Study Reveals Vegan Diets May Jeopardize Bone Health

Eating a vegan diet — which excludes all animal-based foods — may lead to poorer bone health compared to that of people who eat a more varied diet, according to a new study from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). The findings were based on an analysis of data from 36 vegans, as well as 36 people who ate a variety of foods, including animal products.

The study involved blood and urine samples analyzed for biomarkers, as well as ultrasounds of the participants' heel bones. After analyzing the data, the researchers found that vegan participants had lower ultrasound values when contrasted with the mixed-food diet participants.

The findings indicate that vegan diets may lead to poorer bone health, according to the study, which also found that in most of the vegan participants, biomarkers associated with bone health were lower than in the other participants.

The link between the two is fairly obvious, with the lower concentrations of biomarkers like vitamin A and B6 potentially being the cause of poorer bone health observed by the ultrasounds. In a comment about the findings, BfR President Dr. Andreas Hensel said, "A vegan diet is often considered health-conscious. However, our scientific findings indicate that a vegan diet does affect bone health."

This is the latest study to evaluate vegan diets and their potential impact on health — with some noting various benefits, such as decreased cardiovascular risk and increased weight loss, and others finding concerns largely linked to potential nutrient deficiencies, including in children.