Vegan and vegetarian diets are very healthy ways of eating. They are associated with major health benefits and lower risk of excess weight, heart diseases, and some types of cancer. However, it may be difficult to get a certain amount of nutrients from plants’ food. Therefore, it’s important to supplement your diet with such nutrients to maintain health and physical performance. Beta-Alanine supplements are necessary for muscle formation and reducing muscle fatigue. This beta-alanine may be absent in smaller amounts or completely unavailable in vegetables. The article will explore various nutrients absent in vegetables and the risk of their absence and why vegans need to supplement them.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is an important nutrient that is found in animal-sourced food such as fish, meat, and poultry. This food is highly rich in beta-alanine. Vitamin B12 is involved in developing red blood cells and maintaining nerves and normal brain function. Vegetarians may face a risk of vitamin B12 deficiency if they don’t supplement or use enriched foods. Vitamin B12 may be related to symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, impaired brain function, neurological disorders, psychiatric disorders, megaloblastic anemia, and heart problem. Most of these problems can be prevented by supplements of beta-alanine. For example, beta-alanine produces carnosine which acts as a buffer to prevent the onset of lactic acid hence reducing fatigue and enhancing endurance. It also improves brain functions by decreasing anxiety, delays mental fatigue, and increase focus. This is necessitated by the carnosine through an oxidation process.
Creatine
Creatine is found in animal food. Creatine is part and functions like beta-alanine. The majority of it is stored in muscles but several such molecules are concentrated in the brain. Creatine functions as an easily accessible energy reserve for muscle cells, giving them enough strength and endurance. Creatine is a major recommendation supplement for muscle building among vegans and vegetarians. Creatine supplements increase both muscle mass and strength. Most vegetarians have lower amounts of creatine in their muscles hence require to be supplemented. Creatine supplements have significant benefits such as. Improved physical performance and improved brain function such as memory. They improve physical performance is due to the synthesis of carnosine that reduces fatigue and enhances endurance. The brain function especially memory is highly affected by the carnosine’s oxidation process.
Carnosine.
Carnosine is the end product of beta-alanine breakdown. It is concentrated in the muscles and the brain. Carnosine is important for muscle function, reduced fatigue, and improved performance. It is exclusively found in animal-based food. However, it can be naturally produced in the body when beta-alanine is broken down. Sources of beta-alanine may contribute majorly to the muscle level of carnosine. A diet such as meat, poultry, and fish which are non-vegetarian. Supplementing beta-alanine is a great way to increase the levels of carnosine in the muscles, improving endurance and increasing muscle mass.
In conclusion, most vegans and vegetarians lack adequate beta-alanine in their muscles hence risk to diseases related. Therefore they should supplement their diets to increase the supply in the cell.
