Can vegans take capsule medications and supplements? – GOOD SHAPE

Be one vitamin supplement or a specific medicine, the consumption of capsules is quite frequent, right? But what about a vegan person? Will this consumption change in some way? That’s what we’re going to see today.

Veganism and Vitamin Replenishment

Normally, a vegan person has a great difficulty when adopting a diet without the consumption of animal meat or dairy products: the replacement of vitamins and minerals that are mainly found in these foods, such as iron, b12 vitamin, omega 3 and iodine. “These micronutrients are essential for maintaining health. Without them, there is loss of lean mass, flaccidity, weakness, hair loss, etc. Dr. Andrea Martinopost-graduated in clinical, sports, nutrigenomics, nutraceuticals and orthomolecular nutrition.

“In addition, the culture here in Brazil includes many types of meat and derivatives in everyday food, which also makes the process of adopting veganism difficult. Therefore, many people end up not adopting this change at once and prefer to reduce meat consumption little by little”, he says.

Of course, veganism goes beyond an animal-free diet, it is a lifestyle that expands to many things – including skincare products and even clothes. “Few people know, but plastic bags, wood glue, cosmetics, medicine capsules and even some brands of sugar use animal raw material. This is another difficulty faced by those who want to adopt veganism”, she says.

The question of supplements

Due to this difficulty in vitamin consumption, vegan people often need this supplementation to stay healthy. “Supplementation is very important for those who adopt a non-animal diet. Of course, the use of vegan supplements will never replace a balanced diet, but they regulate and supply a possible nutritional imbalance”, continues the specialist.

Still, these capsules can be a “hazard” for vegans. First, if the patient starts supplementation without the help of a professional nutritionist. “Only he is able to see the nutritional deficiencies and direct the patient towards a correct and healthy diet within the food option that the patient has proposed”, he says.

The second danger is the formula of these capsules. Many products, sometimes even unknown to us, are made with animal raw material – and this can include capsules of medicines and supplements. “Therefore, it is very important that vegans pay attention to this when choosing what they are going to consume”, he advises. “Currently, there are alternatives on the market that, instead of animal raw materials and chemical substances, use vegetable gelatine. An example is the so-called agar-agar, extracted through the process of boiling red algae.”

That is, a vegan person needs to pay attention to the following step by step when it comes to the use of supplements or medications: the first, as already mentioned, is to seek professional guidance.

“Food supplements are found in the form of capsules, powders, pills, liquids, granules, tablets, etc. Each supplement has a specific limit of nutrients and, regardless of which type is chosen, guidance from a professional is essential”, he explains.

Capsule supplementation, for example, does not allow dosing according to need and experience, which becomes a point of attention. In addition, some adults and many children may have difficulty swallowing them, so it is also necessary to pay attention to their size and even the taste, although most do not have any taste because of the coating.

“To Veganists, the tip is to pay attention to the formula of the composition of these capsules. Many supplements claim to be vegan, but they are not. Therefore, trust the brands indicated by the nutritionist”, continues Dr. Andrea.

The good news is that, with help, it is possible to find supplements that meet all types of needs. Vegan collagens, for example, are extracted from plant proteins, as are many vegan vitamins. The options based on rice and peas, free of sugar and sweetened with stevia and xylitol are some of them.

“We also have way based on yellow pea protein, brown rice biofermented with the power of amaranth and quinoa. We have BCAA composed only of amino acids that help in muscle recovery, facilitating hypertrophy”, he lists. “We have combinations of isolated protein from potatoes and yellow peas, free of gluten, soy and dairy. And one of the most popular options is turmeric-based supplements, a plant with anti-inflammatory action that works to combat pain and tiredness”, he concludes.