What are the health pitfalls of becoming vegetarian and how can a single avoid them?

Query by Kyneestgjxdbfdd: What are the wellness pitfalls of getting vegetarian and how can one particular avert them?
I have read through you can get bone density decline, hair decline, muscle tissue loss, and b12 deficiency. I would picture I could consider b12 natural vitamins as nutritional supplements, drink milk for my bones, and dairy and eggs have protein, as do some other veggies. So is that all you need to counter that?

Ideal answer:

Response by sergey
I don’t know about the wellness dangers but I know how to stop them.. Try to eat meat.

Know far better? Go away your personal answer in the remarks!

10 Comments

  1. Mari Carrillo

    people dont consume as much protein when they are vegeterian,

  2. Harper Amelia

    That’s basically it. . . its the same as having a regular diet in the sense that you have to pay attention to what you eat. The B12 pills are very important to maintain your iron levels. Don’t forget that getting red meat out of your system also has added health benefits!

  3. freeyourself1anarchist

    Milk/dairy and other animal products can actually rob your bones of calcium which is a bad thing. You can use Nutritional yeast for B12 (most B12 found in animal products is usually just bacteria not something you really want to eat)

    If you are worried about vitamins eat lots of Kale which is loaded with all sorts of great vitamins your body needs in an easily digested form so you don’t lose much digesting it and gain a lot more.

    I would look into the Engine 2 diet created by Austin, TX firefighter Rip Esslstyn with the help of his father Dr. Caldwell Esslstyn of the Cleveland Clinic, who has been researching the effects of animal products on the body for years and treating people using diets rather than surgeries (as he used to do)
    http://engine2diet.com/

  4. B12 deficiency – yes, so be sure to get a reliable source of B12. What research studies show that being vegetarian causes bone density loss, muscle loss or hair loss? I’ve never read any. I have, however, seen studies showing that dairy and meat consumption cause bone loss/osteoporosis. Watch the video below for more info. Despite having lots of calcium, dairy and meat are strongly acidifying and the body uses the calcium in bones to neutralize the acid and return to alkaline. Countries that consume the most dairy have the highest rates of osteoporosis, and countries consuming the least dairy have the lowest rates of osteoporosis. If you think you’re drinking milk to protect your bones, do a little more research, because that is an unfortunate myth.

    With the single exception of B12, plants provide all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients your body needs. As long as you eat fresh, whole, plant-based foods, you will be healthy. You have no better chance of reducing health risks than with a whole-foods plant-based (vegan) diet.

  5. spkunze13

    Danny where did you read this information?

    b12 deficiency is an issue across the board, not just with vegetarian or vegan populations. It is about food handling and sanitation. I would be interested in where you heard that you would lose hair, lose bone density or muscle tissue. My children have been raised from birth as vegetarians and are vibrant and healthy teens now, very tall, athletic and beautiful. I have been a vegetarian for over 20 years now and read everything I can find on the subject. Please share your source.

    What you should really be asking which makes more sense, is “what are the health risks of eating factory farmed meats and hormone laden dairy products?”

  6. well, milk for bones is not such a good idea. as people already mentioned, it actually robs your bones of calcium because it creates oxidations and your body needs calcium to neutralize them. also milk has a very high protein content and it makes calcium very hard if not impossible in some cases to absorb. if you look at statistics, highest osteoporosis rates are in countries that use milk the most.

    btw b12 is in clean water and in bacteria that’s on vegetables, also you have stored b12 in your body for about the next decade, so don’t start doing pills already.

  7. Don’t believe everything you read.

    I can only give you my experience. I went vegetarian in 1969, and have been vegan for many years.

    I’m female and 58, and therefore in the highest risk factor group for osteoporosis because of my age and gender;

    Bone density scans have shown no loss of bone mass; and this despite the fact that for five years I took a daily prescription drug for a medical condition which has ‘loss of the mineral content of bones’ (and therefore bone thinning) as a possible side effect.

