Caution: A vegan diet often leads to a deficiency of vitamins and minerals!

Have you ever heard of the term "covert hunger"? It is a condition that affects as many as 2 billion people worldwide, and is caused by a deficiency of essential micronutrients in the diet, such as vitamins and minerals. Although the deficiency of these nutrients is not immediately noticeable to the individual, the consequences can be very serious: they range from reduced disease resistance, mental illness and even death.

"Concealed hunger" as a global problem

Although "covert hunger" occurs much more frequently in developing countries, this phenomenon is a cause for concern for healthcare institutions in developed countries. For example, iodine deficiency is a very common cause of health problems in developed countries. More than 25% of American children have calcium, magnesium, or vitamin A deficiency, and more than 50% of children have vitamin D and E.

There are several possible causes of covert hunger in developed countries. Consumption of cheap, energy-rich and nutritionally poor processed foods is a major cause of hunger, especially in groups with less economic power. Compared to fresh foods from decades ago, today's fresh food is nutritionally poorer, which is attributed to the poorer quality of the country caused by poor agricultural management and climate change.

Increasing number of vegetarians and vegans

A significant increase in the number of vegetarians and vegans in developed countries is directly linked to an increase in the number of nutritionally deficient persons, that is, latent hunger.

Foods based on plant-based foods have a number of benefits: they reduce the risk of chronic diseases and have a positive environmental impact to reduce pollution, but a poorly planned vegan or vegetarian diet that does not replace the essential nutrients found in animal foods can lead to serious micronutrient deficiencies.

Bone health is a serious problem with a large percentage of vegans. Specifically, this group often has reduced calcium and vitamin D intake, which results in decreased levels of vitamin D in the blood and reduced bone density. The rate of bone fractures is almost three times higher in vegans compared to people who eat foods of animal origin.

Also, vegans often have reduced levels of omega-3 fatty acids and iodine and vitamin B12. It is B12 that is most commonly obtained from animal foods, so vegan deficiency is much more common than vegetarians and meat eaters.

Symptoms of B12 deficiency are extreme weakness and fatigue, poor digestion and slow development in children. If left unresponsive, chronic vitamin B12 deficiency can cause serious nerve damage. Even lowered B12 levels, which are still not considered a deficiency, can be a cause of health problems and an increased risk of heart disease.

Possible solutions

Vegans can prevent deficiencies of vitamins and minerals by selecting foods that are enhanced by micronutrients and by taking nutritional supplements that will prevent the deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals.

Unfortunately, vegan dietary supplements often have low biological activity. For example, a vegan D2 diet supplement is significantly less effective in raising blood vitamin D levels than non-vegan vitamin D3.

Therefore, it is up to every vegan, whose goal is to maintain health and meet all the nutritional needs of the organism, to try to bring all the necessary nutrients in sufficient quantities to carefully meet the needs of the organism and to contribute to maintaining health at an optimal level with a carefully planned diet and quality nutritional supplements.