With an increasing number of people adopting plant-based diets, understanding how to maintain optimal energy levels is crucial. A well-planned vegan diet can be incredibly beneficial, but neglecting key nutrients can lead to fatigue and other health issues. This article explores the common causes of low energy in vegans and provides practical strategies to combat them, drawing on expert advice and scientific research.
Introduction: The Rise of Veganism and the Importance of Nutrient Awareness
The shift towards plant-based eating is a significant nutrition trend, driven by concerns for animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and personal health. However, "plant-based" and "vegan" are not synonymous. Plant-based diets focus on incorporating more plant foods while still allowing for occasional consumption of animal products. Veganism, on the other hand, is a lifestyle that excludes all animal products and byproducts.
While diets rich in whole plant foods are linked to numerous health benefits, cutting out significant food groups can lead to nutrient deficiencies. This is a primary reason why some vegans experience fatigue and low energy.
Why Vegans Might Experience Low Energy: Common Causes
Several factors can contribute to low energy levels on a vegan diet. These include:
1. Nutrient Deficiencies
Nutrient deficiencies are a major cause of tiredness and fatigue. The most common deficiencies relating to tiredness are low iron, iodine, B vitamins, vitamin C, and magnesium. All these nutrients are directly required by your body for the energy production cycle, known as the 'Krebs cycle'. Whenever women of child-bearing age, eating primarily plant-based diet with issues of fatigue and tiredness should get their bloodwork tested. In particular, have your doctor check these biochemical markers: Iron (ferritin is the biomarker used to measure iron), B12, and complete blood count (includes red blood cells, white blood cells, hematocrit, hemoglobin and platelets).
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Vitamin B12: This vitamin is essential for healthy blood and nerve cells and DNA production. Unfortunately, it's only found naturally in animal products. Plants aren’t able to make Vitamin B12, which is why you won’t find much Vitamin B12 in vegan foods. Many plant-based eaters don’t hit their recommended 2.4 mcg daily intake for Vitamin B12.
Iron: Iron transports oxygen throughout the body, and deficiency can lead to fatigue. Iron deficiency is one of the largest nutrient deficiencies in the world with many contributing factors. It’s prevalent in both omnivore and vegan/vegetarian diets, with the latter having greater risk for it. Heme iron comes from animal foods and it’s easily absorbed, while non-heme iron comes from plant-based foods and it’s not absorbed as well.
Iodine: This mineral is needed for the production of thyroid hormones, which regulate metabolism and energy levels.
Vitamin D: Many people in the UK run low in vitamin D, especially in winter.
2. Inadequate Caloric Intake
Many people transition to a plant-based diet because they want to lose weight. While that sounds great for weight loss, not eating enough calories for your life and activity level can result in low energy levels. The number of calories the body needs for basic functions, like breathing, digesting food, pumping blood, etc. Everyone’s BMR is different. And of course, you also need calories for exercise. Plant-based foods are naturally lower in energy density and higher in fiber, which is great if you’re trying to manage your weight more easily, but it also means you may feel full before you’ve met your energy needs. This can be especially common if you’re coming from a diet higher in animal products.
Read also: Vegan Diet for Diabetes Management
3. Poor Macronutrient Balance
Carbs should be the majority of any athlete’s diet. Some plant-based eaters overdo it on carbs and don’t have enough protein and fat in their diet.
4. Sleep Deprivation
A more obvious reason you may be feeling fatigued is simply from not getting quality shut-eye during the week. You may think you are getting enough sleep, but if your quality of sleep is poor, or you do not complete a full sleep cycle, you will feel tired and fatigued during the day. High levels of cortisol is one of most common but little know causes of poor sleep.
5. Viral Infections
Viral infections are a common cause of chronic fatigue.
6. Thyroid Issues
Your thyroid gland is located in your neck and produces thyroid hormones from iodine. Thyroid hormones control your metabolism and the rate at which your body makes energy.
