CosmicSkeptic Shares Health Details, Here's What I Would Tell Him 

A challenging question that has come from this, "Do you think someone should be expected to stay vegan during a mental health crisis?" What about when it is over? Whatever your answer I think we need to increase vigilance and pressure on vegans attacking ex-vegans, especially with wishes or threats of violence. WHERE'S THE AHIMSA BIOTCHES?!

I suffered from IBS before veganism. It got worse after I became vegan. After doing some research though, I realized that I simply wasn't healthy to begin with (although I thought I was) and I was eating too much processed food. As far as gas, I switched to a mostly wholefood FODMAP diet for 6 months and it cleared up. I slowly reintroduced more beans and other foods that cause gas and used to contribute to some irritability but I am mostly normal now. I have learned not to overeat, don't eat late, to drink plenty of water, and to get in some exercise. I never considered giving up as I knew that modification and just being more responsible could possibly help. And yes, anxiety can cause many different digestive issues. Thanks for sharing Mike! For Cosmic Skeptic: Bro, you don't have to be a nutrition expert to know how to eat a healthy vegan diet. I've been vegan for 7 years. I've weighed 165 all my life. I'm still 165. It's not rocket science.

Thank you Mic for this fair response. It's great that you listen to his problems and actually try to help Alex by giving him possible solutions instead of just blindly bashing him. We definitely need more people like you in the vegan movement 🙌🌱

I'm glad you made this video. I'm a 63 year old man who started subscribing to his channel when he was a teen. Imagine that....a fan boy of a teen. I found him to be the brightest, most articulate, intellectually charismatic person, especially for his age. There's no doubt in my mind that he is being thoughtful and honest about all this. For someone that I have never met, admittedly, I have a soft spot for him. It brings me sadness that he isn't thriving right now. It was his influence that had me initially seriously consider veganism, and for that, I'm indebted. He's a genuinely good person, please, let's be kind to him.

Hi Mic, I find your response to his IBS a bit discouraging. I personally have several chronic life-altering medical conditions, and I find it very hard to believe he hasn’t already done things like PT, biofeedback, seeing gastroenterologists, etc. While chronic conditions can get better in some people, it’s very difficult, or even impossible to “get over it.” In addition, I’ve also been told all my life(especially before diagnoses) that all of my problems are due to anxiety, which is not the case. It’s incredibly disheartening to hear people say your issues are in your head and you just need to learn to relax, when the anxiety itself is so much worse because of having to deal with physical issues. Especially in his case, knowing how the gut and mental health are related, it seems more likely that his gut bacteria could be the core issue, not his brain. I understand that you are coming from a good place, but having people tell me all my life I just need to “try this” or “try that” or “get therapy” is very very frustrating when I’m already doing everything I can and trying everything I can. Based on his decision to stop being vegan, he might be in a place where he feels like he’s tried everything except that

Best response video thus far Mike, all the others vary from person to person but you just say it like it is without any personal attacks. I wish Alex well and optimistic he will bounce back. Lot of us can relate to him though, just got to work on the foundations and build on any obstacles stopping ones progress to achieving optimal health. Getting enough calories is important for us vegans especially active people, myself increasing fats, protein and having unrefined wholefoods predominately with lots of colours has been a blessing. As an insurance policy I take a wholefood multivitamin along with probiotic, vitamin D/K2, and digestive enzymes to cover all nutritional bases

I really appreciate your kind and compassionate response video! I did want to make a couple of clarifying points. Bowel training, etc. is only going to help if the incontinence is caused by muscle damage, and that's not what's going on here. I suffered from exactly the same type of IBS as he described for many years, and what he's talking about is more along the lines of when you have the stomach flu and you get sick to the point where you MUST have a bathroom NOW. No amount of exercises or training will stop that. The IBS itself needs to be managed. What ultimately helped me was following a very strict low-FODMAP diet for years (I also have celiac disease, so add being gluten free to the mix). This is difficult to do while being vegan, but I'm living proof that it is possible. Another thing to emphasize is that anxiety does not cause IBS, even though it can exacerbate symptoms. I'm concerned that some people might misunderstand what you're saying and come away from this video thinking that treatment for anxiety is a potential cure for IBS. As a doctoral-level health psychologist and scientist with both formal training and personal experience in this area, I do want to acknowledge that managing anxiety may reduce IBS symptoms in some circumstances, but you're still going to have IBS at the end of the day, so you're still going to need additional management strategies.

That he gave an explanation and shared more than anyone is reasonably expected to is admirable. That people were/are assholes enough to expect that he owed them anything is depressing; but sadly not surprising.

