Vegetarians and vegans may have lower iron stores more frequently than people who consume animal products. However, this does not mean that every vegetarian or vegan automatically has anaemia or a clinical iron deficiency.
Studies show that vegetarians more frequently have lower iron stores, particularly when measured using ferritin. However, this is not an automatic rule for every individual.
Regular monitoring of blood parameters is therefore recommended for these population groups. This may include iron, haemoglobin, ferritin and, where appropriate, transferrin. [19]
