Inquest Links 21-Year-Old Student's Death to Vegan Diet-Induced B12 Deficiency

9 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 20

Cambridgeshire coroner Elizabeth Gray ruled that Georgina Owen, 21, died after delusional beliefs were brought on by a vitamin B12 deficiency caused by her strict vegan diet.
Blood tests supported the deficiency finding, and a psychiatric expert said B12 deficiency can cause psychiatric symptoms; Owen's diary and final note suggested delusions rather than clear suicide planning.
Her family said she had shown erratic behavior in the weeks before her death and had not taken supplements for at least six months, despite saying she had bought an organic B12 product from Canada.
Owen, a Swansea University geography student, was found unconscious at her home in Saffron Walden in September 2019 and died at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge two days later.
The inquest highlights the mental-health risks of untreated B12 deficiency, a condition associated with diets lacking meat, fish, eggs, dairy or fortified foods.

How can a diet chosen for ethical reasons lead to a fatal psychological breakdown?

Is a simple vitamin deficiency being overlooked in modern mental health diagnoses?