Vegan and Vegetarian Diets and Brain Health
Did you know that your brain is 2% of our body weight, but uses 20-25% of your overall energy (1)
Even when our body is at rest, our brain is chugging away, whether we are aware of it or not. This means that even mild nutrient deficiencies are going to affect our brain function.
There is no one ‘right’ way of eating for everyone. Biochemical individuality (unique genetics, microbiome, environmental and lifestyle factors) mean that we all need slightly different diets. Many people choose a vegan or vegetarian diet for ethical reasons. Some people on a vegan or vegetarian diet are just not going to do well due to bioindividuality. The truth is, you are your own best nutritionist and the best way to see if you are healthy on these diets is to try it out and keep a close eye on your health, energy levels and some key nutrients.
It’s import note, it is not whether you are eating meat or not, it's what nutrients you are might be lacking. There are essential vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and essential amino acids that we must get from our diet. If we are missing any one of these there can be serious complications, which might not be obvious until further down the line. According to Dr Greenblat, a functional psychiatrist, “You are what you don't eat.” Meaning, a deficiency in certain nutrients can have huge impacts on our capacity to think and can compound other factors that can ultimately damage our mental health.
Studies have shown that vegetarians were found to have lower EPA, DHA, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Iron, Zinc, Iodine and Calcium (2).
Adolescent years can be an especially important time when it comes to nutrition and health. Typical teen dietary patterns with a low consumption of fish, fruits, and vegetables, and high in fast food, sugar, and soft drinks have been linked to poor cognition and academic achievement (3).
During teen and young adult years, we build myelin (fat) which makes the brain work more efficiently. Restriction of healthy fat in adolescence is a risk factor in mental health; deficiency is associated with anxiety, distorted perceptions, suicide, inflammation, gastro intestinal problems, depression and aggression (4). In addition to all of the normal stressors teens are grappling with, neural pruning (trimming of unnecessary neuronal pathways) happens dramatically in adolescence, allowing our brain to work more efficiently. It’s important to make sure teens are getting a source of anti-inflammatory ‘brain food’ EPA and DHA in their diet via oily fish, such as good quality salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herrings, trout and seafood. If they are restricting animal foods, a supplement can be highly beneficial (5). Some people may be able to get what they need from plant foods, however many are unable to convert from the plant sources to the usable form.
Lower B12 intake has been linked to a higher risk for depression (6). Vegans and vegetarians can easily fall short of a heathy B12 level. B12 is critical for serotonin and melatonin, needed for methylation of neurotransmitters in the brain
Zinc is another nutrient that is critical for brain health and digestive function. Animal studies indicate that we need zinc to make melatonin, serotonin and dopamine (7). In addition, digestive enzymes are dependant on this essential mineral, as is stomach acid (8). Even a small reduction in zinc can have a big impact on digestion. If you have a child or teen whom is not particularly interested in food, it could be due to a zinc deficiency. Puberty and stress cause higher need for this important mineral. Common chemicals, such as phlalates and other toxins can bind to zinc and make it less available in the body. Copper can be high in pipes etc and can offset zinc and cause deficiency. As you can see, there are many reasons someone might need to carefully consider whether they are getting enough zinc. Zinc deficiency is something we see in clinic quite frequently and is easily addressed.
Most of us know that amino acids are the building blocks of our cells, however it is now recognised that, aside from their role as building blocks of proteins and polypeptides, some amino acids regulate key metabolic pathways in the body that are needed for maintenance, growth, reproduction, and immunity (9) It is clear that an optimal balance of amino acids in the diet is critical. There is evidence that vegan and vegetarians can lack certain amino acids or be less bioavailable to the body (10). Careful attention needs to be paid to dietary intake of plant-based protein. Again, bioindividuality will dictate whether we will thrive on such a diet or not. One example is our gut microflora; research has identified that certain bacterial strains support breakdown and utilisation of soy (10). The health of our gut microbiome will make a difference to our absorption and utilisation of nutrients.
When it comes to nutrition and bioindividuality, there is rarely a simple answer. We have to learn to read the signs in our body of whether we are thriving or not and access help from a professional when we have doubts. Anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating, brain fog, digestive issues, acne… the list goes on… these are all signs that your body is struggling. Nutrition can play an important role in addressing the delicate balance of chemistry going on inside us each and every minute of every day.
Do you have all the building blocks of health you need? Feel free to get in touch for a free 15 minute call to discuss whether you are your family might need some targeted support.
1.Takahashi S. Metabolic Contribution and Cerebral Blood Flow Regulation by Astrocytes in the Neurovascular Unit. Cells. 2022 Feb 25;11(5):813. doi: 10.3390/cells11050813. PMID: 35269435; PMCID: PMC8909328.
2. Fields, Heather, Ruddy, Barbara, Wallace, Mark R., Shah, Amit, Millstine, Denise and Marks, Lisa. "How to Monitor and Advise Vegans to Ensure Adequate Nutrient Intake" Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, vol. 116, no. 2, 2016, pp. 96-99. https://doi.org/10.7556/jaoa.2016.022
3. Naveed S, Lakka T, Haapala EA. An Overview on the Associations between Health Behaviors and Brain Health in Children and Adolescents with Special Reference to Diet Quality. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Feb 4;17(3):953. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17030953. PMID: 32033054; PMCID: PMC7037721.
4. Melo HM, Santos LE, Ferreira ST. Diet-Derived Fatty Acids, Brain Inflammation, and Mental Health. Front Neurosci. 2019 Mar 26;13:265. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00265. PMID: 30983955; PMCID: PMC6448040.
5. Powell N, Chaudhary S, Zaidi A. It Is Time for an Oil Change: Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Human Health. Mo Med. 2021 Sep-Oct;118(5):426-430. PMID: 34658434; PMCID: PMC8504507.
6. Sangle P, Sandhu O, Aftab Z, Anthony AT, Khan S. Vitamin B12 Supplementation: Preventing Onset and Improving Prognosis of Depression. Cureus. 2020 Oct 26;12(10):e11169. doi: 10.7759/cureus.11169. PMID: 33251075; PMCID: PMC7688056.
7. Peuhkuri K, Sihvola N, Korpela R. Dietary factors and fluctuating levels of melatonin. Food Nutr Res. 2012;56. doi: 10.3402/fnr.v56i0.17252. Epub 2012 Jul 20. PMID: 22826693; PMCID: PMC3402070.
8. Daniel Brugger, Wilhelm M. Windisch. Subclinical zinc deficiency impairs pancreatic digestive enzyme activity and digestive capacity of weaned piglets. British Journal of Nutrition, 2016; 1 DOI: 10.1017/S0007114516002105
9. Wu G. Amino acids: metabolism, functions, and nutrition. Amino Acids. 2009 May;37(1):1-17. doi: 10.1007/s00726-009-0269-0. Epub 2009 Mar 20. PMID: 19301095.
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