Quite a while ago now I did a post about the supplements I take on a vegan diet and I was looking back recently and realised a few things had changed, so it’s probably time for an update. Those of you who caught my unboxing post earlier this month will know that I’m currently taking Sundose custom vitamins, but this post is going to be about how I usually supplement my vegan diet/ have been taking for a while and have bought/ repurchased myself.
I’m going to include actual supplements I take, and the other supplemented items I consume regularly to boost my intake. Obviously, this is what I’m taking/ what works for me, that doesn’t mean you need to take these things too.
Supplements You Need To Take On A Vegan Diet
The only thing you 100% need to add is vitamin B12. You can get it in multivitamins, alone or as a mouth spray. If you’re in the UK and have a B12 deficiency, you can also get it as an injection. Although we’re aiming to prevent the deficiencies here so take your B12.
A lot of vegan products are fortified with B12 too such as dairy alternatives etc.
How I Supplement My Vegan Diet
Vegan Multivitamin
Let’s start with the basics, I take a vegan multivitamin. This is where I get my B12 from as well as several other vitamins and minerals, like iron and vitamin D. If you read my recipes, you’ll know that I pay close attention to the vitamin content in my food and try to be mindful of getting a balanced amount of all of the things I need. Now, I don’t take this because I necessarily feel as though I need the other things, but I use it as a top up of everything else, just in case.
Healthy Bones Supplement
I mentioned these in my last post too, although this supplement isn’t directly related to veganism. Due to a bone density issue in my hips in my early teenage years (I ate everything back then), I was advised to take a bone supplement…forever, so I do. I vary my brands and don’t have a particular favourite, but I take some sort of calcium/ vitamin D pill daily. I’ve never been deficient in either, so it’s hard to tell if this has any benefit whatsoever, but in the interest of not wanting my hips to break with even the tiniest fall, I continue to take them.
Hair Supplements
After the saga with my lashes, I started taking hair vitamins (lots of them). I no longer take these daily, but I do still take them once or twice a week. These vitamins have a lot of the same content as my vegan multivitamin, but in higher amounts. So, I only take one or the other in any given day.
Lysine
This is one that I don’t take regularly. This isn’t based on anything concrete, but some research suggests a link between veganism and cold sores. It’s to do with the ratio between the amino acids lysine and arginine. Many vegan foods are higher in arginine than lysine, which can trigger cold sores in some people.
Some of you may recall that it was medication to treat a cold sore outbreak that started the process of my eyelashes falling out to begin with. So, in an attempt to keep my eyelashes, if I ever feel like I may be getting a cold sore, I take lysine for a few days to a week. For me, this method has a 100% success rate as I haven’t had a proper cold sore since my lash saga, so I always have a bottle of these around just in case.
Supplemented Foods
Those pills are the only ones in my regular rotation, but there are some other things I look out for when choosing what I eat.
- I only consume vitamin fortified non-dairy items. Brands like Alpro have added B12, calcium and vitamin D in them. Some other non-dairy products that are organic/ 100% natural etc are not fortified. I’d rather take an extra additive or two for the fortified version. Even if I’m meeting 100% of my intake needs from other sources, it helps absorption rates if you have smaller amounts more frequently and things like milks and yoghurts are a very easy way to do that.
- Monitor omega 3. You’ll have noticed that I don’t take any kind of omega 3 supplement, so I make sure I have some chia/ flax in my diet regularly. Chia can be easily added to any breakfast dish, but I also use flax eggs quite frequently.
- Look for other fortified items. Sometimes you find an accidentally vegan product and an intentionally vegan product that are almost the same. But in some cases, the deliberately vegan one has added vitamins. For example, Flora original is now vegan friendly, but they still have their old plant based version from when the brand wasn’t vegan. The plant based version is fortified and Flora original is not.
Of course, the best way to get a balanced vitamin intake is to eat well and not have to rely on supplements, but these are the steps I take to boost my own intake. Are you vegan/ plant based? If so, do you take anything else in addition to this?
Until next time,
Sophie
This is such an informative post! I’m not Vegan but I have thought about becoming vegetarian and I’ve always been at a loss regarding vitamins! Thank you for creating this post xx
I’m not vegan but I do take a multi-vitamin supplement as a top up, and a cod liver oil supplement because it was something my mother swore by for more supple joints. I also take a magnesium supplement (a legacy of sciatic pain and a prolapsed disc) and more recently I’ve been taking an l’arginine supplement, which I’ve been amazed to find does wonders for my concentration. While I would always, as you say, aim for a balanced diet, I do think supplements have their place too. Interesting reading, Sophie, thank you for sharing xx
I have a B12 spray which I love and do think has made a difference to my energy levels. I’ll definitely be looking into the other supplements you mentioned here!
This is such an informative post. I don’t know too much about the vegan diet and supplements so I love reading about it and learning more. Thanks for sharing!
Great ideas. I have never been vegan but have tried to go for more plant based eating.
Really interesting and through post. I have never really paid attention to my vitamin intake but perhaps it is something I should be taking note of more in the future.
