The Vegan Diet and Supplemental B12

Are you currently following a vegan diet? Do you focus on hitting your daily micronutrient intake such as B12? Probably not, right? And don’t worry, you’re not alone.  Most people have no idea what their micronutrient intake is let alone even care to find out or read up on the subject.  In fact, many don’t even take a daily multivitamin that contains supplemental B12.  Unfortunately, being deficient can lead to some negative consequences.

If people were to track anything when it came to their nutrition, it tends to be their calories and macronutrients.  For those who follow a vegan diet, micronutrients are of utmost importance as vegans can become deficient in key nutrients such as vitamin B12.  For that reason, it’s important for those who follow a vegan diet to ensure they get enough of this nutrient by utilizing supplemental B12.

Should You Focus on Supplemental B12?

Following a vegan diet is a lifestyle decision.  Many do it either for the health benefits or their own beliefs on the way their food is raised and even slaughtered.  Ultimately, it’s a personal preference.  The one downside is that the nutrients commonly found in the foods they are abstaining from are void from their diet. 

When it comes to B12, according to the Mayo Clinic, adults need around 2.4 micrograms (mcg) per day.  This nutrient is found in various foods such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products.  While many assume it’s “just a vitamin,” becoming deficient in B12 can have some adverse effects.  Should you become deficient in B12, it could lead to anemia, a change in mood and behavior, digestive issues, muscle soreness, fatigue, and even nerve damage.  While it can take years to hit such a point where things can start affecting the nerves, once the damage is done, it could become irreversible and change your quality of life.   

Supplemental B12 is important in a vegan diet because those who follow it do not tend to consume many of the foods containing B12.  Therefore, those following a vegan diet would need to consume fortified foods containing this vitamin or consider supplemental B12.

What Are the Benefits of B12?

Consuming enough food containing B12 or leveraging supplemental B12 has many health benefits.  Below is a list containing some of these benefits.

1. Boost Energy 

It seems everyone these days could use a little more energy throughout the day.  Whether it's getting out of bed or making it through the workday or workout, we need energy to function.  Even a little boost is enough to allow us to perform optimally all day long.  Getting enough B12 through the vegan diet or through supplemental B12 can be incredibly important to boost energy levels and allow you to stay productive throughout the day.

2. Support a Healthy Nervous System 

Should you find you’re having the sensation of pins and needles in your hands and feet, it could be a sign of a B12 deficiency.  B12 is incredibly important when it comes to the health of the nervous system and helping to keep it functioning properly.  It’s the role of B12 to help protect your nerves by helping the body produce myelin – a fatty sheath that covers the nerves.

3. Improve Hearth Health

Not consuming enough B12 from your vegan diet or through proper supplementation can put your heart at risk.  B12 has the ability to reduce homocysteine.  Homocysteine is essentially an amino acid that can form and build up along the arterial walls and cause heart disease.  Utilizing supplemental B12, if you aren’t consuming enough through your diet, can help prevent the risk of heart disease.

4. Help with Mobility and Balance

Tying in with nerve health, when levels of B12 become deficient, it can alter your balance and mobility.  Being that our preferred method of transportation is to walk, any issues that arise from a B12 deficient can negatively affect your quality of life and how you move and get around.  For that reason, ensure you are getting proper B12 through the foods you consume in your vegan diet or consider using supplemental B12.

5. Increase Memory

There's nothing scarier than memory loss.  The inability to remember things is enough to incite fear into just about anyone's life.  Unfortunately, with age, this can become even more of a risk.  What’s even scarier is the fact that a deficiency in B12 can also lead to memory loss.  The same homocysteine that can negatively affect your heart health is the same amino acid that can create memory problems.  Adequate levels and intake of B12 can help decrease such a risk.

An Easy Way to Consume Adequate Micronutrients While on a Vegan Diet

If you’re worried that you are not taking in all of the micronutrients your body needs, all hope is not lost.  There are many supplements on the market that can help fill any nutritional gaps you may have.  There are two products in particular that can help ensure you don’t become deficient. 

The first product is Evogen Nutrition Evovite.  You can think of Evovite as nutritional insurance for those who follow a vegan diet.  While deficiencies when on such a diet are a concern, Evovite can help ensure you get all the nutrients your body needs to function and perform optimally.  This powerful supplement uses the highest quality Albion® certified chelated minerals to ensure maximum bioavailability and utilization by the body.  Should you decide to bypass the use of chelated minerals and use an inferior source, it has been found that your body may not be able to absorb and utilize what you ingest from that product. 

Related Article: 3 Reasons Why People Are Going Plant-Based Protein vs Dairy-Based

The second recommendation for those on a vegan diet who want to ensure they are taking in supplemental B12 is Evogen Nutrition GreenTein.  GreenTein is the best plant-based protein that provides you with a reliable source of B12, quality protein sources, and full-spectrum amino acids (EAAs and BCAAs).  This premium grain-free protein source provides you with the nutrients necessary to recover properly following intense workouts while also helping to fuel your active lifestyle. 

Don’t fall short nutritionally!  Supplementing with the premium products from Evogen Nutrition can help those following a vegan diet maximize their health and performance.  Try Evovite and GreenTein for yourself to ensure you get the most benefits from your vegan diet and supplemental B12.