Vegan Diet Blood Panel: Coding For Nutritional Health

Blood tests are a great way to track your health on a vegan diet. A well-planned vegan diet can be suitable for all stages of life, but very few people consistently make ideal diet choices every day. This is why it is important to periodically check that your diet is meeting your nutritional needs. Blood tests are just one way to do this and are a useful tool to have in your toolbox. This article will discuss how to code blood panels for a vegan diet.

Complete Blood Count (CBC)

A Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most common and important tests for vegans and non-vegans alike. It provides an overview of key markers, such as red and white blood cells, allowing doctors to diagnose anything from infection to an anemic state.

CBC tests can determine whether you are anemic, immune deficient, or have an infection or allergies. For example, through routine pre-procedure blood tests, doctors discovered that the author's father had very low levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cells. In other words, he was severely anemic, which was causing tightness in his chest, tiredness, and dizziness.

Vegans are at particular risk of anemia due to iron deficiency. Therefore, it is important to monitor iron levels through a CBC test.

In addition, vegans tend to have lower white blood cell counts than omnivores, which could be due to zinc deficiency, insufficient intake of branched-chain amino acids, lower IGF-1 levels, low vitamin A levels, or vitamin B12 deficiency. However, the reason for this is not yet known.

A CBC test is a crucial tool to help vegans ensure they are not deficient in any key nutrients and maintain optimal health.

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)

A Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) is a routine blood test that measures 14 different substances in a sample of blood. It provides important information about your metabolism and the balance of certain chemicals in your body.

The CMP test includes measurements of the following:

• Glucose (blood sugar)
• Calcium
• Sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, and chloride (electrolytes)
• Albumin (the main protein in your blood)
• Total protein
• ALP (alkaline phosphatase), ALT (alanine transaminase), and AST (aspartate aminotransferase) (enzymes)
• Bilirubin (a waste product from the breakdown of old red blood cells)
• BUN (blood urea nitrogen) and creatinine (waste products filtered out of the blood by the kidneys)

The CMP test is often used as part of a routine check-up to provide information about your overall health and help find certain conditions before you have symptoms. It can be used to check your liver and kidney health, fluid and electrolyte balance, and blood sugar and protein levels.

The test involves taking a blood sample from a vein in your arm, and you may need to fast for several hours before the test. The results will usually list the levels of each of the 14 substances measured, and your healthcare provider will interpret these results in the context of your health history and any medications you are taking.

The CMP test is particularly useful for vegans or vegetarians, who may be at risk of nutrient deficiencies due to their plant-based diet. For example, vitamin B12 is only found in animal products, so vegans may need to supplement this vitamin to avoid deficiency. A CMP test can help identify any deficiencies or health conditions that may be caused by a vegan diet, and guide any necessary treatment or dietary changes.

Lipid Profile

Vegan and vegetarian diets are associated with lower total cholesterol, LDL, and HDL levels compared to non-vegetarian diets. However, increases in triglyceride concentrations were consistently reported for low-fat vegan dietary interventions compared to non-vegetarian diet comparators. This effect was not observed in non-low-fat vegan dietary interventions, where triglyceride concentrations were often reduced from baseline, and compared to control groups.

In studies prescribing either a calorie- and fat-restricted lacto-ovo-vegetarian or non-vegetarian diet in individuals with overweight or obesity, non-significant differences were observed between groups in all lipid outcomes at 6- and 18-month follow-up. However, a low-calorie lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet intervention showed a significant decrease in LDL-C concentrations and increase in TG concentrations compared to a low-calorie Mediterranean diet intervention in a crossover trial including individuals with overweight or obesity.

Vegan diets tend to decrease total cholesterol, LDL, and HDL concentrations compared to vegetarian diets, with effects most evident compared to Western-style diet controls. The largest effect sizes were reported in trials employing non-low-fat vegan dietary interventions, and in the most tightly (metabolically) controlled trials.

Ferritin, Iron and Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC)

Ferritin is a protein in the blood that contains iron and helps you understand how much iron your body is storing. Blood levels of ferritin correlate to the body's iron status. A ferritin test measures the level of ferritin, a protein that stores iron inside your cells.

The body needs iron to make healthy red blood cells, which carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Iron is also important for healthy muscles, bone marrow and organ function. Iron is found naturally in foods such as red meat, egg yolks, organ meats, oysters, clams, canned fish, and green leafy vegetables.

Iron and TIBC (total iron-binding capacity) measure the amount of iron in your body and help differentiate between different types of anaemia. Vegans and vegetarians often lack iron in their diet, especially raw vegans. A TIBC test measures your blood's ability to attach (bind) to iron and carry it throughout your body. It shows the amount of transferrin in your blood. Transferrin is a protein your liver makes that regulates the absorption of iron into your blood.

TIBC is increased in cases of iron deficiency, oral contraceptive use, and pregnancy. It is decreased in cases of hypoproteinemia due to many causes, and in a number of inflammatory states.

A low TIBC level and a high blood iron level could mean you have hemochromatosis (iron overload). Low TIBC and low iron can be a sign of certain conditions, like chronic inflammation. Having low ferritin levels and high TIBC levels typically means you have iron-deficiency anaemia, the most common form of anaemia.

Folate, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D

Folate is a type of B vitamin. Folate is rarely low in plant-based diets, but higher than normal levels, combined with low vitamin B12 levels, can magnify a vitamin B deficiency. It is recommended to avoid folate-containing supplements for 12 hours before a blood test.

Vitamin B12 is not found in plant foods, so vegans should test their levels. B12 deficiency causes anemia, leading to fatigue and weakness, and can ultimately lead to irreversible nerve damage. The Vegan Society states that the only reliable sources of B12 are foods fortified with B12 and supplements. It is recommended to avoid B12-containing supplements for 12 hours before a blood test.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, and plant-based diets are prone to vitamin D deficiency. This test determines your vitamin D status.

Frequently asked questions