By Samuel Finn, Student Pharmacist and Karen L. Kier, Pharmacist
On behalf of ONU Healthwise Pharmacy 

An 8-week Stanford University study was the basis for a Netflix documentary series released on January 1, 2024.  The documentary series is titled You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment. The study paired 22 identical twins and gave them opposing diets for an 8-week period. 

One twin was given a vegan diet and the other had an omnivore diet. An omnivore diet includes animal and plant sources including dairy, meat and eggs. The participants had their meals prepared for the first 4 weeks and they had to make their own meals for the last 4 weeks. 

The study reported the vegan diet showed a decrease in cholesterol and blood glucose levels with an additional benefit of a 3% weight loss compared to the omnivore diet. Twenty-one of the 22 subjects maintained the vegan diet for the last 4 weeks when they made their own meals. 

Did you know that what you eat can change how your immune system works? A recent study looked at how two different diets—vegan and ketogenic—affect the immune system.

A ketogenic diet consists of a diet of high-fat, moderate protein and very low carbohydrates. It often includes foods like meat, cheese, eggs and nuts, while limiting bread, pasta, fruits and sugary foods. A vegan diet is entirely plant-based and usually includes fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds, but excludes any animal products such as meat, dairy or eggs.

In a study in Nature Medicine, the participants followed one of the two diets for several weeks, and researchers took blood samples to measure immune cell response. The study found the ketogenic diet increased special immune cells, which helps the body remember and adapt to infections over time. This improves the body’s immune system by being able to recognize and fight off infections in the long-term. 

The vegan diet was shown to strengthen the body’s immune cells acting as the first-line of defense against illnesses. Both diets affected the bacteria in the gut, which play a major role in immune health. Most people in the United States eat foods high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, and low in fruits, vegetables and fiber. This diet does not support a strong immune system. 

In this study, both the vegan and ketogenic diets were made with whole, less processed foods, and gave the body important nutrients that the average American diet often lacks.

If you want to support your immune system, your diet matters. If you are more concerned about fighting off immediate illnesses, adding more plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains to your diet may help. To support long-term immune memory, healthy fats from foods like nuts, fish and olive oil may be beneficial. Aim for a diverse diet including multiple food groups. This can ensure you reap the benefits of both diets and receive a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for immune health.

If you are thinking about changing your diet, talk to a healthcare provider, especially if you have health conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure. A ketogenic diet can be high in saturated fats, which are found in foods like butter, cheese, red meat and fried foods. Eating too many of these fats may raise your cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease. There are healthier fats you can include, such as those from nuts, seeds, fish or olive oil.  In addition to this, a vegan diet has little or no saturated fat but may lack certain nutrients such as vitamin B12, iron and omega-3 fats, which are mostly found in animal products. 

A pharmacist can help you choose supplements if you are missing key nutrients in your diet. Your diet is more powerful than you might think; like the saying goes, “you are what you eat.”

ONU HealthWise offers the shingles vaccine as well as RSV, flu, COVID-19 and other vaccinations. Please call 419-772-3784 for more information.