Vegan Diet: Why Am I Always Feeling Exhausted?

Feeling exhausted on a vegan diet? You're not alone. Many people who switch to a plant-based diet complain of fatigue. While a vegan diet has been linked to a decreased risk of chronic conditions, it can also lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, which may cause tiredness. Here are some reasons why you might be feeling exhausted:

- Not eating enough calories: A vegan diet tends to be lower in calories, so you may need to increase your portion sizes to meet your energy needs.

- Vitamin B12 deficiency: Vitamin B12 is crucial for converting glucose to energy, and it's mainly found in animal products. Vegans may need to supplement their diet with B12 or include fortified foods.

- Iron deficiency: Iron is essential for transporting oxygen around the body, and a lack of it can lead to fatigue. Plant-based sources of iron, such as legumes and dark leafy greens, are not as easily absorbed as animal sources, so vegans may need to consume more.

- Not enough protein: A diet lacking in protein can lead to muscle breakdown, resulting in tiredness. Vegans should ensure they get enough protein from sources like grains, beans, and tofu.

- Not enough carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are the body's main source of energy, and a vegan diet may be lacking in this macronutrient. Include potatoes, bread, beans, or whole grains in your meals to boost your energy levels.

- Not enough healthy fats: While some vegan doctors recommend limiting fat intake, healthy fats are crucial for energy and nutrient absorption. Include nuts, seeds, and avocados in your diet.

- Not enough variety: A vegan diet that lacks diversity can lead to deficiencies in vitamins and minerals, such as B12, iron, and iodine. Include a variety of plants in your diet to ensure you get all the necessary nutrients.

- Over-exercising: If you're highly active, you may need to increase your calorie and carbohydrate intake even more to match your energy output.

You're not eating enough

Many people transition to a vegan diet to lose weight, which often involves cutting calories. While this is great for weight loss, not eating enough calories for your lifestyle and activity level can result in low energy levels. Your body needs a certain amount of calories to survive and thrive.

The number of calories your body needs for basic functions, like breathing, digesting food, and pumping blood, is called your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Your BMR is dependent on your height, weight, gender, and age.

On top of that, your body needs calories for daily activities, like walking, doing chores, and standing. If you exercise, you need even more calories. Not taking in enough calories for all of these functions may result in low energy levels.

To ensure you're eating enough, calculate your BMR and then add on calories for your activity level. You can track your calories for a few days to get a sense of how much you're actually eating and make sure it's enough.

If you're not eating enough, gradually increase your portion sizes and aim to eat little and often throughout the day. Include more calorie-dense foods like nuts, seeds, nut butters, tahini, tofu, tempeh, whole grains, lentils, and avocados. Try including a smoothie as a snack between meals, with added nut butter, fruit, oats, and flaxseeds/chia seeds.

It's also important to make sure you're getting enough protein, as this can be harder to come by on a vegan diet. Include plenty of whole grains, beans, lentils, and nuts in your diet to ensure you're getting enough protein.

If you're highly active, you might need to increase your protein intake even more. Try including more concentrated sources of protein like tofu, tempeh, seitan, and protein powders in your diet.

In addition to eating enough calories and protein, it's crucial to ensure you're getting enough vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin B12, iron, and iodine, which are involved in preventing fatigue.

If you're not getting enough of these nutrients from your diet, consider taking supplements or increasing your intake of vitamin B12-fortified foods like nutritional yeast or plant-based milk. For iron, include more plant-based sources like lentils, pulses, and chlorella in your diet, and pair them with vitamin C-rich foods to increase absorption.

By eating enough calories, protein, and essential vitamins and minerals, you can help combat exhaustion and fatigue while following a vegan diet.

You're missing out on vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is responsible for converting glucose to energy. Humans are not able to make their own vitamin B12, and it is not found in plants, so vegans can struggle to get enough of it.

The recommended daily intake of vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg. However, the body does not absorb all the vitamin B12 that we consume, so supplements tend to be higher than this amount.

If you are not getting enough vitamin B12, you may feel sluggish and fatigued. A vitamin B12 deficiency can also lead to pernicious anaemia, which causes fatigue, weakness, decreased stamina, shortness of breath, and even palpitations.

Vegans can get vitamin B12 from fortified foods, such as nutritional yeast, or B12 supplements.

If you think you may be deficient in vitamin B12, ask your doctor to check your levels with a simple blood test.

