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Blood Test results - Did veganism hurt me??


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Hey All,

I'm a little concerned. I had a routine physical this week and my EKG came back questionable, my Vitamin D levels were low enough that the Dr. prescribed that I get supplements (1,000mg/day) and more sunlight, AND my white blood cell count was low. I have yet to do some research and look into what this all means so I'm not in a panic.

 

I was told that the Dr. thinks it was a mechanical error as far as the EKG. But I've never had anything abnormal in bloodwork, especially a vitamin deficiency. Everyone who knows me would be quick to blame my vegan diet. I am a healthy 115 pound female with 2 kids (3 and 1). I am 31 years young and quite fit. Any information would be appreciated on this subject. Thanks!!

Jen

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Personally I think supplementation of low amounts of vitamin D is fine. How much sun do you get? If you are white then you only need 15 minutes a day or so of sun, double that if you are black. 1g/day of vitamin D is high to me, but if you are deficient then it may be a good idea to throw that much at you for awhile.

 

Also have you thought about getting some blood-work done? Some insurance will pay for it as preventative care...

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Vitamin D deficiency is common even without veganism but, yes, it's more common as a vegan. The only potent source of vitamin D we have apart from sunlight (which you won't be getting enough of in NJ) is mushrooms, particularly sun exposed. If you buy sun dried mushrooms and eat them almost daily, it should help you maintain your D numbers year round (though I'd recommend you supplement with big doses for now to get the number back up first). You could also try buying a UV sun lamp if you have time to sit in front of it on days when you're not getting a lot of sun. Personally, I take 2,000 mg of vegan D a day rather than deal with all that.

 

As far as white blood cell count, that's most likely attributable to your low vitamin D. Vitamin D is necessary to maintain a healthy supply of wbc- http://www.livestrong.com/article/285119-nutrition-to-increase-white-blood-cells/

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  • 3 weeks later...

Wow, thanks for the information. There's seems to be more to the story lately...

 

I have been suffering from extreme exhaustion. I have also been feeling light headed and shaky. Nothing in my diet has changed and this has come on mostly in the last month or so. A few months ago I started to notice more fatigue as my workouts have gotten more aggressive. It seems the WORST after I lift. I cannot function the next day, my whole body cannot recover. Any thoughts? What recovery foods/supplements may be advisable? I have been vegan for about a year, the first 6 months sloppily and the last 6 months eating more whole foods, no processed vegan stuff. If anyone has any advice, I'm begging for it. I have been feeling desperate enough to try consuming some meat (eww) just to see if it's diet related or not. I will also post this in the nutrition section.

Jen

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Anemia was ruled out, yes. I will ask when I call Tuesday about the CBC..they said it was a very thorough workup. I have never felt this way before, so it's a bit scary. I will probably have more bloodwork once I explain my symptoms.

 

Just curious, does anyone know how to get more vegan sources of amino acids? I noticed I feel extremely bad the day after a tough lifting workout.

Jen

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  • 11 years later...

I think that every person who takes care of his health should do regular blood tests to know that you are not ill with any disease that may develop unnoticed in your body. I've been doing regular blood tests in this lab for about half a year now https://numberonelab.com/ and I recommend everyone to do so. After all, we live in pretty tough times, when a lot of diseases and viruses appear, and it is important to always be aware of whether you are healthy or not.

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