A cross-sectional study of nutritional status in healthy, young, physically-active German omnivores, vegetarians and vegans reveals adequate vitamin B 12 status in supplemented vegans
Annals of Medicine · 11 authors, 4 centres
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This cross-sectional study compared nutrient intake and blood biomarkers among healthy young German omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans. The central finding is that supplemented vegans achieved vitamin B12 status comparable to omnivores, while lacto-ovo-vegetarians showed poorer B12 status.
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The study was a cross-sectional analysis of 115 young, healthy, physically active adults in Freiburg, Germany, categorized by self-selected diet: omnivore, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, or vegan. Researchers collected four-day weighed food diaries and measured 36 blood biomarkers. Vegan participants had the lowest dietary intake of vitamin B12 but, with a high rate of supplementation (90%), their B12 status was adequate and comparable to omnivores. In contrast, lacto-ovo-vegetarians had poorer B12 status, with a lower supplement use rate of 51%. Multivariate analysis showed that biomarkers of B12 status, iron, and lipid metabolism were the primary drivers of dietary group clustering. The study had limitations including a moderate sample size, cross-sectional design which precludes causal inference, and a cohort that may not be generalizable to other populations.
