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Vegetarian macros

there’s a difference between low levels, and a deficiency.
e.g. You don’t need to take creatine supplements as a vegetarian, but will do better if you do.

vegetarians have lower levels of

  • creatine
    • veggies have less in their muscles than omnivores, it also enhances concentration in veggies.
  • taurine
    • veggies have less in their muscles than omnivores
    • Taurine is only found in animal products such as seafood, poultry, and dairy products 65
  • cholesterol
  • carnosine
    • Carnosine is only found in meat and dairy products but can be formed in the body from the amino acids histidine and beta-alanine. Vegetarians have less carnosine in their muscles than meat eaters
  • carnitine
    • Since carnitine is primarily found in meats and dairy products, vegans are at risk for carnitine deficiency 50
    • Carnitine supplementation increased skeletal muscle carnitine stores by approximately 13% in vegatarians, but not in omnivores, (study)

possible low levels

  • Protein, essential amino acids
  • essential fatty acid Pre-formed Omega-3 Fatty Acids DHA and EPA
    • These are in nuts and seeds, and mainly in fish.
    • ALA found in flax/chia/walnuts does not convert well into DHA 74]
  • Zinc
    • Many plant foods that contain zinc also contain phytate, which inhibits zinc absorption 24. Vegetarian diets tend to reducezinc absorption by about 35% compared to an omnivorous diet 23
  • iron
  • Vitamin D
    • vitamin D3
    • Vegans’ dietary intake of vitamin D is below the recommended range. Inadequate intake can decrease bone mineral density and cause bone abnormalities. In a prospective longitudinal study of 181 Asian women, 73% of vegans compared to 46% of omnivores had vitamin D deficiency. However, veganism was not associated with bone loss or fracture 13, 14, 15
  • Calcium
    • In vegans, the dietary intake of calcium and vitamin D can be below the recommended range. This may cause a decrease in bone mineral density and increase the risk of bone abnormalities 14, 27, 28
  • iodine
    • Iodine is more commonly found in animal food products than those of plant origin. One study showed that 80% of vegans suffer from iodine deficiency compared to 9% of those who ate both meat and plants 39
  • vitamin A
    • Plants contain beta-carotene, which can be converted to active Vitamin A, but there are multiple factors that can affect the conversion rate and beta-carotene absorption. Therefore, it is possible for vegans to be vitamin A deficient 19, 20, 21.
  • vitamin B
    • Riboflavin / vitamin B2
      • 25% of veggies have a deficiency  69, 71
    • vitamin B3
      • 34% of vegetarians were deficient in niacin 68
    • choline / vitamin b4
      • Vegans may be at risk for choline deficiency since most food sources are either meat, dairy, or seafood products 26.
    • vitamin B6
      • 30-60% of veggies are deficient 69 68
    • vitamin B12
      • Because natural sources are only found in meat, vegans are frequently vitamin B12 deficient 5
  • selenium
    • Vegans in the U.S. appear to have adequate intakes of selenium. Low intakes and lower blood concentrations have been reported in vegans and vegetarians in other areas of the world where soil selenium is low.
  • Glycine
    • Vegans don’t ingest as much glycine from the diet as meat eaters (even though their blood levels are higher) 56
most common missing ones

health
longevity

  • carnitine
    • L-carnitine may help increase weight loss and fat burning. Studies also support its use for health, brain function, and disease prevention. (weight loss study)