Hung Chien-teh, director of the Metabolism Department of Yangming Hospital, a branch of Taipei City's 10-hospital healthcare system, told a press conference that the results of various studies have led to the finding that vegetarianism does not necessarily help reduce uric acid and cholesterol levels.
Hung pointed out that among his patients with high uric acid or cholesterol levels are many venerable monks who have been vegetarian for decades, some of whom are troubled by gout and heart disease.