youtube.com that you can find B12 in creek waters because it grows naturally in shaded moist areas. Also vegetarian animals get it two in the plants they eat because the bacteria naturally grows on the skin of grass and plants. Because we rinse the dirt off our foods we also rinse off the bacteria that produces B12, but the bacteria can be grown, and it can be supplemented with vitamins, nutritional yeast, and etc. Of course we vegans already knew the risks of not getting our vitamins and minerals. It was on CNN this morning. So what do you all think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 15, 2008 Report Share Posted September 15, 2008 Kris I agree with you... and everything you said... wait.. what was it you were saying..?... help I'm shrinking, I'm shrinking...my brain is shrinking...lol Russ , "Kris Russel" <kris.russel wrote:>> Haha! Funny... brains that shrink *rofl*> Some of the smartest people I know are vegan and they don't take supplements> and they've been vegan for years and years... so I really don't buy the> 'brain shrinking' thing.> I think it's just another way for the meat industry to influence people to> keep eating meat.... scare tactics... most people fall for it...> > Just my honest opinion of course...> > Kris> > On Mon, Sep 15, 2008 at 8:25 PM, candyazz28 candyazz28 wrote:> > > I just wanted to start by saying good afternoon. Next, I just say> > something disturbing about us vegans. On CNN, they had a medical> > report about us not getting enough B12 in our diet, and this leads to> > brain shrinkage. I know that B12 is found in nature, and that animal> > eaters get their B12 by eating vegetarian animals who produce the> > bacteria. I've also heard from a friend on Youtube.com that you can> > find B12 in creek waters because it grows naturally in shaded moist> > areas. Also vegetarian animals get it two in the plants they eat> > because the bacteria naturally grows on the skin of grass and plants.> > Because we rinse the dirt off our foods we also rinse off the bacteria> > that produces B12, but the bacteria can be grown, and it can be> > supplemented with vitamins, nutritional yeast, and etc. Of course we> > vegans already knew the risks of not getting our vitamins and> > minerals. It was on CNN this morning. So what do you all think?> >> > > >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Shannon, if you are using a fortified yeast like Red Star, that may be giving you enough. If the brand doesn't have fortified on the label, than it's not. Only yeasts that are supplemented are a source of B12. You may be getting some B12 from other fortified vegan products like soy and rice milks. You're right, the question of how much you are getting is always a concern when relying on fortified food products. It's definitely better than nothing but it's anybody's guess how much you are really getting. A pharmaceutical supplement is more reliable. For anyone not taking a regular supplement, it's important to monitor your level. Human beings are able to stock-pile B12 in our livers to some extent, so when people have eaten animal products in the past, they may have good levels stored up. Some people have enough B12 their stored up for months, even years. This lulls some vegans into a false sense of security though and they can suddenly find themselves developing B12 deficiency symptoms when their stored B12 runs out. Once stored B12 runs out, deficiency symptoms can develop pretty quickly and lead to damage in the nervous system that isn't always completely reversible. Therefore, it's best to avoid developing deficiency in the first place. Most vegetarian groups recommend that all their members take a reliable B12 supplement. Deborah >You both need to be taking a B12 supplement of course, all vegans >do. Did you know that? I was wondering about this. Does nutritional yeast do the trick if one eats enough of it? I don't take a supplement, and I recently had my b12 level treated. It was fine, so I was thinking it must be the yeast. Shannon . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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