What else determines blood homocysteine levels?
Homocysteine levels also rise if folate intake is low. This is unlikely to occur in vegans since rich sources of folate are foods like greens, beans and oranges, but is relatively common in meat eaters. Low intake of B6 also raises homocysteine levels, but almost everyone gets enough B6 since it is widely spread in many different foods. Even though vegans tend to have good folate intake, their homocysteine levels tend to be higher than those of meat eaters because vegans tend to have lower B12 intakes. But if vegans increase their B12 intake, their homocysteine levels tend to drop below those for meat eaters. Most vegans are not vegan for health reasons, and some are going to say that they aren’t fanatical about their health, so won’t be taking your advice. Some vegans will say “if we need B12-fortified food or supplements, our diet is unnatural”. I’d like to see people who’ve chosen a vegan diet thrive on it not just for their own health, but to show that veganism is a healthy option,
