Meat is a fundamental food in our diet and refraining from its consumption is associated with numerous pathologies, both physical and mental, forcing those who do without it to take dietary supplements with B12, a fundamental vitamin not present in plant foods.
The scientific committee of Aesan (Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition) advises eating between two and four weekly servings of meat, if it is chicken or rabbit, and up to two in the case of red meat. And it is that, as they remember in the meat sector platform, Meat and Health, this food provides numerous nutrients. Thus, “it is a source of proteins of high biological value that contain all the essential amino acids that we need to ingest through the diet, which does not occur with plant-based diets.” Likewise, animal proteins are highly bioavailable. In addition, meat provides minerals such as iron, potassium, phosphorus and zinc.
Vitamin B12 is especially important, since it is not found in plant-based foods. In other words, the consumption of meat is essential to be able to obtain it naturally without having to resort to supplementation through food supplements, something that vegans and vegetarians are forced to do. “Vitamin B12 is found in meat and other products of animal origin because cattle obtain it from their diet and in their environment (soil, water, etc.) from the bacteria and yeasts that synthesize it. And foods of plant origin they do not have it in practically any case in the active form for the human organism,” recalls José Manuel Álvarez, spokesman for the meat sector platform Carne y Salud. In relation to plant-based foods that are frequently cited as a source of B12, in the case of algae, especially spirulina, brewer’s yeast, fermented foods, etc., Álvarez cites the opinions of nutritionists, “reference for vegans”, who assure that “it is very important to know that these products do not contain the form of active B12 suitable for the human body, but rather contain corrinoids or analogs of B12, which are sufficient for bacterial growth, but not for the functions of our metabolism” . In addition to not being active, these B12 analogs can interfere with the absorption of active B12 and falsify a blood test.
Álvarez points out that the website of the Spanish Vegetarian Union (UVE) itself says: “B12 is the only vitamin that is recognized as not being reliably provided by a varied, comprehensive diet of plant origin.” He also points out that, in a vegan diet, the only reliable sources are foods fortified with this nutrient (some non-dairy milks, some soy products…) and B12 supplements. “Most vegetarians and vegans, in the long term, can manifest a deficiency of this vitamin if they rely solely on the contribution through their diet, and may not obtain enough to minimize the potential risk of heart disease or complications during the pregnancy,” he says.
Álvarez emphasizes that the UVE details that “in adults, the typical symptoms of B12 deficiency are loss of energy, tingling, numbness, reduced sensitivity to pain or pressure, cloudy vision, an abnormal way of walking , sore tongue, poor memory, confusion, hallucinations, and personality changes. Alvarez says that these symptoms often develop gradually over several months or up to a year before being identified as being caused by B12 deficiency and are usually reversible by administration of this vitamin. There is, he adds, “no uniform and reliable set of symptoms, and there are cases of permanent impairment in adults from vitamin B12 deficiency.”
The person in charge of Carne y Salud warns that, in the case of babies, they show a faster onset of symptoms than adults, “since B12 deficiency can lead to a loss of energy and appetite and irregularities in growth. If not corrected early, it can progress to coma or death. Again, there is no completely uniform pattern of symptoms. Babies are more vulnerable to permanent impairment than adults. Some make a complete recovery, but others they have developmental delays.
Veganism and mental health
In Meat and Health they refer to some studies that conclude that the lack of some nutrients present in meat (essential fatty acids, iron, folate, vitamin B12, selenium or calcium) have been related to diseases such as depression , dementia and lack of concentration. Specifically, vitamin B12 has been the subject of numerous investigations due to the neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with its deficiency. Some researchers claim that vitamin B12 is part of the metabolic pathways designed to synthesize certain neurotransmitters responsible for modulating mood. Hypovitaminosis of B12 and its relationship with cognitive deterioration has been the subject of numerous investigations and there seems to be an association between low levels of vitamin B12 and dementia and the risk of late-onset depression in the elderly. The meat sector platform points out that last year a review of 18 studies was made that showed that avoiding meat consumption was associated with poorer mental health, increased risk of depression, anxiety and self-harm behaviors.
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