A health question for my fellow vegetarians. Probably nothing, but my syptoms are as follows:?

Question

I have been a vegetarian for a little over a year. I feel better than ever and truly believe that a low fat vegetarian diet is the optimal way to eat for maximal health.

However, over the last couple of months, I have noticed, shall I say, "Snap, Crackle, Pop". That's the best way to describe what I hear daily from my neck, shoulders, wrists, knees, etc. It is not painful, and I have not a clue what is causing it. I am otherwise in great health, but this frequent popping and cracking I seem to be hearing and feeling seems out of the ordinary. I have a theory, and I think it is related to a staple of many vegetarian diets. Please share your thoughts. Perhaps someone else has had a similar experience. Thanks so much for your help!

Hey folks, I did not say or imply that this is being caused by not consuming meat. I said perhaps a staple of many vegetarian diets, being soy, may be the culprit. There are a lot of scary things said about soy products, I'm sure some of them greatly exagerated. However, when there is smoke there is typically fire, and I'm confident that some of the concerns about soy based food products have merit. Once again, I said nothing about meat.

Answer 1

Dude, maybe you're just old. I've been a vegetarian since 7th grade (I'm 30 now) and in the past couple of years I've developed crackity joints too - but it isn't because I don't eat meat. It's because I'm old. Genetics could be another clue - my mother isn't vegetarian and she says she's had cracky joints since her late 20's as well.

Answer 2

This sounds more like atrophy and old age
starting to creep in than it does a diet problem.
Yoga and stretching are a good way to maintain
the health of your joints.

However if you feel the least bit unsure of your
diet try one or all of the following:

1. Get some vegetarian glucosamine
and take as recommended
2.Eat at least three servings of leafy
green vegetables a day.
3. Eat kidney beans periodically.
4. Eat almonds.

All the above listed contain soluble
calcium.

5. Avoid consuming too much dairy.
Excess amounts have known to
leach calcium from the bones and
cause problems.

Answer 3

Hmm, in all honesty, this doesn't sound like a problem caused by your diet. To begin, if you've been a vegetarian for over a year, why is it that this problem is only starting now?

I'm not trying to come off rude or condescending or anything, I would just be really surprised if this had anything to do with not eating meat, especially because you're not a vegan (again, not trying to be nasty, just suggesting a point here).

Have you started a different exercise routine? Has your weight changed significantly over the past couple months? Look for things like those, rather than the diet, as I really don't believe that has much to do with your joints.

Answer 4

Have you lost a lot of weight? I'm guessing it might be caused by eating too little fat; just a possibility. I seem to remember experiencing something like that the year and a half I tried going vegan, and was eating almost no fat.
Try adding a little oil, avocados, nuts, etc. into your diet and see if it goes away.

Answer 5

There are a number of things it could be.

1) Are you stretching? Especially for men, our muscles shorten up as we age. This causes tension in the joints so they pop. If you're athletic but don't stretch, the popping gets worse. The strengthened muscles have pulled the joints slightly out of place and then they SNAP back.

2) Toxins stored in body fat are being released as you get healthy. These toxins often form gas which gets into our joints and pops.

3) Vitamin deficiency. Vitamin E and Omega 3 shortage, one, the other or both, can lead to a lot of joint popping. You might try the addition of flax seeds (or oil), hemp seeds (or oil), or walnuts to your daily routine.

Answer 6

No, shouldn't have anything to do with being a vegetarian. I was one for 20 years and nothing like that. Are you getting enough calcium and vit D in your diet (or vitamin pills)?

Soy products contain plant estrogens, so if anything you might become more feminine...

Answer 7

You know what, I have the same exact problem, but I never associated it with my being vegan. After reading what some of the answers had to say, I would think its the lack of Omega-3 fats. I always mean to eat those flax seeds, but the end up just sitting in the fridge.

Answer 8

How often do you exercise? Are you under high amounts of stress? Do you stand all day? Work at a computer? Much of this could be from inactivity, or the onset of arthritis depending on your age. I can tell you I know of no averse effects of soy that are supposed to create these symptoms. Please let me know if their is some research on this topic. Without having some info about you I really can't help point you in the right direction. let me know, or PM me.

Answer 9

It could be arthritis. They say having too much tofu and soya in your diet could aggravate arthritis. It's necessary to round out your diet and eat a variety of protein sources, not just beans. Have it checked by a doctor.

Answer 10

Talk to your doctor, I would say. I don't think that has anything to do with being a vegetarian, because I am vegan and have never had that problem.