    Two other women I know of similar age who take/took the same drug, both meat and dairy eaters, have been diagnosed with oesteopenia – less severe than osteoporosis but still a concern.

    So being veg*n hasn’t done my bones any harm.

    I’m not suggesting that vegans are less likely to get osteoporosis or oesteopenia, but that they’re no more likely to get it.

    The only time I’ve lost hair is as a result of medication (chemotherapy).

    I’m not aware of any muscle tissue loss, and I don’t have a B12 deficiency. B12 can be obtained from may supplemented sources.

    You don’t mention iron, which people with concerns such as this usually do. I’ve never taken iron supplements, and the only time I’ve been anaemic (apart from as a 14 year old – do the maths, that was before I went vegaetarian) was following a course of aggressive chemotherapy – anaemia is a common side effect whatever your diet. Even then my doctor described it as ‘mild anaemia, and it went right all by itself without supplements.

  8. As long as you’re taking a B12 pill and eating eggs and dairy products, I think you’re on the right track. Just be sure and eat them regularly.

    Depending on your age, gender and weight, you’ll need about 40-50 grams of protein a day. One egg only gives you about 6 grams of protein. 3 oz of beef used to give you about 25 grams. If you’re not eating meat, you’ll need to eat a lot of veggies. Some vegetarians will assure you that protein isn’t a problem, but it can be for some people. Protein is not a simple nutrient. It’s made up of several amino acids. Your body makes some amino acids, the rest must come from your diet. Meat, eggs, and dairy products contain all the amino acids needed for complete protein. Most veggies contain only some of them. You need to eat a wide variety of veggies/grains every day so your body can combine them into the complete protein it needs to grow and function.

    Also be careful about iron. Iron in meat/eggs/dairy products is heme iron and much easier for your body to absorb and use than the non heme iron in veggies. Look for and eat a lot of iron rich veggies every day. Eggs are not good sources of iron, about 5% of your RDA for iron. And to get it, you need to be sure to eat the entire egg, not just the white. Zinc is a concern for vegetarians.

    And don’t build your diet around soy, hot dogs, burgers, toful, etc. It’s perhaps the best source of protein for vegetarians, but it comes with its own set of issues: early puberty in girls, low sperm count in men, thyroid disease have all been linked to soy consumption. They even promote it for menopause symptoms! Health agencies in several countriels (including France and Germany) have issued health warnings about soy consumption. If you don’t have thyroid disease or a family history, some soy is probably fine. But you’re likely already getting a lot of soy. it’s used as fillers in lots of every day items like bread.

    And if you do eat soy, be sure to supplement your diet for iodine. In fact, a VEGAN registered dietitian recommends all vegans and some vegetarians supplement their diet for B2, B6, B12, iodine, vitamin D, calcium and DHA. Good luck….

  9. Calcium from milk actually leaches calcium from your bones, so you should switch to something like Almond milk. Most almond milks have a higher calcium content than actually cows milk (The almond milk I have contains 45% calcium)
    Hair loss is a direct cause of iron deficiency, DO NOT worry about iron. Eat lots of dark green veggies, cereals, etc they have plenty of iron in them. I took iron supplements as soon as I became a vegetarian and I honest to god got minor iron poisoning according to my doctor. Taking supplements without a doctors approval is a big no no.
    B12 deficiency actually affects more omnivores than it does vegetarians and vegans. As a matter of fact, most omnivores never get checked for B12 deficiencies because it is automatically assumed they have adequate amounts and if they switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet, everyone freaks out and says they need to get their B12 checked. Most people that are vegetarian and vegan and have B12 deficiencies actually acquired them as omnivores: B12 deficiencies don’t happen overnight and they take anywhere between 5-20 years to affect you. It’s just a propaganda claim a lot of omnivores like to spread around for fear mongering reasons.

    B12 IS NOT hard to find. I have cereals and oatmeal and fake meat products that contain plenty of B12. I have a fake chicken patty that has 80% of my daily B12 intake.

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