I struggle with IBS-C. The conclusion I’ve come to is I cannot live a normal life and be healthy. I only eat plants and I do not eat any animal products, I find that is very good for me, but I have to live a very different life than other people. I used to do what he was doing where I would starve myself out so that I could do normal people things and go to events and keep up with the work requirements, but that just took me down a very unhealthy path. I did stop my plant-based diet for a bit and started eating meat with the same logic he’s using, it did not help and ultimately made things worse so I went back to 100% plants. IBS can only be managed with lifestyle. Trying to live a normal life is not gonna work, he needs to accept his limitations and live within them. I feel so much better now that I have a lifestyle that supports my health and I’m done with trying to fit in with normal people. All this is easier said than done. I had to completely change the way I went about work and my daily routine, which is no easy task. It sucks to miss out on so much but the pain and the damage it does to the body is not worth it.

I’ve had sleeping problems on a vegan diet. It seems like keeping dinner very small and eating most of my daily calories earlier in the day is helping, Wish me luck!

I like the understanding and helpful approach, awareness of the wider context, and sound practical suggestions. A wise and compassionate video. 🙏. My salutations and good wishes. 🌻

Please allow me to belabor the obvious. On a 700 calories a day diet, with no apparent cognizance of the necessity of supplementing with B12, Omega 3, or iron, I don't see how it's possible to NOT become deficient in those nutrients. Meanwhile, last I checked, nuts and oils are calorie dense and vegan. So, getting enough calories, and the essential nutrients is relatively painless if you do an hour's research on the topic in your lifetime (or watch a 10 minutes video, etc). Rather than do research or consult a dietician, our man here decided to eat meat, not even knowing if, how, or why that would be the solution to his mysterious problem. Sure, we can sympathize with his illness and mental issues, but as a "philosopher" I'm dumbfounded that apparently he couldn't be arsed to do an afternoon's research, or seek the help of a professional nutritionist. Instead, he chose meat. But on what logical grounds, the philosopher doesn't articulate. Meanwhile his statement about fatigue, brain fog and such -- what he says people typically experience on a vegan diet when it's not working -- plays directly and powerfully into the hands of the anti-vegan blow-hards. What I really want to hear from an avowed intelligent and logical researchers is why veganism can't provide what animal foods can. He does not do that. Instead, he makes an emotional appeal so that to criticize his choice is to be cruel and immoral. Quite a sleight of hand, there. Maybe Mic didn't share points I've raise from Alex's video. I don't know. This is just my initial impression. FACT: if you are eating between 0-700 calories in a day on a regular basis and feel week, it doesn't matter what you are eating, you are starving yourself. "I only ate 300 calories yesterday and lacked energy. Must be the vegan diet. Someone get me a steak!"

I think you were spot on with the anxiety issues. And a contributing factor to that is that Alex is a very private person. Like he said in his video, he hasn't told his closest friends about his issues. That must feel incredibly lonely! However, I don't think that any amount of FT, bio feedback training or whatever, is going to help people whose bowel contents just turn into water. No-one would be able to make it to a toilet in time when that happens. IBS, IBD and fecal incontinence in general do often lead to disordered eating and even 'magical thinking'. What it boils down to, that combination of disordered eating, magical thinking led to him not getting enough calories in. I hope he will be able to try vegan meal replacers like Huel or Plenny or whatever else is out there, to get hiim back on track. While in the mean time figuring out his trigger foods and his mental health issues.

I have to say, curing IBS isn’t always possible. They have to actually know what’s wrong in order to cure it, and actually getting to that stage can be easier said than done. I’ve had bladder problems for twenty years, had every test and every treatment possible, and yet I’m no closer to knowing what’s causing it or how to fix it.

This is the best response I have seen to this subject, really mature. Thank you!

I respect his honest approach. I've suffered for decades with ibs, and it's horrible. Going vegan really helped my ibs. It is difficult for me to eat enough calories daily on a vegan diet. I don't ever plan on going back. I became vegan for ethical reasons but it really has helped my stomach tremendously. I've not had a horrible ibs attack since 2 months after going vegan. I am about to hit 4 years vegan.

I think anxiety and ibs are definitely co-related. My sister's ex developed an anxiety disorder after she left him for cheating on her, and then he developed ibs which made his anxiety worse, which then made his ibs worse.

I know people with a very similar IBS issue and they did a FODMAP diet to figure out which foods were triggering the symptoms. They now just stay away from those foods.

