Do teenage vegetarians risk growth problems?
The first thing is to visit your doctor for a check up to make sure there is no physical reason why you are feeling short of energy. You may have an underlying problem such as asthma brought on by exercise which would make you feel short of breath, cough and possibly wheeze after a swimming session. You might be anaemic. Vegetarians are more at risk of anaemia than meat eaters because it can be hard to eat enough iron containing foods. Iron is needed to make red blood cells. If these are in short supply you would become anaemic and exercise would make you more tired than normal. You may have another underlying cause for your symptoms such as glandular fever, an under-active thyroid gland, diabetes or other medical conditions requiring specific treatment. These could all be picked up by examination and a blood test. You may be feeling tired simply because you are growing rapidly at present. Between the ages of 14 and 16, boys typically shoot up in height. Growing is a process which take
