On going plant-based, there are two concerns that most friends and family become obsessed with: your protein intake and your vitamin B12 levels. The chat around whether we should be taking protein supplements, for the most part, is a moot point; you can eat enough protein to satisfy your muscle needs by eating a balanced, whole foods diet that contains plenty of soy and a wide variety of vegetables and pulses. B12 is slightly different.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is often cited as the main reason for not following a vegan lifestyle. That’s because it’s a nutrient often found in animal-based products, without which, you may struggle to get enough. Aside from hysterical health columns in newspapers, how common is vitamin B12 deficiency, and what impact can it have on our fitness goals if we really are running low?

According to a 2019 paper published in the British Medical Journal, between six and 12% of adults under 60 are vitamin B12 deficient, and according to dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton from the Health & Food Supplements Information Service (HSIS), that number is closer to 20% for those who have “marginal vitamin B12 status.”