Going vegan shrinks your brain

[TylerDurden]

Here's a study which seems, more or less, to suppport the notion that meat-eating was primarily responsible for increasing human brain-size millions of years ago, rather than Wrangham's ridiculous suggestion re cooked tubers:-


http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24336544-23272,00.html

[avalon]

Here's a study which seems, more or less, to suppport the notion that meat-eating was primarily responsible for increasing human brain-size millions of years ago, rather than Wrangham's ridiculous suggestion re cooked tubers:-

I don't know. I don't think this study, as presented, supports that notion at all. I'm not saying the idea has no merit, however. Though I'm more inclined to believe it was seafood and cooking that helped enlarge out brains if indeed that is what happened.

…this study suggests that simply adjusting our diets to consume more vitamin B12 through eating meat, fish, fortified cereals or milk may be something we can easily adjust to prevent brain shrinkage and so perhaps save our memory.

This study mentions that "None of the people in the study had vitamin B12 deficiency." And focused largely on the elderly between 61 and 87.

http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_stories/2008/080909.html

http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.nutr.19.1.357

Absorption of crystalline vitamin B12 does not decline with advancing age. However, compared with the younger population, absorption of protein-bound vitamin B12 is decreased in the elderly, owing to a high prevalence of atrophic gastritis in this age group. Atrophic gastritis results in a low acid-pepsin secretion by the gastric mucosa, which in turn results in a reduced release of free vitamin B12 from food proteins.

Best wishes,
Avalon 

[DameonWolf]

I would say it was the frequent ingestion of psychotropic plants if I was going to guess.

[avalon]

I don't suppose you have any on hand  to share 

[TylerDurden]

I agree that it seems to be more of a problem in old age, but insufficient vitamin B12, such as via vegan diets, appears to cause worse problems at that stage.

[DameonWolf]

lol, no none on hand.

I remember reading an article about how around the time that human intelligence seemed to just explode, there was also drawings that appeared on walls. These same drawings seemed to be identical to common visions many see after ingesting certain psychotropic plants.

[boxcarguy07]

I would say it was the frequent ingestion of psychotropic plants if I was going to guess.

You think like me, friend 

[RawZi]

You think like me, friend 

Some fungi look quite like brains even.

[DameonWolf]

Wow thats crazy.

[avalon]

I agree that it seems to be more of a problem in old age, but insufficient vitamin B12, such as via vegan diets, appears to cause worse problems at that stage.

So we aren't discussing the article then?

Worse problems than say 70 year old meat eaters?

Yes, Vegans who aren't supplementing- through multi-vitamins, sub-lingual tablets or fortified foods do appear to be at risk. I think that is more the fault of the individual though, for any Vegan who has researched the diet  would learn rather quickly about the B12 issue.

[DameonWolf]

Some of the raw vegan diets recommend SUPPLEMENTING vitamin B12. And they still call their diets natural, bs. Others like 80/10/10 claim that bacteria produce our b12. And that if fat content is low, b12 will be created internally in adequate amounts. 

[RawZi]

Some of the raw vegan diets recommend SUPPLEMENTING vitamin B12. And they still call their diets natural, bs. Others like 80/10/10 claim that bacteria produce our b12. And that if fat content is low, b12 will be created internally in adequate amounts.

    That sounds about right to me.  My total serum cholesterol was always very low, too low, no matter how much fat/oil I ate.  My face skin tended to be so oily, I had to wash my face too much, etc.  I may be the oldest person on the forum here, and I have no wrinkles on my face possibly due to that.  I've never had any kind of wrinkle treatment and have not used moisturizer in twelve years.  I was thinking my blood cholesterol every time tested low, cause all the fat/oil went to my skin.  Also, in all the years I was vegan my B12 never got low.  I did not supplement, except a little about eighteen years ago.  I mean MMA tests also up til the just before RAF were also normal.  Now I'm thinking the reason my B12 never got low could be because fat never stayed in my GI tract, and instead somehow made its way to my face.   Anyone ever hear of this happening to someone else too? 

    Aajonus said my brain looks good (through my iridology), but that I did have a problem with oxygen getting through to it.  So, I would say maybe going vegan can shrink some peoples brains, but do other harm to other constutional types?

[avalon]

I have no issues with going fully Vegan if that is your choice and it's working for you. You meaning anyone. The McDougallers seem to be doing well and even Dr.Atkins in a radio interview with Dr.McDougall said as much.

I think there's a lot we don't know. I may come down to something as simple as the Ying Yang thing. I've mentioned this before. Maybe because meat eaters exist, veggies exist and so forth.

I find it completely possible that we as Humans have screwed up our soil so much that all the natural B12 that we might have had eons ago- is gone now. Look at how people want to kill all germs everywhere. We are too clean!

If a Vegan thrives taking a supplement of B12 I say, why not. I'd love to make a run at Fruitarianism but I can't afford the cost of fruit.

Best wishes,
Avalon 

[boxcarguy07]

There is a fruitarian on another board I'm a member of, and he says that most vegans don't take in nearly enough calories and therefore get and look sick.
He says that getting enough calories as a raw vegan, which means eating LOADS of fruit, will provide you with enough fatty acids and protein.

He says he is in perfect health, hasn't been sick in the two years since he's started, and feels great. Who am I to say he's not healthy?

I, however, love my meat and will continue to recommend raw paleo. 

[avalon]

I love my Sushi and Egg Yolks