most of the potential “costs” are in terms of energy/vitality which they will feel if they feel it
I think there are many people for whom this is not true.* Many of even the most-affected people don’t keel over the second they decide to identify as vegan; it takes time for nutrient stores to deplete. If it happens slowly enough they may never notice, or not notice until it becomes life-ruiningly severe (obviously this effect isn’t unique to veganism, and many of the ill effects of meat are very hard to notice). I’ve also seen vegans who knew they had serious energy issues just… not consider diet as a hypothesis, and not had any vegan friends suggest it either.
I want to be fair, so I should note that in one case I’m thinking of there’s some evidence veganism wasn’t the problem. It’s the person here who tested deficient on almost everything including vitamin C, which is just not a problem a plant-based diet should cause. But something has gone wrong if anyone with fatigue issues doesn’t consider dietary causes, much less a vegan.
*I feel like I should quantify many here but it’s hard because by definition, everyone I see with a fatigue issue either hasn’t noticed or doesn’t know how to fix it. People who notice minor energy drops and immediately fix them drop out from the sample.
I think there are many people for whom this is not true.* Many of even the most-affected people don’t keel over the second they decide to identify as vegan; it takes time for nutrient stores to deplete. If it happens slowly enough they may never notice, or not notice until it becomes life-ruiningly severe (obviously this effect isn’t unique to veganism, and many of the ill effects of meat are very hard to notice). I’ve also seen vegans who knew they had serious energy issues just… not consider diet as a hypothesis, and not had any vegan friends suggest it either.
I want to be fair, so I should note that in one case I’m thinking of there’s some evidence veganism wasn’t the problem. It’s the person here who tested deficient on almost everything including vitamin C, which is just not a problem a plant-based diet should cause. But something has gone wrong if anyone with fatigue issues doesn’t consider dietary causes, much less a vegan.
*I feel like I should quantify many here but it’s hard because by definition, everyone I see with a fatigue issue either hasn’t noticed or doesn’t know how to fix it. People who notice minor energy drops and immediately fix them drop out from the sample.