Vegan Vitamins & Supplements

Vegan diets most often lack the nutrients and vitamins that come in meat and animal-based products. The most common ones are:

• Vitamin B12 – used for protein metabolism, forming red blood cells, and supporting your immune system.
• Vitamin D – most commonly derived from exposure to sunlight, it’s essential for the absorption of calcium.
• Omega-3s – good for brain development, inflammation, depression, breast cancer ADHD and more.
• Iron – used in the production of blood vessels and DNA, for metabolism and more.
• Calcium – ideal to help strength bones and teeth. It also supports muscle and nerve function, and your heart.

Most supplements come with instructions on the label on how and when you should take them – some need to be taken with food before or after a meal, others on an empty stomach. There are also some which you should not take together in case of an odd reaction or reduced efficacy.

As always, when taking new supplements or changing your diet, speak to your GP for further advice.

Of course, the best way to consume your vitamins is through your food, but unfortunately, a vegan diet does restrict your access to certain ones.

To get what your body needs, you can try taking capsules or tablets of your needed vitamins. The alternative is to try fortified foods:

• Fortified Soy milks and cereals are rich in Vitamin B12 and D
• Leafy green vegetables have plenty of calcium and iron.
• Wholegrains are good for Zinc

The only real ways to know if you need supplements is through a blood test of a meeting with your GP to discuss a problem.

Some deficiencies are easy to determine, for example, iron – if you’re feeling fatigue and weakness and you’re pale with pale mucus membranes in your eyes and pale tongue – these are all signs of Anaemia.