7. Heavy Metal Exposure
Having a store of heavy metals in your body can interfere with energy production. Heavy metals can accumulate due to many factors including smoking, using aluminum cookware, and mercury tooth fillings.
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8. Overtraining
This seems obvious, but low energy isn’t always from the diet. If you’re getting up at 5 or 6am to workout and going to bed at 11pm, you’re probably not sleeping enough. Make a log of your sleep and wake times for a few days. If you notice that the fatigue starts to set in during your workout and lasts throughout the day, chances are you’re not eating enough to fuel your activity. If you haven’t eaten in a few hours, you’re likely starting your workout with your fuel tank on empty.
9. Medical Conditions
It’s possible that you may be fatigued due to a medical condition, like an under active thyroid, a nutrient deficiency, Diabetes or another issue. Hopefully this isn’t the case, but you can’t rule it out. Ask them to do a full blood workup to find the underlying cause. And make sure they listen to your concerns and don’t write it off as too little sleep.
Strategies to Boost Energy on a Vegan Diet
Fortunately, low energy on a vegan diet is often preventable and manageable. Here are some strategies to help you thrive:
1. Prioritize Nutrient-Dense Foods
It’s true that eating plant-based foods are great for your overall nutrition and health, but the types of plant-based foods you choose matter. Eating whole foods helps ensure that you get plenty of the aforementioned nutrients, like iron, and Vitamin B12, to keep energy levels high. A vegan diet can technically include anything from lentils to fizzy drinks and biscuits. The evidence we have on the benefits of plant-based diets is actually about whole food plant-based diets, meaning those built around beans, veg, grains, fruit, nuts, and seeds…. Processed doesn’t always mean bad, and many processed vegan foods might still be a better option than processed animal products, but they can edge out more nutritious options if they become a staple.
Fruits: Fruits are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and complex carbohydrates-the latter of which provide your body with sustained energy. Bananas are one of the best kinds of fruit you can eat for energy.
Vegetables: Vegetables can ward off fatigue, but only certain kinds. Starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, and corn are efficient energy-givers due to being high in complex carbohydrates. Carrots, beets, and the various types of winter squash contain less starch than tubers, but they can give you a little boost.
Whole Grains: Avoid refined grains like white rice, white bread, and white pasta, and add whole grains to your plate instead. These are packed with complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber-especially oats, which your body breaks down and absorbs slowly.
Legumes: Legumes like lentils and beans are rich in complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber, magnesium, and iron. The latter two nutrients are especially good at providing your body with energy because it slowly digests the food throughout the day. Legumes are also anti-inflammatory.
2. Optimize Iron Intake
Our bodies don’t absorb non-haem iron (found in plants) as efficiently as haem iron (found in animal meat). Because of this, opting for an iron supplement that also has vitamin C in it is a really good idea on a plant-based diet. "It is important to keep in mind that Calcium rich foods and supplements along with tannins in tea or coffee can block absorption of plant-based iron," says Michelle. Non heme iron comes from plant sources (dark leafy greens, nuts, legumes, tofu) and fortified cereals (oats, enriched breads, bran). Without getting too much into the biochemistry of why (I try to limit my blogs less than 1200 words), non-heme iron is not as bioavailable or well absorbed as heme iron. Consuming foods with vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is how you increase absorption of non-heme iron. Instead of coffee or tea in the morning (both have shown to decrease iron absorption 6, 7) try ½ cup (120 mL) of 100% orange juice mixed with water to go with your oatmeal power bowl in the morning. The vitamin C from the orange juice will help to increase the absorption of iron from the oats. Add other sources of plant-based iron, including nuts and seeds. A vegan salad with marinated tofu, red peppers, and avocados on top of spinach, like this one, can help you get both your protein and iron requirements. Did you know that red peppers are actually an excellent source of vitamin C?
3. Ensure Adequate Vitamin B12 Consumption
Vitamin B12 helps keep your body's blood and nerve cells healthy and helps make DNA. Unfortunately, this nutrient is only found naturally in animal products.
