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Coroner Links Vegan Diet to Student’s B12-Deficiency Suicide

5/22/2026

Summary

Coroner Blames Vegan

Coroner Elizabeth Gray concluded that Georgina Owen’s vitamin B12 deficiency was a direct result of her vegan diet.
Owen was a 21-year-old geography student at Swansea University and died by suicide after stopping a Canadian B12 supplement months earlier.
Her family said she showed unusual, erratic behavior and a mental-health decline in the months before the incident.

Summary

Coroner Urges Testing

The inquest report recommends clinicians assess vitamin B12 levels in psychiatric patients with psychosis.
The coroner said B12 deficiency can trigger acute psychotic disorder, stressing its mental-health importance.
The European Journal of Medicine cautioned vegans to use certified B12 supplements at meals.
Swansea University described Owen as a vibrant student due back on Sept. 19, 2019, while her family said she began meditating, had a distressing out-of-body episode, and sought mental-health care.

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Coroner Blames Vegan

Coroner Elizabeth Gray concluded that Georgina Owen’s vitamin B12 deficiency was a direct result of her vegan diet.
Owen was a 21-year-old geography student at Swansea University and died by suicide after stopping a Canadian B12 supplement months earlier.
Her family said she showed unusual, erratic behavior and a mental-health decline in the months before the incident.

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