Vegans And Everyone Know Vitamin B12 Is Essential For Arterial Health
Vitamin B12 is needed to support healthy artery functioning. In general the arteries of vegans are more healthy than the arteries of omnivores but there is an exception. Dr. Greger examined a new study from China that showed the arteries of vegans and vegetarians could be as thick and dysfunctional as omnivores when they didn’t have sufficient levels of vitamin B12 in the bloodstream. The thickening of the arterial walls is correlated to a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease and we want to avoid this.
The thickness of the artery walls was caused by different reasons for the plant-based eaters and the omnivores, though the thickness and lack of elasticity nonetheless was a problem for both. Vegetarian and vegans who didn’t enough vitamin B12 could develop high levels of homocysteine in the blood, which thickened arterial walls. High levels of homocysteine damaged arteries and could undermine the beneficial and artery sustaining minerals, vitamins, and phytonutrients of a whole food plant based diet.
Getting proper amounts of vitamin B12 has been a topic of concern for vegans because the diet lacks vitamin B12. The lack of vitamin B12 is not only an issue for vegans and some vegetarians but also for omnivores, which is why eating a vitamin B12 fortified diet is recommended for everyone. Over-industrialization has threatened vitamin B12 sources for everyone, so everyone should monitor their vitamin B12 levels.
In the case of vegans, you don’t want to throw out the health supporting whole food plant based diet because it lacks vitamin B12. Periodically supplement with a vegan vitamin B12 supplement to be on the safe side. I eat a whole food plant based diet and I generally do not take any vitamin supplements and rely on getting my vitamins from the food I eat. In this case I rather be safe than sorry. I reluctantly supplement with a vegan vitamin B12 supplement around 3-4 days out of the month and I eat a lot of raw foods and my vitamin B12 level is 3/4 of the maximum recommended level, which is very good.
Tags: vitamin b12, vitamin B12 for vegans
