Vegan Diet Linked to Poorer Bone Health by Anjanee Sharma on March 6, 2021 at 7:06 PM Research from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) finds that individuals who follow a vegan diet may have poorer bone health. The research team examined the bone health of 72 individuals - half vegans and half who followed a mixed-food diet using an ultrasound measurement of the heel bone. Information on age, smoking status, education, body mass index, physical activity and alcohol consumption was also collected. They also examined biomarkers in blood and urine to identify nutrients that might be related to diet and bone health. They were able to identify 12 out of 28 parameters of nutritional status and bone metabolism that are most strongly associated with bone health - amino acid lysine, vitamins A and B6, leucine, omega-3 fatty acids, selenoprotein P, iodine, thyroid-stimulating hormone, calcium, magnesium and α-Klotho protein.