Vegan/Vegetarian EXPERT

In this package the following parameters are tested:

Blood count with differential

It helps in the assessment of the overall health status, can assist in detecting anemia (low red blood cell count), and thus impaired oxygen supply to tissues, as well as in determining the risk of infections, inflammations, immune disorders, or coagulation problems.

Blood glucose level

As the main source of energy for cells.

Total proteins

Which play an important role in the functioning of the immune system and blood clotting.

Albumin level

Which helps maintain fluid balance in the body, optimal blood pH, and participates in antioxidant processes.

Urea value

An important indicator of kidney function, the degree of body hydration, and protein catabolism.

Creatinine level

As an indicator of kidney function and muscle mass.

Amount of uric acid

Which provides information about kidney function.

Total bilirubin

Used to assess the condition of the liver and gallbladder.

Liver enzymes AST and ALT

Which provide information about liver function.

Total cholesterol level

As the main indicator of fat metabolism and cardiovascular disease risk.

Values of essential minerals

• sodium,
• potassium,
• chlorides,
• calcium,
• iron,
• and zinc.

Transferrin saturation

As a key indicator in diagnosing disorders related to iron metabolism.

Ferritin value

Which is used to diagnose iron deficiency or overload.

Vitamin B12 level

Which is important for DNA synthesis and red blood cell production, and is found exclusively in animal-based foods, making vegans/vegetarians more prone to deficiency.

Chemical urine examination and urinary sediment examination

Which are important for assessing kidney and bladder function. The chemical urine examination focuses on urine pH and specific gravity (density), qualitative detection of proteins, sugar, ketone bodies, bilirubin, urobilinogen, nitrites, hemoglobin. Microscopic examination of the sediment detects the presence of cells (e.g., white blood cells, red blood cells), crystals, and other substances in the urine.

LDL cholesterol level

As one of the most important indicators of the risk of developing atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, HDL cholesterol level, whose function is to remove excess cholesterol from the blood vessels and transport it to the liver, triacylglycerol values, which depend on the functioning of metabolism as a whole, fatty acid profile, since vegans/vegetarians often have a low intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

On Veganism and Vegetarianism – Expert Perspective

Vitamin B12 is involved in regulating homocysteine concentration, and low levels of vitamin B12 are associated with high concentrations of homocysteine in the blood. (1)

Since liver stores of vitamin B12 are relatively large and repeatedly reused, clinical symptoms of its deficiency become apparent only after several years without vitamin B12 intake. Therefore, vegans and vegetarians should have their vitamin B12 stores regularly monitored. These can be checked through laboratory testing of vitamin B12 concentration in the blood. Early changes can be detected by testing the concentration of the active form of vitamin B12 in serum, which decreases earlier than the concentration of total vitamin B12, and also before the increase of other markers of vitamin B12 deficiency, methylmalonic acid and homocysteine. (3)

Other nutrients that may be critically important in connection with vegan and vegetarian diets include proteins, omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid), other vitamins (riboflavin (B2), vitamin D), and minerals (iron, calcium, zinc, iodine, and selenium). (4)

Many plant-based foods do contain iron and zinc, but their bioavailability is limited because they contain substances that reduce absorption, such as phytates, tannins, lectins, or oxalates. (5)

Although vegetarians and vegans may have a higher intake of iron from plant-based food, its absorption is not as high, because iron from plant sources (so-called non-heme iron) has low bioavailability. (6) (7) This is also reflected in ferritin levels, which are lower in long-term vegetarians and vegans, especially in women. Serum ferritin levels provide the most specific and sensitive assessment of iron stores in the body. (8)

Iron deficiency can lead to iron deficiency anemia. In male vegetarians, iron deficiency anemia occurs comparably more often than in men who also consume animal products and meat. This is not the case for women: a significantly higher percentage of vegetarian women have hemoglobin values corresponding to anemia compared with women who are not vegetarians. This is more pronounced in premenopausal women. (8)

Zinc intake in vegans is lower compared to non-vegan populations. (9) Another mineral with low intake among vegetarians and vegans is calcium. (10)

Folate concentrations do not show significant differences between individuals on vegan and vegetarian diets and those on mixed diets; slightly elevated levels are observed in vegans. (12)

Vegetarians and vegans are observed to have lower plasma lipid levels, as confirmed by meta-analyses of many studies. In these, vegetarian and vegan diets were associated with lower levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and in some cases triglycerides, compared with “meat-eaters.” This likely reflects the already mentioned reduction in cardiovascular disease risk. (13)

Vegans and vegetarians often consume less omega-3 fatty acids, especially EPA and DHA, since these are found primarily in fish and other marine products. Fatty acids are important for the integrity and function of cell membranes, serve as a significant energy source for tissues, are involved in the production of chemical messengers needed for normal cell growth, lipid and cholesterol metabolism, and brain function. (14)