I am deeply ashamed of the reaction the vegan community has had to CosmicSkeptic's diet changes, it's just awful and we should ALL be deeply ashamed about it. I always try to treat ex-vegans with respect because I don't want people who quit whatever diet they're in to feel guilt-tripped, vilified or insulted by the members of said diet community. We gotta change for the better and I think this is an attitude many vegan influencers never adress letting it fester, or even worse add fuel to the flames. As a long time follower of Alex I wish nothing but the best for him and even though I was a little dissapointed to see he's no longer vegan I can wholeheartedly see where he's coming from and I am okay with that.

Hey, I tried to be vegan more than a few times, and it didn't work for me.....until one day it did. I kept trying, and apparently, it was my gut microbiome that needed time to adjust to the new way of eating.

Thank you for this fair, level-headed response, Mic! Really encouraging to hear a calm, compassionate, and overall positive perspective on this. 🙏 🙏 🙏

The people leaving horrible comments might not be vegans at all. It’s hard to be sure these days

I never judge or shame anyone for eating animal products. Heck, I was raised on hamburger, bologna, cheese, and milk along with veggies. Luckily my parents had big gardens and froze vegetables and had some idea about healthy omnivore foods. I’ve been vegetarian then vegan for decades. No one shamed me, I won’t shame others.

I didn't know about CosmicSkeptic until I saw him do a talk at Oslo recently. Anyway, it's so great that you're helping him and potentially other people with IBS and/or anxiety! I just love how you approach problems, provide solutions, review studies, etc and your general vibe!! You're the best, thanks Mic!!

THANK YOU! I respect you even more for your compassionate and cool-headed response.

I would also want to mention for Alex the idea of researching a "low FODMAP" diet, where frequent culprits like cruciferous vegetables, or many fruits, or beans (but not firm tofu!) are removed from the diet, then selectively re-introduced to see which cause big problems. Potatoes appear not to be a FODMAP issue, maybe eat a ton of those!

Not eating because of fear of digestive consequences or other physical consequences is restrictive avoidant food intake disorder not anorexia nervosa

Another awesome video Mic and yes those trolls threating Alex's life are just as bad as those who exploit animals and their fellow humans because violence whether it is towards humans or animals violence is wrong. Thanks for being so reasonable with this video and love 🥰 it.

Thanks for making this video Mic, you're a mature and reasonable voice we need

Thank you Mic for your fairness. I think I understand "ethical veganism " but I'm learning a lot about a large faction of "ethical vegans" from the plethora of unethical comments regarding this event. I'm predominantly whole food plant based so speaking from the pews and not the choir, vegans should be aware that the vitriol pushes folks like me away from veganism, not towards it.

The ibs and mental health issues definitely become a cycle. Which came first no longer matters. You must break the cycle one small step at a time.

Excellent video Mic. Some of the symptoms Alex described could be due to Vitamin D deficiency which is not an exclusively vegan problem but it may lead him to include fish and eggs in his diet. Clearly he has some health issues at the moment and I wish him well. Sending best wishes from the UK.

It's sad when someone you care about shuns veganism, but tbh we should all be used to it. Do any of us really know no one who eats animal products? My own daughter and son in law eat meat every day. No way am I going to end relations with them or insult them for this. For folks to be harassing this man just for being honest is silly. He is not saying that the rest of us should not be vegan, he's just owning up to his own shit.

I still don't understand how not being vegan helps him in any way, but it's his life and I hope everything works out for him.

When I went vegan I went from pooping 2x a week to pooping everyday. Honestly, if someone is pooping too much even as a non-vegan, I could see some issues going vegan. Just eating as little meat/dairy as possible is also a benifit.

I had IBS and found out that eliminating gluten from my diet eliminated the IBS symptoms too. Years later I began to suffer from bloating and gas and got rid of dairy too. I was better but then that was when I tried WFPB and everything improved overall

Your last video about Alex was really disrespectful. Seeing as you liked comments on it that were just as disrespectful, your sympathy and empathy comes across really disingenuous here.

This is an excellent response, thank you! I hope he figures it all out and gets back to a healthy plant based diet and continues to support veganism. I hope he works with a good nutritionist and figures it out.

My daughter developed IBS and it made her develop ARFID. Hearing him talk reminds me a lot of her behaviors around food

He got absolutely shit on. It sucks, man. I don't know what the end goal is of those that attacked him, but it's not pushing the minimization of unnecessary animal harm, that's for sure. Because them responding how it did certainly left an even worse taste in the mouths of those that are on the fence or even open to the views of veganism.

I relate to this. I suffered some severe health issues and had to eat a diet I didn't want to for almost 9 months. I'm now working my way back by cutting out the meats and fats and trying to get as plant based as I can without flaring. Health conditions can be such a trainwreck to deal with without additional concerns.

