Vitamins That Vegetarians Need

Health issues and religious or other beliefs are the most common reasons for becoming a vegetarian. Vegetarian diets, however, are not all the same, explains Girlshealth.gov. A true vegetarian eats no meat products including chicken and fish, a lacto-ovo vegetarian does not eat meat, chicken or fish but does eat dairy and eggs, a lacto vegetarian eats eggs but not dairy and a ovo vegetarian eats dairy but not eggs.

Vegetarians should consult their doctor before taking any vitamin supplements.

Vitamin B-12

B-12 is a water-soluble vitamin essential for healthy nerve cells and red blood cells, and is needed to make DNA, the genetic material in all cells. Deficiency symptoms include muscle weakness, low blood pressure, vision problems, dementia, psychoses and mood disturbances.

In a study published in a 2002 issue of "Clinica Chimica Acta," vitamin B-12 status in vegetarians was researched. In the background to their study the team explained that substantial B-12 levels only occur naturally in food derived from animals so vegetarians are at particularly risk of a deficiency.

The monitoring of B-12 levels includes the measurement of the following substances in the blood: homocysteine, methylmalonic acid and holotranscobalamin II. B-12 deficiency, explain the researchers, can be divided into four stages, Stages 1 and 2 are indicated by low levels of holotranscobalamin II, Stage 3 by increased levels of homocysteine and methylmalonic acid, and Stage 4, where clinical signs of B-12 deficiency are recognizable. In their study the researchers found that 60% of the vegetarians tested had a Stage 3, B-12 deficiency.

Good food sources of B-12 for vegetarians include; eggs, milk, milk products, and foods that have been fortified with vitamin B-12, such as breakfast cereals and soy-based beverages.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is not found in plant food, but can be made by the body when skin is exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D is very important for bone health, and a deficiency can lead to rickets and osteomalacia. Vegetarians can find vitamin D in fortified foods such as margarine, cow's milk, cereals and some brands of rice milk and soy milk.
The Mayo Clinic states that vegetarians who don't eat enough fortified foods and have limited sun exposure may benefit from a supplement of vitamin D2, which is derived from a plant source.

Multivitamin

Family Doctor.org recommends that vegetarians take a multivitamin to ensure they are getting all the nutrients they need. Kidshealth.org agrees that vegetarians should take a multivitamin, especially children who need to make sure they get all the nutrients they need for their growth and development.