4. Maximize Zinc Absorption
"To ensure we maximise our absorption of zinc, try including sprouted or soaked grains and legumes, toasted nuts and seeds or wholegrain breads made from yeast or sourdough," says Michelle.
5. Prioritize Protein Intake
Plenty of protein can be found in plant-based foods. "Protein is also key for keeping our immune system strong, carrying nutrients around our body and making hormones and enzymes which many bodily functions, such as digestion, rely on," says Michelle. Vegans should boost their protein consumption to 10% of their calorie intake. Amino acids determine protein quality. Plant proteins include all necessary amino acids. While one research study found that combining different protein sources for each meal is not necessary if different plant foods are consumed throughout the day other studies show that ingesting grains (methionine) and legumes (lysine) together delivers better effects on the bioavailability of key amino acids.
6. Plan Your Meals
Even if you’re eating a whole food diet, it’s still important to plan for a few nutrients that may be naturally lower in a vegan diet.
7. Avoid Foods That Inhibit Energy and Sleep
What's your diet missing? A good place to start is creating your free Diet Profile. When you have analysed your diet, start by removing foods that inhibit energy and sleep, and replacing these one-by-one with foods that are beneficial for energy. The most common foods causing fatigue include refined bread, sugary foods and drink, high processed foods, alcohols, biscuits, and milk and dairy. Keep a log of what you remove from your diet and monitor your energy levels. You may need professional to help you with this if you are unsure.
8. Incorporate Energy-Boosting Foods
Sunflower and pumpkin seeds: Sunflower and pumpkin seeds contain the amino acid L-tryptophan. L-tryptophan converts in our gut into 5-HTP, and then into serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin is our 'happy hormone' and is needed for focus, concentration, a sharp mind and improving our brain's memory function.
Wholegrains: Wholegrains are rich in B Vitamins which are needed to support brain fog and tiredness. B Vitamins are needed for both energy production and brain function.
Seaweed: Seaweed is rich in iodine which is needed for the production of thyroid hormones and managing your rate of metabolism.
9. Stay Hydrated
It’s also important to stay hydrated. Even though water is a zero-calorie drink, staying hydrated can help keep tiredness at bay. In the reverse scenario, not drinking enough water can make you feel lethargic, irritable, and unfocused. “Hydration is very important in fighting fatigue, and it may have something to do with blood pressure and oxygen levels.
10. Consider Vegan Meal Ideas
For an easy pasta dish packed with greens, combine a serving of your favorite whole grain noodles with frozen spinach, shelled edamame, and extra virgin olive oil. “Half your daily grains each day ideally should be whole grains,” Geiger says. “Adding a bunch of spinach will boost the nutritional value and should make up about half of your plate or bowl,” she adds. For some easily added flavor, mix your pasta dish with garlic powder, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and nutritional yeast. For a recipe to model your meal after, try this spaghetti with spinach and white beans. When you need a quick meal, you can’t go wrong with toast. It takes minutes to make, it’s filling, and there are so many options to choose from for toppings. “Toast doesn’t have to be only a breakfast option,” Geiger explains. As convenient as they are, vegan canned soups can sometimes leave the stomach wanting, calorie-wise. “Picking out a soup with protein such as lentils can help keep you feeling full as well as maintain your muscle mass,” Geiger says. Be sure to pick a low-sodium soup, as regularly eating high-sodium foods can lead to high blood pressure over time. Oats are a good source of complex carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and an array of important vitamins and minerals, including manganese, copper, and vitamin B1. “Oats can be eaten cold or warm, making them easy to add into your day,” Geiger says. “They’re an excellent whole grain and can be purchased in bulk bins so you can get just the amount you need. According to research, frozen fruit is often just as healthy-if not more nutritious-than fresh, and it’s typically cheaper, too. It’s also longer-lasting in that you likely won’t have to toss it due to it going bad before you can eat it. “Stir-fry is one of the best ways to add a surplus of vegetables to your diet easily,” Geiger explains. If you want to use all frozen produce, look for bagged mixed vegetables that contain flavor-packed produce, like onions and bell peppers. As for the rice, using microwaveable brown rice will cut down on preparation time while delivering healthy carbs.