Very good message Mic. We have to remember why we became vegans in the first place: For compassion, through compassion. How are we supposed to bring in people or even keep people if we cannot show compassion to others. We should find ways to take people with valid criticism and find valid solutions for them. Thanks for pointing out what could help Alex.

CosmicSkeptic has received some extremely nasty reactions from a small minority of vegans, but this needs to be put into perspective: the GREAT majority of vegans commenting on his announcement have been polite, many have been understanding, and some, despite their disappointment, have even been sympathetic. IMO Alex O' Connor is drawing disproportionate attention to the hate mail, and I rather suspect he is doing it in order to cast himself in the role of victim. My hunch is that he is nowadays moving in far more elevated circles than he did when he began his channel, consorting with the likes of Jordan, Michaela, Sam Harris and Joe Rogan, and that the rice and beans just don't cut it with his new friends the way they used to with the old crowd. I find it difficult to be sympathetic.

What stuck out was he just didn't want to be vegan because it's easier not to. But I think that's more because of his mental health issues. I know of vegans with the same issues in mental health and yet never threw animals under the bus and did their best. Veganism isn't perfect, but it does require a lot of effort that sometimes feel overwhelming. If he knew this, he should have asked for help from his vegan RU-vid friends. And that's why I'm disappointed at him. But I hope he sorts this out.

Well done Mic! I haven't even felt a hint of comedy. It was a really positive video : )

Someone who has suffered with an Kerry when I was younger and never really had medical help I honestly relate to wanting to just not stress over what to eat. I hope he is able to get help as it’s a lifelong battle.

Sweet video. You're a good man Mic.

Don’t be a judgmental vegan by lashing out at those who are not. It only undermines the movement and turns off many would-be converts. Just live by example and meet people where they’re at. Everyone has a different timeline when it comes to awareness and changing their diet and/or lifestyle.

The more perfect you want your allies to be, the fewer you'll have. I wish him the best, and he's still trying to do his best. All or nothing, us vs. them doesn't help. We all need to do our best and extend respect and understanding to others.

I went gluten free 23 years ago. My IBS/crohn's/colitis symptoms disappeared the very next day after quitting gluten! Diagnosed as celiac by these symptoms. Celiacs are one percent of the population. Just my experience. À votre santé!!

About anxiety, fecal transplant studies show the microbiome causes anxiety more than the reverse. There is confusion because SSRIs are a somewhat effective treatment for IBS but that has to do with its effect on the nerves of the intestines not the brain. I get the temptation to seek available treatment in desperation, but CBT is not a treatment for the patient as much as it makes the physician and family happier for having fewer complaints from the patient and feeling as though you did your part and are now permitted to fully blame when physical symptoms persist. If anxiety causes IBS rather than the reverse soldiers would be super poopers. Instead it can speed transit in the colon on occasion and doesn't cause other symptoms like bloating nutrition deficiencies etc.

Ive had this a bit also all my life, like when I have to go, I really need to have a toilet close. Driving to the aiport is hell for me as stress makes it worse. So I make sure I eat nothing before I go XD Reducing my chance of having to urgently go on the way there. I understand his feeling of stress around this. I never went for treatment as I thought this was kinda normal , my dad and aunt always had that also :S Thankfully I usually have to poop only once in the morning. Its not even diarrhea

honestly i dealt with IBS pretty bad before and after veganism so i knew it had nothing to do with veganism but honestly taking athletic greens has almost like completely fixed my gut health. i tell so many people about it because my stomach problems would make me miserable. anxious, depressed, worried, stressed out etc and it honestly changed my life so much. it might not be a miracle cure for everyone esp at the price point but if you're seeing this and able and also looking for help or answers, i suggest at least trying it out.

Someone should do a survey of his comments sections...for every one comment of hate I saw 3 comments of understanding an hope. It's easy to point out the negative...imagine how much hate vegan channels get compared to all the love and understanding vegans gave him 🤷‍♀️

Please consider making a video on the new 'what I've learned' video

I've had huge issues with anxiety in my life, but these have been there before i went vegan like four years ago. The only thing about veganism that makes it worse is the social aspect, but you get used to that. Also your worldview can change and make you a bit more misanthropic.. but a lot of things can lead to that and we all have to cope with stuff like this regardless of diet. Anyway i hope he can figure himself out

And another thing... Any other social injustice, he would not have gone about it the way he's doing.. it's aggravating, to say the least! the anthropocentrism/speciesism is playing havoc in horrific ways just had to let it out sigh

Very true facts! I'm impressed by your knowledge and reasoning as well as compassion. It's crazy to me that vegans wish death on humans. Like you said, 2 wrongs don't make a right. You rock! Keep up the good content.

