Blood Drug Testing - Should a vegetarian get occasional blood tests?

Should a vegetarian get occasional blood tests?

I read somewhere that that it's a good idea for vegetarians and vegans to get regular or occasional blood tests to check vitamin levels and such. Any info/advice?

Public Comments

They should just have a bbq and avoid stupid medical hassles.
I'd advise eating animal flesh and animal products..... ouch needles
Checking for vitamins is an expensive type of blood test. The best way is to eat a diverse diet of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains.
If you are an idiot, sure get blood tests, if you are smart and know how toe take care of yourself no.
i don't think it would be a bad idea. some of the natural vitamins that meat provide are not found in vegetables. its a good idea to get a blood test to check your levels and then start a well maintained vitamin gamine.
WHAT? That's silly. You get blood work done if you're having a problem or if you want to check your cholesterol levels and stuff as a routine but that is not based on abstaining from animal products. Yet another symptom of a societal stigma placed on those who follow a more wholesome and ethical diet because of the paranoia and stereotyping by those who do not.
Contrary to what some people are saying here, I know that it's a good idea to have general bloodwork done at least once a year. Vegetarians, because they don't eat meat, have a higher risk for developing certain deficiencies. It's always better to be safe than sorry!
Yes, but so should EVERYONE. It's part of a physical that you should have at least every two years to make sure you're healthy and to catch any medical problems early.
Yes; i think so, co'z, vegetable doesn't help. metabolism n our body.
I would recommend blood tests or at least during the initial period. The major concern is anemia. Anemia can be caused by a deficiency from iron, vitamin B12 and/or folate. People's main source of iron and B12 come from meats, such as beef, pork and poultry. Unfortunately, there is no good source outside of meats. A multivitamin can help. Folate is less of a concern since many brands of orange juice come fortified with folate. However, there is one major concern with folate. If you are a woman of child bearing age, should you conceive, a greater amount of folate is required. Folate deficiency can lead to a rare type of birth defect called "neural tube defect," which can leave the child with severe neurological dysfunction. Outside of vitamins and minerals, you should also be sure to get enough proteins and fats. Legumes and nuts are a decent source of proteins. Despite the bad press over cholesterol, the human body has a daily cholesterol requirement. Cholesterol is a fat found in meats. Some vegetarians choose to eat eggs, which are a great source of proteins and cholesterol, while vegans do not. Deficiencies in either proteins, fats or both can be harmful to the body. Blood tests can detect when there is a deficient of either. My recommendation is, while you are settling in to your vegetarian diet, do have blood tests. Once you find a diet which meets all of your body's requirement, you can stop the blood tests.
I think it is probably overkill but it can't hurt to know if you are doing the right things to nourish your body. Having eliminated meat, you are at risk for anemia which has red flags that make blood work unnecessary. You feel rundown and you may bruise easily. Vegans are going to be challenged not only with this but calcium (harder to tell without lab work) because they don't eat dairy either. You should take supplements for both. You wouldn't be at risk for very many vitamin deficiencies because most vegetarians eat lots of healthy grains, fruits and veggies, which is where vitamins come from. You should be actively including protein sources and iron, even supplements to get these nutrients that usually come from meat, as well as a calcium/magnesium supplement for vegans. Spinach, other green leafy veggies, and also cream of wheat and enriched breads, cereals, and pastas, maybe rice (?) all contain iron. An interesting side effect of taking iron supplements is often constipation but you shouldn't have a problem if you are eating a lot of fruits and veggies and whole grains. I guess my advice is that if you are going to be a vegetarian or a vegan, of course it is possible to be healthy but you want to be smart about it. You have to be vigilant and use your hunger to fill up on nutrients, not junk. In that regard, as a vegetarian, even if it is for animal rights reasons, you also have to be somewhat health conscious. I would take the opportunity to have a good workup done at each yearly physical. That is a good time to get your tuneup and make any adjustments that you need.
As a trained nurse of many years, we always encouraged vegetarians to check blood levels for iron content, as this seemed to be the one blood level mostly affected. If you are eating plenty of fruit and veg, then vitamin levels should be ok. Some vegetarians tend to take a multivitamin on a daily basis,but before taking supplements that might not be necessary, it's a good idea to check with your medical practitioner.
I do not think so!
yes thy should. Vegetarians are very often poorly nourished, much like the rest of the population, and can suffer from many forms of Anemia, as well has having low levels of A,D, and certain B vitamins. Blood profiles for vitmains are not necassary but hematocrit levels hsould be checked along with checks to prevent anemia. Common anemias include B12, and Iron anemia. Veggeis are the last people on earth to worry about folate. Folate is in all your leafy greens, and the cereal companies fortify the hell out of a majority of grains because americans eat like crap. Folate prevents Spina Bifida, and Cholesterol isn't a fat per se. Its a "lipoprotein", The HDL "cleans" out your systems o to speak. The cholesterol you eat makes up so little of your bodies sterols that it is negligable, otherwise your cholesterol is directly linked to saturated fat intake.
who say that we are vegetarians for centuries its ok if you get blood tested once in a year
your doctor will inform you of how often it is that you need your blood tested. for some, it is weekly and others, it's yearly.
Being vegetarian shouldn't affect this. What would affect this is the type of diet the person has overall as far as general healthiness. While a meat eater may need annual bloodwork to test for certain types of cancer, heart problems, and liver/kidney problems, a vegetarian who eats poorly may need bloodwork to check for anemia and similar problems.
That is something you should take up with your physician. Some people, like me, have primary (hereditary) high cholesterol, so need to be checked for that. You may also need to be checked for diabetes. Ask your doctor.
If you start feeling tired or not well, or notice grooves in your nails, a blood test is a good idea, but on the whole vegetarians who eat a balanced diet don't need to worry.
Vegetarians that have a good variety of veggie and fruits plus grains and cereals don't need to worry about blood tests cause they get sufficient vitamins and sufficient protein by eating a proper healthy vegetarian diet. It's meat eaters that are the ones that should be tested! A healthier testing and much more accurate is hair folicle testing done by most homoepathics. but cause they are not funded by government their fee is high to cover the cost of the expensive equipment needed for hair folicle analysis. I have the hair analysis done each 15 years! No need for succession treatments or tests... Blood tests require succession test cause it's not as reliable as hair analysis!
Probably no more often than a non veggie.
Only if he or she is having unprotected sex with multiple partners.
By eating a balanced veggie diet, you will not need extra blood tests, but it's good to get tested for hormone levels, STDs and stuff like that every few years at least. Vegetarians who eat a lot of starches and oils but not fruits and vegetables can get into trouble with their blood.