Team B12 all the way. This is a great list and love that you gave some info on a supplement that not a lot of people talk about — Lysine. I do take omegas and try to eat a lot of avocados. Thanks for sharing. 🙂 (#teacupclub)
I never thought to supplement my diet until the doctor said my iron levels were low. These days I’ve been trying to focus what I take to help me! I use the multivitamins route to keep me going!
I’m vegan and I take a multi vitamin just in case – I don’t always get my diet 100% and being vegan I’m more aware of it – when I was an Omni I probably didn’t get all my vitamins either mind your great post Thankyou
This was so interesting as someone who isn’t vegan!! I admire your ability to maintain this & hold true to your values & work hard to be healthy & mindful as you take care of yourself & others xxx
This is a great post! I’m not a vegan yet, but I’m been contemplating a plant based lifestyle (for health reasons). This is good information to keep in my back pocket until then (also, I didn’t know that about lysine, how fascinating). Thanks!
Great post. I am firm on taking my B12 daily. A few years ago my B12 levels dropped so low that I had to do weekly shots until we bumped it up enough to avoid nerve damage. Now I’m maintaining average to slightly low levels, but nothing like what it was. Not something that I want to mess around with! Lol
When going vegan definitely supplements are an important part.
http://www.fashionradi.com
Thank you for such a thorough and useful post. I have been starting to swap where I can foods in our family diet to become more plant based, mine more than the families currently! and have been looking into supplements we may need to include that differ from the current ones we take.
Thank you for sharing, will be sharing with my friends doing the same!
Sarah
http://www.simplysarahjayneloves.com
This was such an interesting and informative post. I had never considered the fact that those on a vegan diet may need supplements. This is such a great guide for those who need some information (I do as my daughter is newly vegan). Thank you for sharing xxx
She definitely needs some B12! But I think most people could do with supplementing something regardless of diet, I think vegans just tend to be more aware of it because people are constantly asking where we get this or that from x
I am plant based and take a variety of supplements for preventative health reasons. I take Turmeric daily because I find it hard to eat turmeric every day.
Thank you for sharing this. Really interesting, especially to know about B12. I’ve been fully vegetarian for 2 months now (no red meat for about 8 years before that) but eat mostly plant-based foods. Recovering from surgery so trying to use the plant proteins to help the recovery process as much as possible, so thank you for this information 🙂
Good luck with your recovery, I hope everything is going smoothly.
I so bad a taking my vitamins, and i really don’t know what time of day is best to take them? This is my reminder to take them tonight though, but should I be taking them in the morning before the day starts?
I don’t think time of day matters for most supplements but a lot are absorbed better if you have them with food so taking them with your breakfast would be a good time if you can remember on a morning
I am not Vegan nor do I take any supplements but your posts always make me pause and think about my diet and the things that I can do to incorporate more healthy plant-based options. I really need to start investing in proper supplements to aide me in my health journey.
it’s a shame you have to take so many supplements – it’s good more products have the added things in them to help with that too! It would be nice to not have to take so many I imagine, if all the products had added things in them 🙂 In Autralia they have added B vitamin and folic acid into bread to help prevent issues in pregnancy and in young kids and I think it’s a good idea! 🙂 It made me feel a little better if I forgot to take my folic acid vitamin one day when I was pregnant!
Hope that you have a nice weekend ahead of you 🙂
Away From Blue
I didnt realize B12 came as a spray! Awesome! I’m not a big meat eater, but I’m not good on beans so I wouldn’t get my protein in. I definitely don’t do dairy or whole wheat well. I probably should add more vegan to my diet.
I always take my B12 and vegan multi-vitamin, I feel like I use the multi as reassurance because I am not always super careful with my diet.
That’s kind of how I take mine too! Just a little extra in case I’m short of anything. We can’t all eat perfectly all the time!
It is great that you don’t need much supplements for as a vegan. I take B12 supplements as it is. It is interesting to read about Vitamin D. I have a deficiency in that area because I’m blocked from the sun most of the time. Thanks for sharing your supplements list!
Nancy ♥ exquisitely.me
You can definitely get most thins from your diet if you’re mindful of what you’re eating. I think it’s a recommended supplement for most people now, it’s a very common deficiency even in non-vegans. I can relate to the lack of sun!
What a thorough post Sophie! I’m not vegan though but I need to intake similar type of medicines for my health! I loved knowing you intake supplements also!
Xoxo Babita
http://www.travelhues.com/
Such a great post! There are so many different supplements out there, it’s hard to know which ones are worth trying! xo
MakeupMuddle.com
Great info as I always wondered about this. I’m not vegan but, I always wondered. I’m terrible at taking pills though, ha.
This is so informative! I always feel like I learn something when I read your posts. I’m not vegan and aren’t planning to be really but it’s always intrigued me what I’d need to take to replace certain things xx
Tiffany x http://www.foodandotherloves.co.uk
Great post – I can imagine this will be really helpful for anyone going Vegan. As you know I’m not Vegan but I do take a multivitamin every morning. I would be really interested to see what – if anything – I’m deficient in x
I take a general multivitamin and a vitamin d spray x