The people shitting on him should be ashamed. Alex has done more to convert people to veganism than most of the people piling on him. I guarantee most of the outspoken vegans were vegetarians for years before they understood. I went vegan overnight but many others took a while to adapt. Alex has stated that he has no changes in his beliefs on the ethics of eating animals and will still continue animal advocacy. And he is right, the toxic response to his statement does make it seem like veganism is a cult and will prevent others from even considering it if they feel like they'll be ridiculed and ostracized for failing. Everyone needs to do better.

I hope this reaches alex. I have and still appreciate his content and respect his opinions. I hope one day soon, if possible, he is able to sustain a healthy vegan diet. On a side note, I find it incredibly regrettable that the first to react to news like this always seem to be the most toxic among a cohort. Is there a name for this phenomena, and how have we not found a way to effectively deal with this issue that plagues the human condition?

I'm an N of one. I managed to get and recover from IBS and get it again. I'm currently working on recovery again. I would recommend careful supplementation based on careful study of symptoms of deficiency including conditionality/quasi essential nutrients. If that works it takes months to recover and years of maintenance with a slightly restricted slightly supplemented diet. Here are some nutrients of concern for me: C, cysteine, D3, A, and choline. I eat several times the RDA for many nutrients but if I don't also take supplemental vitamin C my gums bleed my skin bruises, my muscles are so weak I struggle to walk up the stairs, etc. Many medical experts are not qualified to make recommendations for those with IBS because its treatment protocols are not established nor are it's causes widely known. Many diagnosis procedures are misleading and lead to dangerous recommendations. There is no safe and reliable widely known treatment yet.

I used to suffer with issues like this prior to going vegan, then once I went vegan it got much better! This was way back, before all the processed junk stuff btw, so basically ate mostly whole foods. The mental part has followed me around though, it's the worst and has prevented me from many things in life. It's still in control over me in the sense that I want to go before I start the day, but I think this is kinda common. As for Alex, without going into the ethical side of it.. Most people have been eating a certain way for 20-30 years - and then they switch. The body is going to react. Ok, for some, like me going from vegetarian, I didn't notice anything, but for some it might be a bit of a struggle phase. But the body will adjust. In his case, having IBS, this transition phase probably was even worse. Fair enough. But he did not try to solve it - or he would have said "Guys, I contacted X and Y and I did everything I could..." Also, why didn't he bring up things like bivalves or something as a compromise? It's always back to the sentient animals.

@15:05 he talks about how failing to understand that veganism isn't always practical for people can result in harm, while completely neglecting the harm he funds when consuming animals or their secretions. Hypocrisy at its finest. Sorry your feelings got hurt Alex, I'm sure these animals willingly sacrifice themselves to make you feel better.

Adding animal food to your diet is a great move.

Awesome thoughtful response. But I think it would be great idea to add something like "dealing with IBS on a vegan diet"? would be helpful to other people, not just those who know this Cosmic Sceptic thing

As a vegan living in the uk who also had ibs from childhood, vegan oak is really hard and expensive when the only help you get from nhs is being told to do the Low Fodmap diet and possibly mebeverine. The irritable vegan is the person I’ve seen helping people do fodmap on a vegan diet but I also have nightshade and gluten intolerance. Been vegan for 7 years and I know how hard it is when you have full body fatigue from having ibs-d and having to cook from scratch on top of that is impossible. You can easily fall into eating fast food options and that can cascade the symptoms quickly. We’re living in a time when many peoples only shop option is their nearest 7-11 spar type place with ready meals and frozen school veggies, need to be kind to those suffering with poverty issues plus mental health and gut issues on top, saying oh just go do these expensive things not available on the nhs to someone in that situ will start to sound real ableist real quick.y diets shit, my long term healths shit, am I still vegan living on to much fat? Yes. Am I gonna keep going cos it feels like the right thing to do? Hell yeah. But I have to feel for those who have to go the cheaper option because they’re not in the position to be ‘gold standard vegans’ right now. The world sucks rn and we need people who wanna show up even when they financially or physically can’t.

He has the resources (and contacts) to reach out and get paid/professional help with properly eating, unlike so many people who are still Vegan with much less resources. We do need to be compassionate though.

A tip Dr. Greger has given multiple times for those needing to up their calories on vegan diet is to graze on nuts/seeds/dried fruits like a healthy trail mix would have throughout the day

Honestly good response video, using this as an optinity to talk about ibs and anxiety 👏

The worst part about CosmicSkeptic's video for me personally, was honestly 'That Vegan Teacher's' DM. I think she's done more damage to the movement, and in turn towards the suffering of animals, than most ex-vegans combined due to the virality & memes her content has garnered. So many people think of her when they hear the word vegan, feel contempt towards every vegan they encounter, and feel justified to never consider the ethics. She's probably far more well known among omnis than Ed / Joey / Mic. At the end of the day this just hurts animals. Damn shame.

