Vegan Nutrition with Marty Davey

Marty Davey is a Registered Dietitian and has a Masters degree in Food and Nutrition from Marywood University. She became a vegetarian in 1980 when she discovered that the chemicals in American meat made them unsellable to Europeans. She and her husband have raised their son as a vegan. She teaches nutrition and has a private practice specializing in assisting clients transitioning to a plant-based regime step by step. Her website is martydavey.com

Hi, I have been vegan for around two years now, I don't take any supplements or vitamins but do eat foods containing B12 such as Savoury Yeast Flakes and fortified soy milks etc. Since going vegan my health has improved dramatically, my energy levels have gone through the roof and I have dropped a lot of weight and well, I just feel great. The question keeps popping up though: Do I really need supplements even though I feel fantastic?

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In a word, yes. At least two of them. B12 and Vitamin D. I just got off of the Savoury Yeast Flakes website. They have no B12 listed on their nutrition information. Bad plan. Every vegetarian and vegan needs B12 supplements. It was the major nutrient deficiency in mortality rates for vegetarian and vegans according to the EPIC/Oxford study. I have a bunch of charts showing world wide B12 deficiency when it comes to vegheads of all varieties.

It is also deficient in folks over the age of 50. Without it a lot of nasty things can happen. Not the least is having a stroke or going crazy. But, there are more troubles and tribulations. Stuff like decrease in cognitive functions; megaloblastic anemia; disruptions in DNA copying leading to a host of evil events such as skin lesions, hair changes, digestion problems, stroke, paralysis and neural disfunctions. These issues and B12 deficiency is so prominent that it is going to be discussed for possible fortification in more products.

Savoury Yeast Flakes seems, online at least, like an Aussie product. I attended the International Vegetarian Congress this year in Loma Linda, California. I heard one presentation from an Australian researcher. Kids in Australia who don't eat cereals have a host of problems due to nutrient deficiencies. Also, age, light and air can deteriorate the B12 in the box. Err on the side of caution. The only way to know that you are getting sufficient B12 is to take a supplement. You can't get it from vegan foods unless it is fortified, and then, the companies will not divulge how much they actually put in the food. I have written a few to get the skinny without success. Take a sublingual [under the tongue] supplement of 1000mcg/week. You can take 500mcg twice a week also. But, and I am like ya motha' telling you not to pick your nose in public, trust me on this one.

Now, I know you are going to say, "I go outside a lot. I get my Vitamin D from the sun, blah, blah, blah." Well, there was a study on folks in Hawaii hanging out about as a naked as they dared being in the sun 11 hours a day. A significant number of these folks had a Vitamin D deficiency. The same thing was found in southern Arizona. I would use the amount of 1000 IU of D2/day. A recent study done in Boston, Massachusetts showed that with 1000 IU of D2/day, Vitamin D values increased and improved bone health the same as D3. D2 is from a vegan source and D3 is not.

My jury is still out about DHA intake. This comes from essential [meaning your body doesn't make it] fatty acids you eat. I have heard it from many sides. My take on it is that if you are going to supplement with fish oil for your DHA, don't. We don't need to kill more fish, and you don't want what else comes with the fish. It smells bad even after you take it. There are a number of vegan algae-derived sources of DHA. Take those. It is much easier on the planet. I know it's a drag to take pills, but our environment has changed since we ran around naked the savannah. We want you to continue to be a fantastic vegan example.

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Disclaimer: The advice given here is for eductional purposes only. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.

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