Are Vegans more likely to be deficient in Vitamin A?

Question

I heard that vegans mostly become deficient in vitamin A...but I dont understand how's that true?? I mean isn't vitamin A found mostly in vegetables and has beta-carotene..so if vegans mainly just eat from plant sources shouldn't they be high in vitamin A?? why would they be deficient in this?

and btw, I heard this in class. something about being due to not getting high quantities of this vitamin, but still that doesn't make any sense...unless I'm wrong about the whole vitamin A stuff I wrote.
Also, why are vegans mostly deficient with only SOME B vitamins and not all, like Vitamin B1,B2 and B12..but not with B3 or B6? Can someone please clarify this for me? Thanks heaps!

Answer 1

It's not true. Vegetables contain lots of vitamin A. Such as broccoli, carrots, sweet potato - they are better sources of vit A than animal products.



B12 comes from bacteria. Herbivores get their B12 from eating plants contaminated with the microorganisms, which is why it's present in animal products. It is difficult for humans to obtain from plants because the food we buy is no longer contaminated.



However, as non-dairy milks and margerines are fortified with B12, among other products such as cereals or yeast extract (e.g. Marmite) it's easy to get enough.



You keep saying "vegans are mostly deficient in..." but that;s simply not true. It's actually uncommon for vegans to be deficient in any vitamins or minerals.

Answer 2

Vegans get a lot of vitamin A. Possible deficiency is Vitamin D since they have mostly animal sources and of course sunshine. That is the reason milk is fortified with Vitamin D in USA since it is not sunny all year round in most places.



Some Vitamin Bs are available in plant sources while others are only available in animal sources. It is not really a reason for worry as the body makes up essential vitamins whether you eat it or not.

Answer 3

no one in the western world has a vitamin A deficiency. the only people who do are in bangaladesh and some other SE asian countrys where they only eat white rice. they get night blindness and ONE vitamin A pill cures them for 25 years since its fat soluble (not beta carotine) and you only need a tiny amount.

Either your teacher said A by mistake or they needs to have their license taken away.

B vitamins are abundance since they are fortified in almost all grain and corn products. 100 years ago people in the south got POLEGRA which is folic acid deficiency because they lived on only corn. Polegra hasnt been seen since the 1940s. Beri-beri is B1 deficiency and also extinct since 1900s japan.

b12 is called precarious anemia and is rare. people may have low levels of b12 but a true deficiency is not common at all. it isnt absorbed well but the liver recycles it and one dose can serve you for 30 years. (not exaggerating)

Answer 4

Should not be true, most vitamin A is found in plant foods:

http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/food-sources-of-vitamin-A.php



Also, as for vitamin B. Vitamin B12 is mostly found in animals and is quite different from the other vitamins in the B complex.

http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-high-in-vitamin-B12.php

Answer 5

Vegans are seldom deficient in any vitamin. I think your teacher made it up. Vitamin deficiences happen mainly in third world countries where there isn't enough food to go around.

Answer 6

Vegans get a superb form of nutrition A. possible deficiency is nutrition D when you consider that they have usually animal sources and of course sunshine. it somewhat is the clarification milk is fortified with nutrition D in u . s . a . because of the fact it is not sunny all twelve months around in maximum places. some nutrition Bs are obtainable in plant sources mutually as others are only obtainable in animal sources. it is not possibly a reason at the back of subject because of the fact the physique makes up mandatory supplements whether you consume it or no longer.