I'm an omnivore trying to eat more plants with IBS-D similar to the X-vegan and I want to clarify and suggest a path forward. The main causes of IBS only recently have been discovered. Principally, food poisoning ultimately causes some nerves in the intestines to dampen an important part of digestion called the migratory motor complex. Look up vinculin and IBS for details). Scaring in the intestines is another cause which likely doesn't apply here. The cause I speculate apples here is a combination of a lack of nutrition and an excess of gut harming factors like ibuprofen, emulsifiers, etc. Once you get a nutrient deficiency the rules change because so many nutrients depend on other nutrients. For instance glutathione depends on conditionality essential amino acids only found in large amounts in meat, eggs, and whole soy beans. That molecule recycles some vitamins meaning if you ever get deficient your recovery will likely depend on months of careful nutritional supplementation in amounts that are sometimes dangerous. Eating meat and potatoes gets you most of the way to amonts of nutrients sufficient for recovery though. So quasi essential nutrients are one reason to include meat, but not the whole reason. We all know meat causes many health concerns like kidney stones, but for those with IBS many plant foods are not tolerated too and the consequences can be worse than eating meat. Yeast is high in purines so bread, crackers, nutritional yeast, beer, and most convenient food can be off limits for months or years of recovery. Fermentable carbs like FODMAPs and resistant starch often feeds pathogenic microorganisms in IBS sufferers uniquely because the intestines don't move well, so that means most whole vegan food, temporarily, is doing more harm than good. Justin Sonnenberg is a good resource on some of this phenomenon. There are also issues with histamines, and many other compounds that are not well understood by dieticians and physicians and never will be because of the huge variability in concentration, mediating chemicals in plants and us, etc.

Just wanted to say anecdotally that Huel completely changed my health! I’ve also had IBS and other chronic issues even before becoming vegan but since I started drinking Huel regularly it’s basically all gone. Not sure if its the probiotics, fiber, or just covering possible gaps in nutrition (maybe all three), but anyways I HIGHLY recommend for anyone having dietary related problems on a vegan diet. Especially if you have executive dysfunction like me and meal/nutrition planning is a chore you struggle with. (Also the banana flavor of Huel black is hands down my favorite!! Tastes like a fresh banana blended in milk, not a fake tasting banana flavor at all!)

Sometimes, like in my daughter's case, IBS symptoms are actually a sign of a genetic defect of the SI gene. A person with this cannot digest certain food components, sucrose, maltase and sometimes lactase. Thankfully there are tests now and treatment, which was not the case when she was young. There is another genetic disorder called Fabry's disease that also causes IBS symptoms, so you can't chalk everything up to diet or mental disorder. I hope he can get some testing done to figure it out.

I feel really sad for Alex and nobody deserves to be threatened for making there own choices. I truly wish Alex the best. Thanks mic for bringing this to light. All the best!☮️❤️😊

As someone who had IBS and was also vegan, I can tell you these things...I stopped treating IBS with veganism for these reasons: 1) not everything vegan is healthy .. healthy vegan means preparing everything from scratch.. aka wholemeal plant based 2) My IBS diet was already so restrictive that cutting out meat and dairy basically just left me with vegetables (and not all vegetables, no nightshades). 3) While vegan I never felt full, and with a neural condition due to 20 years of chronic pain not being full left me with insomnia & a feeling of constant anxiety. Also prob because of severe mineral deficiency due to 10 years of IBS. 4) My IBS is mostly healed now however I still eat some organic meat, organic eggs, & yoghurt so I can really build the nutrients I lost in my body throughout 10 years of IBS (where i could hardly eat, absorb or hold on to ANY food). 5) IBS does make you go to the bathroom a lot, even just my healthy sugar free vegan breakfast would make me go to the bathroom 3-5 times afterwards, so you can't hold on to food, but if its meat, there is a higher chance your body will hold it long enough to absorb some nutrients. 6) No, diarrhoea tablets are not a long term option if you want to actually heal your IBS, not mask the problem 7) NO supplements EVER replace the real deal aka the best absorption happens through natural juice and food. With IBS one cannot absorb supplements (or anything well), so you have to do what gives you the most chance of absorption, whatever that happens to be. Lastly I'd like to say to all those critics of this sick man.. do you expect him to sacrifice himself for the animals?? If yes, what you mean is you'd rather him live his days in pain and misery because it means no animals will be harmed, you'd rather him die young. Would you choose this in his situation? You can say all day long you love animals more than yourself or others, but never have to prove/apply it. While I respect animals, I believe humans are part of a natural cycle, and as long as animals are farmed organically and with respect for their well being and lives, it is ok to consume them in limited quantities. I see nothing wrong with organic free range eggs. To advocate for this man's death so a few animals can survive is just as insane as factory farming of animals. Stop being extreme. Would you die to save 0.000001% of the animals??