You're not eating enough iron

Iron is a mineral that is essential for proper growth and development. It is required for the transportation of oxygen around the body. A lack of iron in the diet can lead to iron deficiency anaemia, which can cause fatigue, dizziness and heart palpitations.

Iron comes in two forms: heme iron, which is derived from animal products, and non-heme iron, which is derived from plants. Heme iron is more easily absorbed by the body. As vegans do not consume animal products, they need to ensure they are getting enough non-heme iron. The recommended daily intake of iron is 18 milligrams, but the National Institute for Health (NIH) recommends that vegetarians eat 1.8 times more iron than meat-eaters (or about 32 grams).

There are several vegan-friendly sources of non-heme iron, including:

• Dried beans and legumes
• Dark green leafy vegetables (e.g. spinach, swiss chard)
• Dried fruits
• Nuts and seeds
• Wholegrain cereals and breads
• Tofu and tempeh
• Blackstrap molasses
• Fortified products

It is also worth noting that vitamin C helps to increase the absorption of iron from plant-based sources, so it can be beneficial to eat vitamin C-rich foods alongside iron-containing foods.

You're eating too many carbs

If you're feeling exhausted on a vegan diet, it could be because you're eating too many carbs. Here are some reasons why this may be the case, along with some tips to help you adjust your diet:

Firstly, it's important to understand that not all carbs are created equal. Carbohydrates are found in both sugary foods like sodas, desserts, and snacks, as well as in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and legumes. When people refer to eating too many carbs, they usually mean consuming too many of the processed, sugary varieties. These types of carbs can cause a spike in blood sugar levels, followed by a crash, leaving you feeling tired and sluggish.

To maintain stable energy levels, it's crucial to include a balance of macronutrients in your diet. This means combining carbs with sufficient protein and healthy fats. Protein and fat help to stabilise blood sugar spikes caused by carbs, so including them in your meals can prevent the energy crash that follows a carb-heavy meal. A balanced ratio is 45-65% of calories from carbs, 20-30% from protein, and 20-30% from fat.

Additionally, some people may find that they feel more energised when they reduce their overall carb intake. This doesn't mean completely eliminating carbs, but rather focusing on complex carbohydrates and ensuring they don't make up the majority of your diet. Aim for a variety of whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds. These foods provide a good balance of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats, ensuring your body gets the fuel it needs without relying too heavily on any one macronutrient.

It's also worth noting that everyone's body is different, and the amount of carbs that works for one person may not work for another. Factors like activity level, metabolism, and individual body chemistry all play a role in how your body processes and utilises carbohydrates. Therefore, it's important to listen to your body and adjust your carb intake accordingly. If you find that a higher carb diet leaves you feeling sluggish, try reducing your carb intake and increasing your protein and healthy fat intake.

Finally, remember that transitioning to a vegan diet may require some adjustments to your portion sizes. Fruits and vegetables tend to be higher in fibre and less energy-dense than animal products. As a result, you may need to increase your portion sizes or eat more frequently throughout the day to ensure you're getting enough energy. This doesn't mean you need to increase your carb intake; instead, focus on including a variety of whole foods that provide a good balance of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats.

You're not getting enough sleep

If you're feeling exhausted on a vegan diet, it could be that you're not getting enough sleep. Most people need 7-8 hours of sleep per night to feel well-rested. If you're getting up early to work out and going to bed late, you're probably not getting enough sleep. Try keeping a log of your sleep and wake times for a few days. If you're consistently sleeping less than 7 hours per day, try going to bed earlier.

It's important to note that this may not be the only reason why you're feeling exhausted on a vegan diet. There are other factors to consider, such as not eating enough calories, a lack of specific vitamins and minerals, or not getting enough recovery after workouts. It's also possible that you have a medical condition that is causing your fatigue. If you're concerned about your energy levels, it's a good idea to speak with your doctor or a registered dietitian.

• Make sure you're going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This will help regulate your body's sleep-wake cycle.
• Create a bedtime routine that helps you wind down and relax before bed. This could include reading, journaling, or listening to calming music.
• Avoid screens for at least an hour before bed, as the blue light emitted by electronic devices can interfere with your sleep.
• Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet. Consider using blackout curtains, earplugs, or a white noise machine if needed.
• Avoid consuming caffeine after noon, as it can stay in your system for up to 8 hours and interfere with your sleep.
• Engage in regular physical activity, but avoid strenuous exercise close to bedtime, as it may make it harder to fall asleep.

Frequently asked questions