Woman died after vegan diet made her delusional

A university student took her own life while suffering delusional beliefs caused by her strict vegan diet, an inquest has concluded.

Georgina Owen had developed a vitamin B12 deficiency due to the diet she began in 2016 "stemming from her environmental concerns", the coroner said.

The 21-year-old was found unconscious at home in Saffron Walden, Essex, in September 2019 and died in hospital in Cambridge two days later.

A spokesperson for Swansea University, where she studied geography, said she was "vibrant, full of enthusiasm, passionate and well-liked by her peers and lecturers".

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Vitamin B12 is found in meat, fish, eggs, dairy products and specially fortified foods, and, according to the NHS, a deficiency can lead to psychological problems.

Cambridgeshire area coroner Elizabeth Gray said Owen's family noted in August 2019 she had not been taking her supplements for at least six months.

She had been due to return to university on 19 September 2019 and planned a surfing trip, but was found at her home address, together with a note.

Owen was resuscitated and taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital, where she died on 21 September.

Gray said Owen "reported to her family that she had bought an organic B12 supplement from Canada" and would take a daily dosage of 1mg.

"Miss Owen's family report that Miss Owen had demonstrated unusual, erratic behaviour in the period leading up to her death," Gray wrote.

"They provided diaries written by Miss Owen which they suggest demonstrates her erratic behaviour and a deterioration in her mental health in the immediate period before her death."

A psychiatrist had concluded that a final note in the diary did not prove she was planning to end her life, but it did suggest she was "experiencing delusions".

Psychiatric "manifestations" were a recognised symptom of vitamin B12 deficiency, the expert said.

Blood tests were found to be consistent with such a deficiency and this "likely resulted from" Owen's vegan diet, Gray said.

In her conclusion, the coroner ruled that "on the balance of probabilities" Owen was "suffering delusional beliefs brought about by a vitamin B12 deficiency developed as a direct result of her vegan diet".

She said an expert report concluded Owen was also showing vague signs of cognitive impairment, anxiety, fatigue and difficulty with simple decision making.

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