In the UK our food is becoming a lot more Americanised, which means processed. I can't eat bread in this country any more as it causes issues. I didn't want to believe in the whole "roundup" conspiracy but I went to Italy (where it's banned) and ate bread every day... And I was fine. Poor quality of vegetables in the UK is also an issue, our food is shipped in from all over the world now, and they're not sending their best stuff. Also, I do believe a lot of people with anxiety which doesn't shift are undiagnosed ADHDers or Autistics because our community is well known to have issues with digestion, sleep, and brain fog if our surroundings don't meet our needs. Stigma and discrimination causing stress does not help. I don't know the guy but CBT doesn't work for our community and it's what the NHS in the UK gives for anxiety, EMDR was a good suggestion though Mic!

I really appreciate the understanding tone and the focus on trying to find solutions here. Attacking someone for not overcoming challenges that we ourselves have no experience with will only drive away people from the vegan movement if they might have similar issues to Alex. And that just hurts more animals in the end, which is kind of the whole point. I think there are two things that are missing from these discussions. First, even for non-vegans IBS is very difficult to overcome. Most patients don't get significant relief in symptoms even with treatment and professional guidance. So everyone assuming he would get better if he just got professional help is a bit off the mark. Some people do but many don't. A lot more research is needed for this condition. He should seek professional guidance, and I wouldn't be surprised if he already has, but that isn't a guaranteed fix. Not only that but he would have to find medical professionals who would be supportive of him even trying to be vegan given his symptoms, that would probably narrow the options even further. Second, fiber is a common trigger for IBS symptoms. And if he is having trouble finding nutritious foods that don't worsen his symptoms on a vegan diet, then fiber is likely a trigger for him. Almost all nutritious vegan foods will have fiber in them. Of course, a high fiber diet is great for overall health in the long run for most people, but for many with IBS it is difficult to tolerate and can cause severe cramping and diarrhea. There's some cool microbiome research that may address this. He could try gradually supplementing with soluble fiber or using fermented foods that could help build a gut microbiome which makes fiber more tolerable for him. But there's still a long way to go until the medical field really has a good handle on this issue. Furthermore, as you mentioned the mental health issues make all of the above issues that much worse. He likely has multiple factors working against him here. In the end, it's important we talk about this in an understanding way because I'm sure he's not the only who has gone through these issues. The personal attacks don't help anyone including the animals, and if we actually address the issue we may be able to keep more people involved in the vegan movement and help others like him who are struggling with the vegan diet for similar reasons.

Anxiety is a killer. Can destroy many different physiological systems. Avoid it anyway you can.

You were a singer in a band? Is there video? We need to see it. You know, for the animals . . .

First of all, I would like to thank you Mic for not making this an Alex bashing video. One can not win people over to their cause by using hatred and bashing. I have followed Alex for a number of years and will continue to do so. Sure, I was disappointed that he quit veganism, but that would not make me dislike him. My sister is always trying to go vegan and she loves animals but she keeps slipping mainly because I think she has an eating disorder. Do I stop caring for her and loving her. Of course I don't. I can relate to Alex with the IBS. I have had stomach and intestinal issues all my life. Fortunately, cutting out animals products have at least improved my diarrhea portion of IBS. I still suffer a lot with bloating, gas and constipation. The stars have to be aligned for me to go to the bathroom. If I am extremely upset or having anxiety, it can even be difficult for me to urinate. At this point in my life, my eating habits are terrible. I am 61 and a nurse. I can't work 1st shift or I never go to the bathroom. The last 7 years i worked 2nd shift and I think my bowels were trained a bit better. I have recently gone to 3rd shift and am having difficulty again. There are a lot of days I only eat once a day, so I am sure my diet is not nutritional adequate. I can't stand to eat very much at a time because my stomach will hurt and I can't stand the feel of the stretch in my stomach. To make matters worse, I lost my taste and smell to Covid in 2020 and that has really hurt my appetite. I have no energy and my joints hurt all the time. Is it age or my diet who knows. I know I need to make changes but it is hard when you don't have the time or energy. I have been to the doctor and have been scoped, but really no concrete answers. Trust me, when you have major stomach issues, you can get desperate to try to fix them. I can almost get where he is coming from, but for me personally, I will live with all my problems before I would every start eating animal products again. I could never condemn Alex for his choices, because he still makes valid points. If even one person recognizes what we do to animals is wrong, then that is a win.

