16 September 2008

vegetarian shrinkage

A wake up call to vegetarians: get your vitamin B12!

A new study out of Melbourne, Australia has found that vegetarians are 6 times more likely to experience brain shrinkage than meat-eating counterparts. I haven't been able to find the actual study (which makes me a little suspicious, 'cause this news is going like hotcakes 'round the net). The reason for the brain shrinkage is said to be due to lack of vitamin B12, an essential nutrient only found in meat and yeast extracts like Marmite (or how 'bout a nice Vegemite sandwich?).

The part of the brain that's most affected by the shrinkage is the hippocampus, which is responsible for short term memory and spatial memory. So vegetarians and vegans, don't forget: take your vitamins!

[Source: Times of India]

The best daily vitamin supplements I've found are from New Chapter Organics. They seem expensive at around $45 a bottle, but that's for a 90 days (3 months) supply. They're made with organic ingredients and have double the recommended daily dose of B12. These vitamins are considered a cultured whole food, which means that the body will easily digest the nutrients in their most active form.

Every Woman's One Daily (90 tablets for $45.12)

  • Naturally gluten free
  • 100% vegetarian
  • No artificial flavors or colors
  • Each tablet contains 800 mcg of folate, a vitamin essential for woman's health, especially before and during pregnancy
Full nutrition info here.


Every Man's One Daily (90 tablets for $45.11)
  • Naturally gluten free
  • 100% vegetarian
  • No artificial flavors or colors
Full nutrition info here.

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