1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Population
2.2. Laboratory Methods
2.3. Statistical Evaluation
3. Results
3.1. Characteristics of the Study Population
3.2. Differences among Vegans and Non-Vegans in Selected Blood Markers
3.3. Cobalamin Status in Relation to Supplement Use and Duration of Vegan Diet
Differences in Markers Stratified by Supplementation Habit or Duration of Veganism
3.4. Risk of Deficiency
3.4.1. Cobalamin Metabolism
3.4.2. Markers of Iron Deficiency
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Group | Age | BMI | Sex | Waist Circumference | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
n | Mean Age | n | Mean BMI | Males | Females | Mean Waist Circumference | |
Vegans | 151 | 32.8 ± 7.4 | 105 | 22.6 ± 2.7 | 78 | 73 | 81.5 ± 9.11 |
Omnivores | 84 | 32.0 ± 7.0 | 84 | 23.7 ± 3.1 | 45 | 39 | 77.4 ± 9.98 |
p-value | 0.394 | 0.005 | 0.779 | 0.002 |
Group | n | Mean | Min | Max | p-Value | ANCOVA * | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cobalamin (ng/L) | Vegans | 148 | 359 | 61 | 1006 | 0.002 | 0.014 |
Non-vegans | 84 | 416 | 174 | 785 | |||
HCY (µmol/L) | Vegans | 147 | 14.7 | 5.8 | 65 | 0.607 | 0.440 |
Non-vegans | 84 | 14.1 | 7.2 | 29 | |||
Folate (µg/L) | Vegans | 146 | 13.0 | 3.63 | 40.5 | <0.001 | <0.001 |
Non-vegans | 84 | 8.74 | 2.53 | 21.0 | |||
Holotranscobalamin (pmol/L) | Vegans | 99 | 89.7 | 14.0 | 682 | 0.121 | 0.909 |
Non-vegans | 34 | 87.9 | 44.0 | 150 |
Group | n | Mean | Min | Max | p-Value | ANCOVA | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ferritin (µg/L) | Vegans | 145 | 43.6 | 1.8 | 246 | 0.001 | <0.001 |
Non-vegans | 81 | 72.2 | 4.4 | 252 | |||
Iron (µmol/L) | Vegans | 150 | 19.0 | 3.3 | 65.6 | 0.392 | 0.925 |
Non-vegans | 84 | 19.2 | 5.2 | 41.5 | |||
Iron Binding Capacity (µmol/L) | Vegans | 150 | 56.8 | 38 | 88 | 0.327 | 0.326 |
Non-vegans | 84 | 56.3 | 37 | 92 | |||
Transferrin (g/L) | Vegans | 139 | 2.74 | 1.74 | 4.18 | 0.396 | 0.993 |
Non-vegans | 84 | 2.74 | 1.92 | 4.52 | |||
Saturated Transferrin (%) | Vegans | 135 | 28.7 | 3.4 | 79.1 | 0.614 | 0.930 |
Non-vegans | 68 | 28.8 | 7.5 | 70.9 | |||
Hemoglobin (g/L) | Vegans | 150 | 138 | 97 | 169 | 0.022 | <0.001 |
Non-vegans | 84 | 142 | 111 | 169 | |||
MCV (fL) | Vegans | 149 | 88.5 | 87.2 | 103 | 0.009 | 0.022 |
Non-vegans | 84 | 87.2 | 74.3 | 96.4 |
Supplement Use | n | Mean | Min | Max | p-Value | ANCOVA | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cobalamin (ng/L) | Regular | 90 | 398 | 129 | 885 | <0.001 | 0.002 |
Irregular | 39 | 329 | 61 | 1006 | |||
None | 17 | 256 | 67 | 841 | |||
Non-vegan | 84 | 389 | 174 | 785 | |||
Holotranscobalamin (pmol/L) | Regular | 63 | 104 | 21.1 | 682 | <0.001 | 0.06 |
Irregular | 25 | 72.2 | 15.5 | 167 | |||
None | 11 | 46.1 | 14 | 110 | |||
Non-vegans | 34 | 87.9 | 44.0 | 150 | |||
Homocysteine (µmol/L) | Regular | 90 | 13.5 | 5.8 | 33.8 | 0.001 | <0.001 |
Irregular | 37 | 15.2 | 7.9 | 65 | |||
None | 17 | 20.3 | 9.8 | 46.4 | |||
Non-vegans | 84 | 14.1 | 7.2 | 29 | |||
MCV (fL) | Regular | 91 | 88.4 | 79 | 98.3 | 0.04 | 0.63 |
Irregular | 38 | 88.6 | 63.9 | 103 | |||
None | 17 | 89.5 | 84.6 | 94.8 | |||
Non-vegans | 84 | 87.2 | 74.3 | 96.4 |
Duration of Veganism | n | Mean | Min | Max | p-Value | * ANCOVA | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cobalamin (ng/L) | Longterm vegan | 41 | 341 | 61 | 795 | 0.02 | 0.05 |
Medium-term vegan | 66 | 388 | 92 | 1006 | |||
Short-term vegan | 39 | 344 | 67 | 806 | |||
Non-vegan | 84 | 389 | 174 | 785 | |||
Holotranscobalamin (pmol/L) | Long-term vegan | 27 | 103 | 31.1 | 521 | 0.15 | 0.58 |
Medium-term vegan | 53 | 88.2 | 14.0 | 682 | |||
Short-term vegan | 19 | 74.5 | 15.5 | 148 | |||
Non-vegan | 34 | 87.9 | 44.0 | 150 | |||
Homocysteine (µmol/L) | Long-term vegan | 39 | 16.9 | 6.2 | 65 | 0.332 | 0.028 |
Medium-term vegan | 65 | 13.3 | 6.8 | 28.9 | |||
Short-term vegan | 40 | 14.9 | 5.8 | 46.4 | |||
Non-vegans | 84 | 14.1 | 7.2 | 29 | |||
Folate (µg/L) | Long-term vegan | 40 | 12.9 | 4.98 | 25.0 | <0.001 | <0.001 |
Medium-term vegan | 65 | 13.0 | 3.63 | 40.5 | |||
Short-term vegan | 37 | 13.0 | 4.5 | 21.9 | |||
Non-vegan | 24 | 9.75 | 3.64 | 20.0 | |||
MCV (fL) | Long-term vegan | 40 | 87.8 | 63.9 | 103 | 0.03 | 0.06 |
Medium-term vegan | 66 | 88.8 | 79 | 96.1 | |||
Short-term vegan | 40 | 88.8 | 80.4 | 98.3 | |||
Non-vegans | 84 | 87.2 | 74.3 | 96.4 | |||
Ferritin (µg/L) | Long-term vegan | 38 | 39.4 | 1.8 | 146 | 0.005 | <0.001 |
Medium-term vegan | 65 | 41.6 | 3.6 | 246 | |||
Short-term vegan | 39 | 51.1 | 6.8 | 177 | |||
Non-vegans | 81 | 72.2 | 4.4 | 252 |
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