I feel like he was saying he wouldn’t eat anything regardless all day and then he’d wanna eat vegan food and it was harder to find… but when he said he couldn’t find it in France, I feel like he didn’t even look. I get the FODMAP stuff but he didn’t even mention that.

Misanthropic vegans were extremely unhelpful when I was going through my own gastrointestinal issues and health crisis. Mine required several surgeries and a ton of antibiotics. I had to do certain things to heal like a few years of fermented foods and gradually adding in fiber. Only THEN could I go back to a WFPB diet. I have a lot of empathy for this guy because there are a lot of things that lead to digestive problems, and they are complicated. I wish him the very best.

I'm sure his health issues are valid. But I don't see that as justification for death. And as someone with Celiac Disease, leading to severe digestion issues and malabsorption, I can speak to that. I resonate with a lot of what he said, but I've still not killed to get around it. I also have anxiety and ASD, so I get that, too. And it can really mess with your digestion! But...still not eating animals or their secretions.

Alex always strikes me as a very decent guy, yes I can see why people may be disappointed, however he's a kind, considerate, thoughtful human, please don't hate on him.

I told Cosmic in the comments: get that check where you drop down to just a few foods and sub in and out others, noting which ones are poop triggers. This is basic stuff.

Those were some bad comments. I never heard of him before and I'd like to go back to not hearing about whoever he is.

most likely he started eating meat and felt much better.

@5 As someone who suffers from IBS, I did not hear Alex say he had fecal incontinence. What's typical is severe bowel spasms that are reduced by deficating. As long as you're able to keep your sphincter clenched, there is no incontinence. One would need to be near a bathroom because this feels excruciating and can lead to sepsis like symptoms like sweating, weakness and tremors if one does not deficate.

Gas can be an issue. Probiotics and enzymes provided by fermented foods help a lot! Kimichi, saurkraut, miso, etc. There are loads of delicious, enzyme rich fermented foods.

12:35 Alex rather eats animals than going to therapy 😔

I have IBS and methane dominant SIBO diagnosed. I lasted 21 years as a vegan. After a few thousand dollars of treatment and appointments with a naturopath and several gastrointestinal docs, the excessive flatulence and pain and constipation remain. The only way I can have a day without all that is when I avoid beans, fruit, seitan, any cruciferous vegetables and onion and garlic. I eat whole plant based on days I am not around people. It sucks because I love animals and vegan food. It's just not workable for some of us out here.

Seems that, what CS is actually saying, is that a plants-only diet turned out to be more of a challenge than expected while encountering a very low appetite issue. Taste-wise, he felt he needed to return to more familiar ground, to get the calories he needed. Mic pointed-out there's plenty of high-calorie plants; but calories, per se, wasn't the issue for CS. It was an appetite issue. That's why I'm not vegan, and I'm hardly alone.

He should’ve remained private and taken more time to reflect upon the consequences of his potential actions. In general though, for someone so academic I’m sure he could have learned to treat his condition with a plant based diet.

I really appreciated how fair and helpful this response was.

Mic, 'ethical vegan' is a redundancy. There can only be ethical vegans. Veganism is an ethical philosophy. It is not a diet. Secondly, he was never vegan because veganism is a deontological framework. He's a utilitarian. He was never opposed to animal use. Never was a vegan.

Thank you for being kind. I really appreciate that. Vegans being unkind only pushes people away.

It sounds like he has arfid. I also struggle from that. Fear around eating due to pain or sensory issues make eating enough difficult and hard to eat enough.

Would be interesting if Alex is vegan in all other ways...no animal clothing/accessories, no support of horse racing or zoos etc etc

Had a vegan in Hawaii that kept feeding her child a vegan diet regardless of health issues. Kid died . She is in prison.

Watching his video brought back a lot of bad memories for me. I struggled with anxiety and panic disorder in my late teens and my college years, and was on and off escitalopram (an SSRI) during it all. Whenever I came off of it, I'd very quickly lose my tolerance for any kind of stress, and this would culminate in a series of severe panic attacks. Concomitant with this was always anxieties similar to Alex's, i.e. being consumed by fears about toilet access, and these anxieties would always in turn disturb my bowels and bladder too, both of which I was already hyper aware of. The solution for me ended up being just staying on 10mg of escitalopram, a.k.a. lexapro, which really just dealt with the issue completely. I'd like to not have to take it, and I am open to other solutions, but for the time being, it's working.