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International Vegetarian Union · Since 1908

Department of Medicine and Nutrition

Advancing the science of plant-based nutrition through peer-reviewed evidence, professional guidance, and accessible resources for clinicians, families, and communities worldwide.

01 · Our Mission

Built on evidence. Designed for every life stage.

Scientific evidence at the centre

We provide materials demonstrating the nutritional viability of vegetarian and vegan diets across all stages of life — infancy, adolescence, adulthood and senior years — anchored in peer-reviewed scientific literature.

Clinical practice you can trust

We promote medical and nutritional protocols compatible with every form of vegetarian choice, offering security and clarity for health professionals — and the populations they serve.

A global standard, shared worldwide

Our resources are published in multiple languages and disseminated through international partnerships — because evidence-based plant-based nutrition should reach every region, profession, and household.

02 · Department Leadership

Meet the Director

Dr Eric Slywitch, Director of the IVU Department of Medicine and Nutrition
Director

Dr Eric Slywitch

MD · Master's & Doctorate in Nutrition · Specialist in Nutrology, Endocrinology and Clinical Nutrition

Dr Slywitch is a Medical Doctor whose Master's and Doctoral research centred on the metabolic evaluation of vegetarians and omnivores. He holds specialist credentials in Nutrology, Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition, with postgraduate qualifications in Endocrinology, Clinical Nutrition and Psychoanalysis.

Author of three books on vegetarianism in Brazil, he has contributed chapters to the country's leading nutrition reference texts. He teaches across three postgraduate programmes addressing vegetarian nutrition, and runs his own training centre dedicated to metabolic and nutritional assessment — with particular emphasis on the interpretation of laboratory tests for physicians and nutritionists.

03 · Flagship Project

The IVU Guide to Vegan Nutrition for Adults

04 · Strategic Partnerships

Working with leading organisations

01
Regional Representative · Latin America

Vegetarianos Hoy represents the Guide across Latin America, working with its Spanish-language edition — which they themselves produced. Their role is to ensure the Guide reaches universities, professional bodies and health practitioners throughout the region, fostering its institutional adoption.

Vegan Nutrition Articles

Tofu on top, cheddar at the bottom: the index that redrew the protein map

A researcher at the University of Cambridge folded emissions, water pollution, land use, sodium, saturated fat, cholesterol and p…

A Return to the Past Disguised as Progress: Why the New U.S. Dietary Guidelines Raise Red Flags

The release of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 was framed by federal authorities as a historic reset—an overdue c…

A Natural Prescription: How Plant-Based Diets May Hold the Key to Sexual Vitality

For generations, meat has been marketed as a symbol of masculinity, virility, and strength. Yet mounting evidence is turning that…

Cyanocobalamin vs. Methylcobalamin: The Holy War of B12 in the Vegan World

Within the vegan community, where dietary ethics and health go hand in hand, few vitamins cause as much confusion — and, let's be…

The OMNIVEG Study: A Game-Changer for Heart Health and Fitness?

In the ever-evolving landscape of nutrition research, pdf The OMNIVEG Study( 697 KB ) has emerged as a groundbreaking investigati…

Global Endorsements of a 100% Plant-Based Diet (Vegan Diet) by Institutions (2005–2025)

Over the past 20 years, numerous academic institutions and official government bodies around the world have issued official state…