November 11th, 2009
Can My Vegatarian Diet Be The Reason Im Always So Tired?
I have been vegatrian for about six months now and i have found I am a oftern really tired. I take iron suppliements but that does not seem to help. Could a vegatrian diet do this to you? if so what can i do to stop it, i dont want to eat animals but I cant keep on like this. Also please dont suggest Caffine this gives me a really bad headache lol!
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
You will be suffering Vitamin B12 deficiency.
Vegan diet cannot support vitamin B12, which is made by the action of bacteria on meat! The easiest solution is a weekly glass of milk, or yoghurt.
There is no viable artificial source of B12. It HAS to come from meat extract, so there is no way around it.
There is an Iranian Vegan Community, which appears not to require such supplements. However, it is now known that they get their requirement from faecal contamination of their vegetables!
Vitamin B12 deficiency manifests itself as tiredness, neuromyalgia and anemia.
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
No it must be another reason theres no reason to feel tired because you dont eat meat lol
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
It could be.
Being vegetarian is harder than most people think. You need to make sure you’re getting all the proper nutrition, without eating the things most people eat to get it. For example, you still need protein, even if you don’t eat meat. And a big misconception people have is that soy is the only way to get it.
In fact, soy is a great source of protein, but it’s still unhealthy for you to ONLY get protein from soy. You need a VARIETY of sources. Same goes for all nutrients.
You’re probably not going to like this suggestion, but it’s a surefire way to figure out what’s going on with you. Go see either your normal doctor or a nutritionist and have them do blood work on you. They’ll do a blood test and they’ll have a big list of all your nutrition and they can tell you with 100% certainty how your diet and nutrition are.
Yeah it may be a pain, but there’s no better way to figure out how you’re doing.
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
A bad vegetarian diet could cause that. Either not enough protein or incomplete proteins.
Meat and eggs have all the right amino acids to make complete proteins. No plants do though. You need to eat a variety of plant proteins to get all the essential amino acids.
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
I was very tired when I ate meat… and I’m still tired as a vegetarian. I’m not sure why!
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
You should feel less tired as a vegetarian,as absorption of nutrients from food is much easier for your body.You could be low on sodium or some other problem to do with your lifestyle,ie stress,nerves lack of sleep etc
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
maybe. talk to a medical professional if you are concerned.
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
do u drink milk?? do u like veg food…cause only when u like what u eat, would u have a hearty meal or whatsoever…try having juices and vitamin supplements…it helps…have dates, badam and fruits everyday….
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
well it could be anything. Have you ever had glandular fever? Even if you didn’t suffer from it, you may have been exposed to it and this can lead to chronic fatigue syndrome.
If you eat dairy and have bumped up your dairy consumption, then all the fat and crap may be weighing you down. Also if the types of vegies you are eating have the wrong sugar profiles, this can cause lethargy as they are released into the blood quickly giving you a high followed by a crash. The glycemic index (GI) tells you which vegies are good and bad for this (bad ones are typically cereal and contain lots of starch ie wheat and rice).
But I am certain it IS NOT a vitamin B12 deficiency. An herbalist friend told me that B12 circulates in the blood and is released and re-released from the liver for 5-7 years before vegans become deficient and that’s ONLY if they get NO B12. So unless you’ve had no B12 for years, this is not the answer.
Really there are so many reasons why you could have low energy that do not relate to diet it is not funny. And why are you taking iron supplements? Has a doctor told you to? You should NEVER take a vitamin supplement unless you are deficient.
Best thing you can do it see a doc.
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
Even though you don’t eat meat you need protein – eggs, cheese, pulses
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
An inadequate vegetarian diet could result in low energy. After all, you could eat a diet consisting only of Twinkies and be “vegetarian.”
After my diet changed to vegetarian, my energy levels improved. Of course, I eat a wide variety of whole grains, beans, legumes, seeds, fruits, and vegetables with a few daily servings of low-fat dairy.
If you are committed to a vegetarian diet, perhaps you should consider speaking with a nutritionist to evaluate your dietary needs. I wish you all the best!
Peace.
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
Try asking your health care professional or local health food store about what vitamin you may be lacking in your body, this is what mite be coursing your tiredness. Also Iron supplements that are not slow release can course your body to dislike or reject the iron in your body. Thats why it is better to ask your health food provider about switching to a slow release Iron vitamin. If tiredness doesnt go away then maybe think about taking a visit to the doctor to find out what mite be the course.
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
Somewhere on your diet, you’r not getting enough of something. It can be protein, calcium, carbs, fat, anything. a vitamin or mineral, too.
Just make absolutely sure that you’re getting enough of what you need, and the tiredness should go away.
But if you cut meat off suddenly, that could be the reason why. You body hasn’t adjusted to not having meat yet (But I’m not sure it would normally take this long).
I’m a newly-made vegetarian. I’ve been Vegetarian for like, two days. lol! I’m a little tired, but I cut meat off suddenly.
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
could be a number of reasons you should visit your gp and he will probably send you for a blood test.
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
sorry this is so long, but thought it might be helpful.
make sure you are eating the right foods, as you have only been veggie for 6 months, their maybe foods you are missing out that you may need.
go to http://www.vegsoc.org for more info.
Pregnancy is another common reason
for severe tiredness.
Emotional causes
Facing stressful situations can be
draining, especially when you cannot
see a solution to your problems. A
perceived lack of control may lead to
frustration, irritability and tiredness
Mental health problems such as
depression or anxiety can make you
feel more tired and can prevent you
from sleeping properly.
Lifestyle causes
People with unusual or disturbed sleep
patterns such as shift workers, nurses,
doctors and nursing mothers can find
it difficult to get refreshing sleep.
Looking after small children is a
particularly draining activity, especially if
children do not sleep through the night
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
Your vegetarian diet could be causing you to have a vitamin B12 deficiency. It would be worth going to the doctors and getting blood tests for anaemia.
I was diagnosed with B12 anaemia about six months ago – I was always incredibly lethargic, felt very weak and got out of breath easily. I had a blood test to confirm it and then I had to have 6 injections over two weeks which boosted my supply of B12.
I am not a vegetarian but it can often be associated with a vegetarian or vegan diet as meat is the main supply of vitamin B12.
Check out this link on B12 deficiency…http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/…
Good luck!
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
if uve been taking meds since b4 u were vegetarian it might be the change in ur diet. if not then u might just be lacking protein.
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
Whether you eat meat or not you still should have a balanced diet. Women who eat meat can get tired as well.
It could be you just haven’t replaced the protein with enough alternatives.
Are you getting enough calories and protein? If you eat lentils or beans, are you eating these with a wholegrain like rice or brown bread or pasta to make it a complete protein? Are you also eating enough fresh fruit and vegetables?
Are you getting a few hours exercise every week, not stressed and having enough sleep?
You may find raw vegetable juices or juices with shots of wheatgrass or spirulina powder will also help.
So think about all the aspects of your eating and lifestyle, and if it seems like your doing everything right, then see a doctor/naturapath/nutritionist for advice, but you don’t have to eat meat. Many people are vegetarian for many years, many are athletes, you just have to do it right.
November 11th, 2009 12:29 AM
A vegetarian diet may or may not be the culprit. For that matter, if you were omni, the omni diet may or may not be the culprit. there are just too many things that could be the reason why you feel the way you do. Getting enough sleep? Eating the right combination of foods? Extra activity? Stress? Personally, i would check with my doc to see what’s wrong.