If You're a Tired Vegetarian or Vegan, I Can Tell You Why

There are a lot of great ideas and practices associated with vegetarianism which is practiced by numerous cultures and religions around the world. This is even more important given the corporate control of our farming and food production which has slowly reduced the nutrient density of our food and created a challenge for even the most attentive of healthy eaters.

But the one thing that you are not going to get from your diet in these cases is Vitamin B12. There are no plant sources that contain B12 because plants do not need to convert it for use nor do they have the apparatus for this process. On the other hand, we do need to convert B12 in order to use it in our body. This happens in your stomach with a protein called Intrinsic Factor, which binds to the B12 in your food and helps it to be absorbed into your bloodstream for the body to use. Without this essential protein, you can’t absorb B12 resulting in conditions like pernicious anemia.

Now the only food source for B12 are animal proteins. This means that unless you are supplementing your vegetarian/vegan diet with daily B12, then you may be tired, dizzy, have trouble breathing, have a sore, red tongue and develop nerve issues like numbness and tingling. Through food is the natural way in which your body recognizes and uses B12.

But we have a deeper issue here to consider. I did just say that Intrinsic Factor is a protein. Your body contains tens of thousands of proteins that it combines to create every structure you have from bones to muscles to cells. You know those little chemicals that help you break down food? Enzymes … they are made from protein. Have you noticed that you have female reproductive issues? It may very well be because all of your reproductive hormones, in fact most of your hormones are made from proteins. Have you struggled with an autoimmune disorder or chronic infection? All of your antibodies are made from protein which help you to fight off pathogens and infection. Then there are blood factors like hemoglobin for oxygen transport. Are you asthmatic? You might consider looking at your dietary protein.

The truth is that every single cell you have includes protein. Now dietary protein does have some great plant sources, so you don’t actually have to eat animal protein to get all the amino acids you need, but many people end up being deficient in certain protein profiles because not every plant contains the same profiles amino acids, nor the same quantity. So depending on your selection, you can end up missing whole segments of the essential amino acids your body needs.

Another thing to consider is how you will supplement B12.  Injections do not provide the same B12 profile, nor are they a natural source such as you would get in food.  So it will not fulfill all of the same biological functions in the same way and often with a depletion of other cofactors that your body will use to process the injectible form.  Oral B12 is a great option as long as you have Intrinsic Factor in your stomach (so if you have acid reflux, you need some help!).  

My favorite oral B12s are of two types - animal protein derived and plant-sourced. I even use a liquid methylated B12 spray which is wonderful for those who really have a poor digestive capacity.

So don’t just assume that your adrenals are weak or you need caffeine in the morning. Try looking at the idea of B12 for a lasting solution and one you can support every day.