Article by Justin L Scharton, Independent Researcher
Article written on February 12, 2025
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Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any condition. Always consult a licensed medical professional before making changes to your healthcare regimen.
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How the vegan diet can destroy your health!
The vegan diet is full of risks, especially if not supplementing appropriately. Vitamin B6, B12, DHA omega 3, collagen production, and iron are at a major risk to be deficient with the vegan diet. All of these can lead to several health problems. My own horror story of how the vegan diet destroyed my health is included.
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Vitamin B6 and the chickpea dilemma
Vegan activists often say to eat chickpeas for a natural source of vitamin b6, but there is only 0.535 mg in 100 grams of chickpeas, or about 1.1mg per cup. (1,2)
Adults need 1.3 mg per day, pregnant women need 1.9 mg per day, and for people over 51, the men will need at least 1.7 mg per day and women over 51 will need 1.5 mg per day. Over time, with a chronic deficiency in vitamin b6, our ability to break down protein becomes impaired. The amino acid, phenylalanine, needs vitamin b6 to be converted into the amino acid tyrosine; which then turns into the neurotransmitters epinephrine, and norepinephrine. (3,4)
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Vegan induced health and psychiatric problems from B6 deficiency
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B6 deficiency can impair protein metabolism, particularly the conversion of phenylalanine to tyrosine, leading to lower epinephrine and norepinephrine production.
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The imbalance of norepinephrine can do more that affect the way we respond to stress, as it can lead to major depressive disorder and schizophrenia. (5)
Vitamin b6 deficiency can result in dermatitis, microcytic anemia, weakening of the immune function, convulsive seizures, and depression and confusion. (4)
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Iron
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Heme iron is found in meat, and is easily absorbed into the body as compared to the non-heme iron found in plants. Over 95% of the functional iron in our bodies is in the form of heme iron. (6) Iron, along with vitamin b12 and folate are needed for us to form red blood cells, and deficiencies in those nutrients will cause anemia. (7)
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Omega 3 and DHA vs plant based omega 3
Men are most at risk for DHA deficiency
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Some individuals (particularly adult males) are less capable to convert plant-based omega-3 into DHA/EPA. (8)
Women, influenced by estrogen, often convert plant-based ALA to DHA more efficiently. (9)
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There may be rare genetic anomalies that allow an adult male to thrive on a vegan diet without severe deficiencies, but this is not typical.
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Role in Brain Function
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Deficiency in DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid found primarily in fish oils) has been linked to developmental and psychiatric conditions, including ADHD, autism, bipolar disorder, depression, suicidal ideation, cognitive impairment. (10)
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Multi-chemical sensitivity can be caused by a lack of omega 3, which disrupts the TRPA1 and TRPV1 receptors.(28,29)
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Neurotransmitter Imbalances
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Low DHA can affect levels of acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, glutamate, and GABA. Any imbalance in these neurotransmitters can alter mood, emotional regulation, information processing, and more. (10)
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Research on DHA Dosing
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Autism Study: 1.54 grams/day of DHA in children (5–17) diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder was shown to improve hyperactivity and stereotypic behaviors. (11,12)
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ADHD Study: 120–500 mg/day of long-chain marine omega-3s significantly helped reduce behavioral and learning problems, hyperactivity-impulsivity, anxiety, temper tantrums, and sleep difficulties. (11,12)
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Vegan Propaganda - Purslane for DHA
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Some sources suggest purslane for plant-based EPA, but levels are extremely low (10 mg of EPA per kilogram of purslane). (13) For many, this is insufficient to meet physiological needs, and eating a kilogram of purslane per day is unrealistic.
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Collagen
Collagen can be synthesized in the liver. For vegans, there are the correct amino acids in beans. (14) It also required vitamin C, iron, copper, and zinc to create collagen (15,16,17). 57% of total amino acids are made of the amino acids, glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. (18) The best sources of collagen are pork rinds and gelatin. (19,20)
Health problems from low collagen
Atherosclerosis can occur with low collagen. (21)
Brittle bone disease (22)
Collagen V is required for the fibrillogenesis of tendons and ligaments. (23)
Delays wound healing (24)
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B12
B12 deficiency can result in heart failure due to anemia, neurodegeneration, gastric cancer, and autoimmune disorders that include: type 1 diabetes, myasthenia gravis, Hashimoto disease, or rheumatoid arthritis. (25)
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My horror story of vegan induced health problems
I started the vegan diet in August 2017. For several months I felt like I had a lot more energy from the diet change, and progressively became more intolerant to certain supplements that contain vitamin b12, most notably spirulina. Memory problems started developing in late 2018. Throughout 2019, I was having partial-complex and absence seizures that progressively got worse into tonic-clonic seizures starting in November. In December 2019, I developed a stutter, severe memory problems, and ataxia that made me feel like my legs weren’t there that made me have to crawl on the ground. At that point, my doctor would not let me drive or work.
