There’s no shortage of reaction to a new report out that says vegeterians aren’t as healthy as meat eaters. (Photo credit: Flickr/TheBittenWord)

 
Scientists say vegetarians and vegans are six times more likely to suffer from brain shrinkage than meat eaters.

A recent study claims vegans and vegetarians are the most likely to be deficient because the best sources of Vitamin B12 are meat, particularly liver, milk and fish. Earlier research showed a link between brain atrophy and low levels of B12.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause anaemia and inflammation of the nervous system. Yeast extracts are one of the few vegetarian foods which provide good levels of the vitamin.

The link was discovered by Oxford University scientists who used memory tests, physical checks and brain scans to examine 107 people between the ages of 61 and 87.

Five years later the volunteers were retested and the scientists found that those with the lowest levels of B12 were also the most likely to have brain shrinkage.

Other factors can also contribute to brain shrinkage.

Drinking alcohol can shrink the brain, especially in women in their seventies. Beer does more damage than wine according to a study in Alcohol and Alcoholism.

Researchers found that the hippocampus — the part of the brain that stores memories — was 10% smaller in beer drinkers than those who stuck to wine.

Being overweight or obese is also linked to brain loss.