Georgina Owen, 21, of Saffron Walden in Essex, died on 21 September 2019 — two days after she had been due to return to Swansea University to begin a new academic year. She had been studying geography at the university since 2017.
An inquest conducted in writing on Monday, presided over by Cambridgeshire area coroner Elizabeth Gray, found that Miss Owen had been suffering delusional beliefs brought about by a vitamin B12 deficiency — and that the deficiency had developed as a direct result of her vegan diet, which she had followed since 2016 out of environmental concern.
The coroner found that Miss Owen’s family had noted in August 2019 that she had not been taking her B12 supplements for at least six months. Her family also reported that she had shown unusual and erratic behaviour in the period before her death, and provided diaries which they said demonstrated a deterioration in her mental health.
A psychiatrist who reviewed the case concluded that Miss Owen’s diary entries alone did not provide evidence that she had been planning to end her life. However, the psychiatrist found that a final note she left did show evidence of a possible mental illness and that, on the balance of probabilities, she had been experiencing delusions at the time she wrote it.
The psychiatrist noted that psychiatric manifestations caused by vitamin B12 deficiency are a recognised medical phenomenon. An expert report prepared for the inquest also concluded that vague signs of cognitive impairment, anxiety, difficulty with simple decision-making and fatigue — as described by her family in the period before her death — suggested a gradually developing psychiatric disorder.
Swansea University described Miss Owen as “vibrant, full of enthusiasm, passionate and well-liked by her peers and lecturers.” She had made plans to go surfing in the days following her return to university.
Vitamin B12 is found naturally in meat, fish, eggs and dairy products, and is not present in most plant-based foods. People following vegan diets are advised to take a reliable B12 supplement or eat B12-fortified foods regularly.
The NHS advises that a B12 deficiency can cause a range of symptoms including extreme tiredness, muscle weakness, problems with vision and memory — and psychological problems ranging from mild depression or anxiety to confusion and, in serious cases, dementia.
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