The emergency room did a stat brain MRI showing:
After trying a few different seizure medications, I was put on 750 mg Keppra twice per day, Gabapentin 300 mg four times per day, and Depakote 250 mg twice per day to be taken in between the Keppra doses. I did refuse to try Dilantin due to the side effects, and the risk of liver failure. I stopped the Depakote after a couple of weeks because the side effects of my gums were swollen and bleeding, and the extreme cold feeling I got from the Depakote made it hard to breathe.
Also at the end of 2019, I developed severe multi-chemical sensitivity (MCS). Hair chemicals were a major seizure inducer. Laundry detergents and fabric softeners induced ataxia and made me crawl on the ground. Those laundry products that contain large amounts of the terpene linalool made my symptoms worse. Research showed that linalool reduces acetylcholine (26), which could be the reason my ataxia was worsened by linalool, which is found in lavender.
I kept up the Vegan diet until April 2021. I had to see a doctor of genetic disorders for a consultation about my symptoms, and as to why my phenylalanine blood level was elevated. As a test before seeing that doctor, I tried eating some chicken and cheese, which made me feel a lot better. After mentioning all of this to that doctor, he gave a bunch of “I don’t knows”, so I decided I had to figure out what was going on by myself. It was surprising to me that doctor didn't suspect a b6 deficiency, but doctors tend to give pills, not nutritional advice.
This is when I started eating a more carnivore diet, and had to limit carbohydrates since they became a seizure inducer. I did find out that a vitamin b6 is needed to metabolize phenylalanine into tyrosine, and is needed for the biosynthesis of epinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. (27) I obviously did not get enough b6 from a hummus-rich vegan diet.
Eventually I found out that the receptors TRPA1 and TRPV1 are involved in MCS, (28) and that DHA, EPA and LA are all able to modulate TRPV1 activity (29). So I decided to start eating fish later in 2021. I initially tried canned cod liver, and that made my head feel very clear, but gave me seizures for a couple of weeks until I got used to it. I do eat sardines most often now, and as of August 2024 my MCS has improved a lot. As of this writing, hair chemicals now give me chest pain, with some mild partial-complex seizure activity. Laundry detergent and fabric softeners that smell more piney (Mountain Spring scent) are extremely nauseating. The linalool containing night time scent fabric softeners is still mildly seizure inducing, and can make it a little hard to walk normally.
Around June 2024 I was able to reduce the Keppra to 250 mg twice per day, and Gabapentin twice per day as well until my phosphate level dropped low. Keppra was the cause of my low phosphate, and caused some heart problems including a right bundle branch block, and frequent palpitations that made me to black out. The gabapentin now makes my heart feel very uncomfortable, like it’s going to stop. I stopped both seizure meds, and now rely on CBD and cannabis to help control my symptoms. Humulene strains like White Walker, and White Widow work the best for my symptoms.
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I did find increasing my acetylcholine helped with the walking and coordination problems. The supplement CDP choline helped the most with those problems, but gave me severe chest pain. So I started using a drop of the terpene alpha pinene on my forearm to help mildly increase my acetylcholine without chest pain. Research showed that (+)- and (-)-alpha-pinene are acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. (30) A sublingual dose of diluted a-pinene in MCT oil (about a 20:1 dilution) induced a strong parasympathetic response that lowered my heart rate and made me tired. The topical application didn’t make me tired or lower my heart rate like the sublingual version. There is no research to show why there is a difference between topical and sublingual acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and how the topical was more stimulating. It could have to do with some local neuro excitement on the forearm causing some type of feedback to the brain.
I often add in a drop of the terpene Myrcene on my forearm to help with the shaky feeling I get that was worsened after developing MCS. Myrcene has sedative and muscle relaxant properties. There may be some anxiety relief at lower doses, but may cause anxiety with larger doses. (31) I tried myrcene sublingually, and the effect was way too intense. That made it hard for me to walk, and gave me heart palpitations.
Clinical medicine, at least doctors for poor people cannot diagnose, treat, or test for MCS; at least in my case. It was a tremendous waste of time to seek their consultations for MCS. I have no experience with doctors for rich people, so I don’t know if they provide better information or not. Diagnosing a dysfunction of receptors like TRPA1 and TRPV1 is not a part of clinical medicine in the USA. There is a very good chance those doctors would send us afflicted with MCS to a psychiatrist. That happened to me, and she said “your symptoms don’t fit a diagnosis, and all I can do is give you more pills to help you sleep”. She also tried convincing me to do a plant based ketogenic diet for seizure reduction right after she said that my vegan diet could have caused my neurological problems. She was disappointed that I said I have to eat meat to feel normal. It is strange how many doctors push a plant based diet on people, but give no advice on how to do that properly with what supplements that are required.
Sources
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