United Kingdom: A recent study by scientists at Cambridge University has found that vitamins for vegans made from algae could soon prove to be the most effective solution to replacing an important nutrient missing from plant-based diets.
According to reports, the popularity of meat- and dairy-free foods in western diets means that many people are potentially exposed to vitamin deficiency. Furthermore, they can suffer from a lack of vitamin B12, a key nutrient involved in blood and nerve cell manufacture.
The new research has come up with a remarkable solution to the problem. According to the study, many types of algae, largely aquatic organisms that lack roots or stems, show a notable ability to accumulate B12. These could soon be exploited by manufacturers to provide effective supplements of the vitamin.
“Diets based purely on plant products are great on many levels, but they have certain deficiencies, and one of the most important of these is their lack of vitamin B12,” Prof. Alison Smith, head of the plant metabolism group at the university, remarked.
“Supplements based on vitamin B12 are already available, but some are effective and others are not.” If you are on a vegan diet, you are at risk of being vitamin B12 deficient. You can buy supplements, but if you pick up the wrong tablet or the wrong supplement, then you could continue to cause yourself harm,” Dr. Payam Mehrshahi, another researcher at the university, commented.
“Many vegans would prefer not to have chemical supplements, and they would like to get their B12 as a natural part of their diet. You cannot get it from plants, but we have found that certain algae are rich sources of the vitamin,” Prof. Smith added.
Vitamin B12 is an essential micronutrient. Lack of it triggers muscle weakness, numbness, nausea, weight loss, fatigue, and an increased heart rate, while continued deficiency will eventually leave people susceptible to ailments that include pernicious anaemia, heart disease, and diabetes.
“The crucial point is that B12 is made by bacteria such as those that grow in the digestive systems of cows and sheep. You cannot get it directly from plants. Meat has been the main traditional source, along with dairy products and eggs,” Mr. Mehrshahi remarked.
“However, if you adopt a vegetarian diet, or more noticeably, a vegan diet, your B12 intake can be drastically reduced, and that is now having noticeable consequences for the nation’s health,” the researcher added.
It is estimated that the total number of vegans in the UK has grown to more than one million, or almost 1.5 percent of the country’s population. This rise is reflected in sales of plant-based foods, which increased by 49 percent since 2018 but have now levelled off.