11. Consult a Healthcare Professional
Ask your GP for a blood test to look for deficiencies of Iron, B Vitamins and other nutrients. Ask your GP for a thyroid test. There are several elements that need to be looked at in a thyroid test. These are TSH, T4, T3 and reverse T3. Having a small amount of heavy metals, such as Iron and Zinc, is essential for the health of our body. However, too large amounts can be toxic. A professional nutritionist or naturopath can help you access tests to look at your heavy metal status. If you think you’re deficient in Vitamin B12, ask your doctor to check your levels through a simple blood test. And incorporate more plant-based Vitamin B12 foods into your diet. If you think you may be iron deficient, ask your doctor to check your blood levels. You do not want to take an iron supplement unless you know you need it. It never hurts to add more iron-rich foods to your plant-based diet.
The Broader Impact of Vegan Diets on Cardiovascular Health
It is vital to understand that both an unhealthy diet and a vegan diet can initiate chronic inflammation if a vegan diet contains inadequate amounts of essential vitamins and nutrients as well as omega-3 fatty acids. CVD is the leading cause of mortality, currently accounting for one-third of all deaths worldwide and growing in prevalence. Examples of CVDs include CHD, peripheral artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic and congenital heart disease, and venous thromboembolism. In this context, vegan diets are considered to improve health and decrease the risk of CVD. On the other hand, according to some studies, a vegan diet may be related to reduced intake of protein, vitamins, or minerals, and thus should also be evaluated in terms of harmful effects. The research on veganism is contradictory and inadequately evaluated. The vast majority of studies on health effects of vegan and plant-based diets were short term and cannot give accurate data on cardiovascular outcomes, which has mostly been estimated based on the changes in biomarker concentrations. More studies with hard endpoints such as major adverse cardiovascular events are required to fully understand the effects of vegan and vegetarian diet on the cardiovascular system. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the benefits of a vegan diet on human health are due to increased daily consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, cereal grains, nuts, legumes, and seeds, indicating that vegans make healthier lifestyle choices than those who follow other dietary patterns. Some of the potential health merits include a decreased rate of certain conditions, such as CVD. Because of its low saturated fatty acid (SFAs) and high fiber content, the vegan diet is characterized by low energy intake. Dietary fibers are a diverse group of plant molecules (carbohydrate polymers with ten or more monomer units) with varying physical and chemical characteristics. Water-soluble (SFs) and insoluble fibers (IFs) are the two most common types. Because these fibers are not hydrolyzed by digestive enzymes, they are not completely digested in the human gut. They alter intestinal function by regulating intestinal motions, increasing fecal bulk, and avoiding constipation, among other things. SF, for instance, dissolves in water and forms thick solutions (gels) in the intestinal lumen, delaying or partially reducing carbohydrate, lipid, and cholesterol absorption. Moreover, we know that meals of vegetable origin are high in polyphenols, which are natural bioactive chemicals generated by plants as secondary metabolites. Polyphenols may also benefit CV health by inhibiting platelet aggregation, reducing inflammation of the vessel walls, modulating apoptotic processes, lowering LDL oxidation, and improving the lipid profile. Several in vitro investigations have revealed that polyphenols have a high antioxidant capacity due to their ability to neutralize reactive oxygen species (ROS). Other antioxidant minerals found in a vegan diet include vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, potassium, and magnesium. Potassium has been proven to decrease blood pressure and the risk of stroke due to its favorable effects on endothelial function and vascular homeostasis. The influence on cholesterol metabolism is another important way that a vegan diet might benefit CV health. The low SFA concentration and high unsaturated fat content can enhance the lipid profile. SFAs have been found to activate the pro-inflammatory toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) signaling pathway, resulting in the production of cytokines capable of triggering a chronic inflammatory state. Various studies, however, have revealed that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) activate several anti-inflammatory pathways.