Vegeterian diet and immune system

Q: I've been on a vegeterian diet for approximately 15 years (actually, an ovo-lacto-pesce diet where I'll eat dairy products, eggs, and sometimes fish). In recent years, I've noticed that my body doesn't seem to be defending itself very well against illness. For instance, I can't just have a "normal" cold.....instead, they all seem to last forever until they progress into some kind of an infection that I need to be treated for. Conversely, friends & family tend to get the sniffles, and their body fights it off over the course of a few days. I've heard that a vegetarian diet lacks critical enzymes (only found in meat) that could likely compromise my immune system. Is that true?

A: From all I know about food/immune interactions, most critical substances are found in ovo-lacto-pesce diets. I failed finding any meat-specific enzymes affecting immune system. If your diary includes yogurs, kefirs, etc. with guaranteed live cultures of probiotics, you should be doing better than "mixed" eaters. If you didn't pay attention to probiotics, I would strongly advise you give it a try. Also, make it sure that enough of your vegetables are eaten raw.

However, there's one thing that you might want to discuss with your doctor - your hemoglobin numbers, it could explain your weakened immune response. Anemia is one of severe concerns for vegetarians, it weakens the body and can suppress immune reactions.

Suggested reading

Vegetarian Diet
A Word Of Warning
Living Vegetarian
THE VEGETARIAN ATHLETE
Protein, Iron, And Calcium For the Vegetarians

Tanya Zilberter, PhD