Miley Cyrus has revealed she is no longer vegan – and has blamed the diet for her ‘brain not functioning properly’.
The pop star made the comments while appearing on a recent episode of Joe Rogan‘s podcast. She said she tries to eat for her ‘brain type’ and revealed that a pescaterian diet is ‘where [she’s] at’.
Cyrus revealed to Rogan that she is ‘experimenting a lot’ with her diet and exercise regime, and that the prospect of ‘leaving veganism’ is terrifying. She said her first foray into eating animals again was in 2019, when ex-husband Liam Hemsworth barbecued her some fish.
‘Running on empty’
Rogan told Cyrus the vegans ‘would come for her’ after admitting she now eats animals, and the singer replied that they will come for her, but it’s ok, as she is ‘used to people coming for me’.
She added: “Listen, I give home, I have 22 animals on my farm in Nashville, I’ve got 22 in my house in Calabasas, like I’m doing what I need to do for the animals, okay? But when it comes to my brain – you’re not vegan, you can’t be vegan and living this kind and being this quick, but sure you can, some people can, I cannot [sic].”
Rogan asked what veganism did to her brain, and Cyrus replied: “Now I’m so much sharper than I was and I think that I was at one point pretty malnutrition [sic].”
‘No indication she was seeking medical care’
Despite the claims about a vegan diet and brain function, ND Dr. Matthew Nagra has spoken out about how ‘fatigue (mental or physical) can be caused by a myriad of issues, which may not be diet-related, and there’s no indication that she was seeking any medical care’.
“In addition, it’s important to note that the research on omega-3 supplements (EPA/DHA) and cognitive function is mixed, with potential benefit in older adults specifically. Of course, fish is a source of these omega-3s, but so is a vegan algae-based supplement,” he wrote in an Instagram post.
“That being said, it is unclear if vegans even need to supplement since we produce EPA and DHA from short-chain omega-3s (ALA) in foods like flax and our levels don’t vary much from fish eaters. Furthermore, those with genetically elevated levels don’t seem to be protected against Alzheimer’s disease, which is why I just think of these supplements as an extra safety measure, to ensure you get enough.”
Placebo effect
He added: “Something that should give pause is when someone notices drastic improvements with a small dietary change. This SCREAMS placebo effect. On a physiological level, it’s impossible for a few meals of seafood to drastically change omega-3 levels, especially within the brain.
“This becomes even more likely when a vegan has constantly been told that their diet is deficient by those who clearly have not seen the data. We can start to believe it…That being said, we have no clue what Miley was actually eating.
“So before you see all the carnivore doctors posting about this negative anecdote, even though meat is a poor source of omega-3s, remember that an anecdote isn’t science and the overwhelming body of evidence suggests that vegans/vegetarians have lower risk of many non-communicable diseases and all-cause mortality. There’s a reason that health professionals like @drgarthdavis and @brendadavisrd continue to thrive without any signs of slowing down.”