Rumor: Vegan diets may increase the risk of bone fracture.
Truth: This is true.
A vegan diet is a strict plant-based diet that excludes all animal products including dairy products. Vegan diets are becoming increasingly popular for many reasons including the exploitation of animals for food, personal health beliefs, and/or to benefit the environment. However, there are many concerns that a vegan diet lacks nutrients essential to bone health, like protein.
Denmark researchers conducted a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition to investigate whether a vegan diet is associated with an increased bone fracture risk at the molecular level. The study results conclude that there are serious changes in bone metabolism and bone turnover, which may increase the risk of fracture due to the exclusion of animal foods. To read more about the vegan diet and this study, click here.
Reference
Hansen TH, Madsen MTB, Jørgensen NR, et al. Bone turnover, calcium homeostasis, and vitamin D status in Danish vegans. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2018;72(7):1046-1054. doi:10.1038/s41430-017-0081-y
