"Are There People Who Can't Go Vegan?"

This article is part of my FAQs series.

For well over a decade, I have been answering anonymously submitted questions on my Tumblr blog. Over that time, I have noticed many recurring themes, concerns, and misunderstandings.

This series brings together concise, practical responses to the questions I am asked most often, based on real conversations with people at every stage of thinking about veganism.

If you’d like to see more entries in this series, you can find them here.

The Short Answer

Yes – depending on what we mean by “vegan.”

If veganism is understood in the sense used by the The Vegan Society, “as far as is possible and practicable”, then anyone can adopt a vegan ethic by reducing animal exploitation within their circumstances.

If, however, veganism is understood to require a fully plant-based diet and complete avoidance of animal-derived products, then it is true that some people face serious practical, medical, psychological, or environmental barriers that make this difficult or, at certain times in life, unrealistic.

The Detail

What Do We Mean by “Vegan”?

The definition we are using matters.

The Vegan Society defines veganism as a way of living that seeks to exclude animal exploitation “as far as is possible and practicable.” That phrase is important. It recognises that people operate under different constraints – medical, financial, social, or geographical.

Under this ethical definition, veganism is not about perfection. It is about intentional effort within our real-world limits.

In everyday speech, however, “vegan” is often used to mean completely free of animal products, especially in diet. That stricter usage turns veganism into an outcome (one hundred percent plant-based), rather than an ongoing ethical commitment.

Whether “some people can’t go vegan” depends largely on which of those understandings of veganism we ascribe to. Most vegans think of veganism in the way that The Vegan Society define it.

Eating Disorders and Mental Health

For some individuals, particularly those recovering from eating disorders, additional dietary restrictions of any kind can be destabilising.

Research in clinical psychology shows that rigid food rules and hyper-focus on ingredients may trigger relapse in certain people, especially during early recovery. For others, a plant-based framework may feel positive and values-aligned. The effect is not uniform.

In cases where a dietary shift risks worsening mental health, prioritising recovery is completely reasonable and recommended. Ethical commitments can be revisited once stability is established. The “possible and practicable” principle applies here.

Sensory, Neurological, or Food Restrictions

Some people, including certain autistic individuals or those with severe food aversions, rely on a very limited range of foods. While many plant foods are low in common allergens and available in diverse textures, this does not eliminate all barriers.

Similarly, people with complex gastrointestinal conditions or multiple food intolerances may find dietary transitions unusually challenging.

These cases are not the norm, but they are very real. Pressuring further restriction in already constrained diets can be counterproductive or unsafe. Support, gradual change, and professional guidance are more constructive approaches.

Medication and Medical Treatment

Most prescription medications are tested on animals due to regulatory requirements, and some also contain animal-derived ingredients.

Within mainstream vegan ethics, necessary medical treatment is generally considered compatible with veganism because it is not optional. Refusing essential medication would not reduce animal testing; it would only harm the patient.

Organisations including The Vegan Society explicitly state that unavoidable medical use does not invalidate your vegan commitment. As a vegan, you should absolutely be taking your medication – regardless of how it was tested or what the ingredients are.

Physical Health Conditions

It is sometimes claimed that certain diseases make veganism impossible. In practice, few conditions require the consumption of animal products as such.

Major dietetic bodies, including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the British Dietetic Association, state that appropriately planned vegan diets can be nutritionally adequate for all stages of life.

That does not mean every individual transition is simple. Anaemia, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, or metabolic conditions may require careful planning and professional supervision. A general practitioner may have limited nutrition training, while registered dietitians typically receive more specialised education in this area.

So the question is often not “Is it biologically possible?” but “is it currently manageable for this individual?” Those questions may have very different answers.

Dependence and Living Situations

Children, teenagers, or financially dependent adults may not control food purchasing in their household. If carers or providers are unsupportive, a fully plant-based diet may not be feasible.

Similarly, in some rural regions, food deserts, or subsistence hunting communities, plant-based options may be scarce or unaffordable. Ethical evaluation must always consider context. Food security and survival needs take priority.

In such situations, partial reduction where possible is often the most realistic approach.

The Risk of “All or Nothing” Thinking

A common misunderstanding is that if someone cannot meet a a 100% purity standard immediately, there is no point trying.

A serious discussion of veganism should be able to hold two ideas at once: That reducing animal exploitation is ethically important, and that people’s constraints are not identical.

The ethical definition of veganism does not require flawlessness, it just asks for sincere effort within practical limits. Many people move gradually, reducing animal products first, then expanding change as circumstances allow.

Recognising barriers does not weaken the ethical case for reducing animal exploitation. It prevents it from becoming detached from real human constraints. For ethics to mean anything, they have to be practical.

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“Are There People Who Can’t Go Vegan?”