Did you see this? Vegan diet tied to birth defects

Is this a true statement or a clever title?

Did you see the recent article in the Vancouver Sun titled “Vegan diet tied to birth defects”? The article is trying to summarize findings from an article published in the American Academy Journal of Pediatrics showing that low maternal vitamin B12 status does correlate with increased risk of neural tube defects (see http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/ content/abstract/123/3/917). This research adds vitamin B12 to folic acid as a must for mothers in order to prevent neural tube defects.

The title “vegan diet tied to birth defects” is a bit misleading. It is true that vegans do not get significant amounts of active vitamin B12 in their diet. To further complicate the matter, research shows that the typical forms of vegan vitamin B12 such as brewer’s yeast, tempeh, algae, and sea veggies have negligible amounts of active vitamin B12. However, most vegans are aware of both these circumstances and thus compensate accordingly by supplementing with oral vitamin B12 or, even better, with an injection of vitamin B12.

It takes about three years to deplete stores of vitamin B12 once an individual begins a vegan diet or other diet devoid of vitamin B12. If you are a vegan and sexually active it is a good idea to get your vitamin B12 levels checked if your are not already supplementing with vitamin B12 or receiving vitamin B12 injections. This will help protect you and your baby.

As for claiming that veganism will cause birth defects, I think this is a catchy headline but ultimately unfair to our vegan friends. Nari and I are not vegans but we support many in our practice who are, and we have never encountered this complication.