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Comment by vegancap | Hacker News Reader

I found this to be the case. Tried Sertraline for a while, gave me headaches and made me feel sick. Then as part of a new gym plan, started taking Omega 3+VitD daily, and I just felt a sense of calm and peace after a few weeks. The massive uptick in exercise probably also helped. I also felt quite an extreme uptick because I was a vegan for 10 years, and found out I had basically zero Omega 3 in my blood. I suspect one of the main reasons my mental health declined was due to the lack of Omega 3.

Disclaimer, not saying vegans should stop being vegans, just make sure you find a good supplement, and make sure you understand the difference between EPA/DHA Omega 3.

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All my nutrient numbers improved when I became vegan because nearly every one in the US/UK is deficient in VitD, Omegas and B12.

Fortunately today’s vegan communities are much more aware of this so I started taking these supplements right up front and all my blood markers improved dramatically since when I consumed meat/dairy.

It’s annoying to hear some push back against this when it’s as simple as taking relatively safe supplements (just make sure you talk to a doctor, and not a social media influencer, about how much you should take, and if you get a chance to regularly check your bloodwork don’t miss out).

My cholesterol improved massively, but over time, a few, such as Omega 3 suffered. But those were ultimately my own fault, wasn't managing it properly. So, I'm absolutely not suggesting there's an issue with veganism, this isn't really why I fell out of it. So I do want to stress I wasn't suggesting people should steer clear of Veganism, just something to be mindful of. Oh, and my cholesterol immediately shot back up again when I stopped being a vegan. So, swings and roundabouts with every diet/lifestyle, I guess!

Why did you become a vegan if apparently even non-vegans are deficient in B12? Do you supplement B12? Since B12 is mainly found in meat, and B12 deficiency is irreversible.

why do you think the reason for them becoming vegan has something to do with B12 levels? likely they became vegan for different reasons, became much more aware of the importance of B12 and started taking a supplement.

every vegan should supplement b12, so they probably do too

> All my nutrient numbers improved when I became vegan because nearly every one in the US/UK is deficient in VitD, Omegas and B12.

> Fortunately today’s vegan communities are much more aware of this so I started taking these supplements right up front and all my blood markers improved dramatically since when I consumed meat/dairy.

Yeah but that sentence does not refer to why the person switched to being vegan, the first one does. In any case, let us not beat the dead horse there. :P Supplement B12 and it is fine.

No sentence referred to why they became vegan. Their nutrient numbers improved when they became vegan. This happened because becoming vegan moved them from a group who didn't know they needed supplements to a group who knew they needed supplements.

> In any case, let us not beat the dead horse there.

You would not have replied if you meant this.

> as part of a new gym plan

There's your answer

Possibly, deffo would have been a big factor. Anecdotally though, I forgot to take these supplements for a while recently, just got out of the habit, and definitely felt worse again for a bit. But, could have been a coincidence/something else

Omega 3 comes from algae, which might be okay for some vegans.

Unlikely any vegan would have any moral qualms about algae, given that they’re not animals. Maybe you were thinking of oysters/clams/bivalves?

What vegans would not be ok with algae?

algerians

@buddhistdude - thank you :) made my day!

I think they meant their vegan diet didn't naturally have Omega 3 in it if they didn't take supplements; not that they couldn't take the supplements once they realised it.

Yeah I took that for a while, and did slightly improve things. Only problem I had at the time was those were super expensive in the UK. Maybe that's changed now

Or fish oil

> Then as part of a new gym plan, started taking Omega 3+VitD daily, and I just felt a sense of calm and peace after a few weeks. The massive uptick in exercise probably also helped

I would bet that 95% of that improvement or more was due to the exercise.

Your anecdote is common: People start taking Vitamin D or fish oil as part of a bigger plan to have a healthier lifestyle and then they attribute success to the pills, not the lifestyle changes.

Possibly, but anecdotally, I went through a period of forgetting to take them again recently, and definitely felt worse again. Sleep started suffering, felt lower energy again. But, could have been a coincidence/something else entirely

I wouldn't bet so eagerly on these lifestyle changes being achievable without these pills.

> I was a vegan for 10 years, and found out I had basically zero Omega 3 in my blood

I see your disclaimer, but just for more context, vegans can get Omega 3 without taking pills per se. Flax seeds are an excellent source. I often add a spoonful to a bowl of oatmeal or as a pancake topping along with fruit sauce and granola.

Grind the flaxseed before eating them so your digestive system can access more of the nutrients in flaxseeds.

from https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-maga... :

  Eating ground flax seeds gives you more benefits than whole seeds, as whole seeds remain undigested and pass through the system.

from https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/must-you-grind-flax...

  Most people can’t chew flaxseeds effectively, so they grind them first or swallow them whole. (They are tiny.) Nutrition experts do recommend grinding them first to release the fiber and the beneficial fatty acids. Flaxseeds are helpful for constipation and may lower cholesterol as well.

  Ground flaxseed goes rancid easily, however, so it should be kept in the freezer until you are ready to use it. If you buy it ground, you wouldn’t have to use the blender or coffee grinder to break those seeds up before you have breakfast.

Flax seeds are a very tedious and inefficient way to get omega-3 as a vegan, particularly because they contain ALA, a short chain omega-3, which our bodies are extremely inefficient at turning into long chain fatty acids.

Just get an algae oil based DHA+EPA supplement.

Flax seeds & other seeds provide ALA but not EPA & DHA. You need all 3.

The body has some ability to convert ALA to EPA & DHA, but at extremely low rates (particularly for DHA) - it's not a consideration in practice.

So no, eating seeds will not fulfill your body's requirements.

Flaxseeds are probably the most flavorless things I've ever tasted.

Chia seeds taste ok but you need to prep them by soaking which is a pain (or experience bloating).

All other seeds have more omega 6 than omega 3.

Funny - I feel the opposite about chia. Soaked and plumped is when I hate them. Dry on salads/etc. or just submerged in an active bowl I'm eating is when I like them most - the crunch adds texture to what I'm eating.

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