Natural
Vitamins vs. Synthetic
Natural Vitamins vs. Synthetic
By: Dr. George Obikoya
A significant number of the vitamins you will find
on the pharmacy shelves these days are made synthetically through
chemical processes, rather than derived directly from plants or
other materials, although some manufacturers still produce natural
vitamins. In fact, manufacturers of natural vitamins and some of
their adherents claim they are superior to synthetic vitamins. Is
there any substance in these claims?
It is rather difficult to make the distinction between "synthetic"
and "natural" vitamins. Some define a natural vitamin
as a concentrated nutrient derived from a quality natural source.
The idea is maximum retention of the natural material; no artificial
colors, sweeteners, or preservatives should be used.
A natural source contains co-factors that come with the nutrient
in nature. For instance, some co-factors that are usually found
with Vitamin C are various bioflavonoids. It is concentrated from
its natural source as carefully as possible. No extreme heat, pressure,
or possibly toxic solvents are used. There are no sugar or chemical
tablet coatings. The nutrients are prepared from high quality raw
ingredients. No artificial chemicals are added. Harsh binders and
fillers do not hinder absorption.
Synthetic vitamins are made in a laboratory setting from coal tar
derivatives. No co-factors are present. Most of the food supplements
sold on the market today are synthetic and often cheaper to produce
than natural vitamins.
Any additional way to compare natural and synthetic vitamins is
to consider the differences in their molecular structures. Is the
molecular structure of natural vitamins altered by the synthetic
process?
Natural health authorities claim that synthetic vitamins are useless
and ineffective. Orthodox doctors and even some nutritionists claim
that synthetic vitamins have a molecular chemical structure identical
to the natural vitamin and that they are just as effective. Who
is right and who is wrong?
It is reasonable to expect the two to function similarly and be
bio-available in identical amounts to your body if there is no such
alteration. Furthermore, the same natural vitamin derived from different
natural sources or raw materials will be the same so long as no
other substances unique to that particular source are included.
±8G+ With Vitamin E, for example, the d- form of vitamin E derived
from vegetable oils and other natural sources is different from
the dl- form (which is often called the synthetic form). The dl-
tocopherols are actually a mixture: the d-form and the l-form (usually
a 1:1 mixture).
The human body uses only the d- form. The l- form, when present,
does not confer any known health benefit and is normally excreted
by the body. So, in essence, when consuming the dl- form of vitamin
E, you obtain an effective dose of about half the vitamin E dosage
reported on the label.
Vitamin C that is found and isolated from oranges is identical to
the vitamin C derived from other plant sources, largely because
plants containing vitamin C biosynthesize the substance in the same
manner. However, when Vitamin C was first isolated and produced
in a supplement form, we did not know about bioflavonoids. They
were discovered later. It was found that in nature, bioflavonoids
always accompany Vitamin C. In fact, the bioflavonoids are essential
for better absorption. They increase bioavailability by 30%. This
suggests you should take the natural form of vitamin C.
The counter-argument would be: As with all foods and nutrients,
Vitamin C is a chemical. It is also known as ascorbic acid. You
can take a bite of an orange and obtain ascorbic acid, or you can
produce ascorbic acid from corn in a laboratory. The molecules are
identical and perform the exact same function in the human body.
Supplements, as the word clearly states, are meant to supplement
a highly varied diet of whole, unprocessed foods. You can get the
bioflavinoids from citrus fruits but you may not know exactly how
much vitamin C you are getting and how much citrus you will need
to take per day to get enough of both whereas you will with synthetic
vitamins. The best way to get all the vitamins you need is in a
high-quality liquid multivitamin.
Laboratory-produced compounds provide the biochemist with numerous
advantages. One example is dose consistency. In nature, one orange
may contain 50 mg of vitamin C and another may contain only 10 mg.
It depends on where it was grown, when it was harvested and under
what conditions it was transported and stored. Conversely, nutritional
supplement companies must guarantee that their products deliver
precisely what is on the label.
Purity is another advantage. Laboratory-produced nutrients are “USP
grade,” meaning that they come from licensed production laboratories
and meet the rigid standards of the United States Pharmacopeia.
It is ironic to note that some of the most highly contaminated products
in health food history were ones which made the most fanfare of
the “all natural” issue, and did not utilize USP ingredients.
Furthermore most synthetically made vitamins and many other nutrients
are either identical to their natural counterparts or easily convert
to the natural form in the human body. Also, most synthetic vitamins
and nutrients are both cheaper and purer, with less potential for
contamination.
Quality in vitamins and nutrients is extremely hard to quantify.
The list of ingredients and their amounts is the most important
aspect when making your choice. If that list is approximately equivalent,
then price should be your guide, unless you are given some clear
and objective reason why you should buy the natural form. Vitamin
supplements are most effective in liquid form because liquids absorb
5 times better than pills.
A good multivitamin is the foundation of health
and nutrition. Take a look at our scientific reviews of many of
the popular brands for factors such as ingredients, areas of improvement,
quality level, and overall value. If you are looking for a high
quality liquid multivitamin, we suggest that you take a look at
the Multivitamin
Product Comparisons.
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