Absorption And Variety Of Vitamins
Evidence suggests that the body more easily absorbs some vitamins in their natural form. It is theorized that this is partly due to the variety of nutrients and enzymes in food.
In addition, some enzymes and nutrients assist with the absorption of other vitamins. For example, one older study affiliated with the Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences determined that organic vitamin E has twice the availability of its synthetic counterpart. This means that the body much more easily absorbs organic vitamin E than it does synthetic vitamin E.
With this in mind, it seems that some synthetic vitamins, like vitamin E, cannot easily replace organic and naturally occurring vitamins. However, according to Rachel Baker, registered dietitian and Manager of Scientific Content and Communications at GNC, it is possible for some synthetic vitamins to be easier to absorb than their naturally occurring counterparts.
Baker also notes that absorption rate may depend on the presence of other nutrients within the body.
The Vitamin Alone Is Not The Answer
Proper balance and adequate levels of essential nutrients is important for a range of complex processes in our body. When vitamins are taken as supplements, they are introduced into the body at levels that could never be achieved by eating even the healthiest of diets.
Supplementation can also result in large doses of a single vitamin being eaten alone. When vitamins are consumed from foods, they have many companions to help them along the way. For instance, provitamin A in food is accompanied by hundreds of its carotenoid relatives.
Simply taking a vitamin pill is not an instant fix for feeling run down or lacking in energy. It is the combination of a whole range of compounds in foods that gives us the protection . When you artificially remove one of them and provide it completely out of context, it may not be as effective and, in the case of some vitamins, can have negative effects.
Second Its Extremely Challenging To Completely Avoid Processing
So much of our food – even many health foods – are processed into oblivion these days in order to increase shelf life and enhance flavor. Continuing to be diligent when reading nutrition labels is a must, and as always, the fewer, simpler ingredients, the better. However, even trusted manufacturers sometimes get a pass from the FDA due to misleading practices in denoting ingredients, so you can assume many of your favorite foods contain chemicals and compounds on which you are not able to fully educate yourself.
Since food is often either contaminated with hormone disruptors like pesticides or is no longer as nutritionally dense due to common-practice processing, we must fill in the gaps. This is especially important while trying to conceive, pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Read Also: Which Vitamin C Serum Is Best
Synthetic Vs Natural Vitamins
Youve likely seen supplements on the market that advertise themselves as natural or organic multivitamins. But ultimately, when it comes to bioavailability, the best form will differ depending on the nutrient.
When it comes to bioavailability, the best form will vary depending on the nutrient.
Some nutrients are better off naturally sourced or synthesized via fermentation, and some are best in their synthetic forms. There are many variables involved in sourcing nutrients, and there doesnt seem to be a clearly accepted answer. However, when it comes to certain nutrients, such as vitamins, amino acids, and certain derivatives, synthetic may be better, and here is why.
As we spoke about earlier, bioavailability is important for the absorption and utilization of a nutrient. Supplements from natural sources can be less superior because they are less bioavailable. Sometimes the nutrients are not present in the form that is useable by the body until its converted.
For example, the form of vitamin A that is useable by the body is retinyl palmitate. Your body can take beta carotene and convert it into retinyl palmitate through an enzyme called BC01.
Many people have dysfunctional BC01 enzymes due to genetic variations in the BC01 gene. This can lead to vitamin A deficiency, even if you are consuming beta carotene.
Many companies advertise their vitamins as organic, naturally sourced. But if you look at their labels, youll often see lower amounts of the nutrient than desirable.
What’s The Buzz About
Organic agriculture aims to preserve natural resources, support animal health and welfare, and avoid most synthetic materials. It’s not just a philosophy the USDA regulates the organic industry with strict standards. The soil where crops are grown must be inspected and shown to be free of most synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, and the crops cannot have been genetically modified. Animals raised on organic farms receive no antibiotics or growth hormones, are given feed that has been grown organically, and are able to roam around outside. Processed organic foods must not contain synthetic additives.
The USDA then certifies organic crops, animal products, and processed foods. Only foods that are 95% organic can carry a “USDA Organic” seal.
Don’t Miss: What Does Vitamin C Do To The Face
Experience The Difference Organic Vitamins And Minerals Make
The process of making our organic vitamins may take months of intensive labor, but it will take your body no time at all to feel the positive effects of our efforts. Our customers from around the world tell us again and again about the health benefits they notice after taking our organic vitamins. No more crossing your fingers and hoping that your daily vitamin and mineral supplements are helping in some way. With our natural supplements, you can feel the difference.
Our organic vitamins are designed to work with your bodys natural ability to support your health and well-being, while creating a discernible change in the way you feel day to day. When your cells arent fed all the nutrients they crave, they cry out for more, making you feel uncomfortable and unwell. But when you supply them with the organic vitamins and minerals that they need, your body hums with health and vitality.
Thats what an authentic, whole-food organic vitamin and mineral should do for you. Dont settle for anything less your body knows the difference and deserves the very best.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Synthetic Vs Natural Vitamins: Which Is Better
Do you pay attention to the forms of nutrients in your supplements?
There is very little education for consumers in the dietary supplement industry when it comes to synthetic versus natural vitamins.
Synthetic vitamin supplements are common, probably more than you think. If you are someone who prefers a whole food vitamin, this blog is for you. We will discuss things that your healthcare professional may not even know!
There are specific reasons why some Seeking Health supplements are not whole food sourced. Synthetic vitamins are strategic and offer you higher quality, more targeted support than you can get from food. If youre seeking therapeutic properties from your dietary supplements, you should be looking for supplements that are:
- Bioavailable
- In an optimal delivery method/form
Don’t Miss: Does The Vitamin Shoppe Accept Ebt
Is Organic Food Safer
“If you’re talking about pesticides, the evidence is pretty conclusive. Your chances of getting pesticide residues are much less with organic food,” says John Reganold, professor of soil science at Washington State University in Pullman, Wash.
Reganold points to a large-scale study done by the Consumers Union. Researchers looked at data from more than 94,000 food samples and 20 different crops. They found that organically grown crops consistently had about one-third as many pesticide residues as the conventionally grown versions. Organic foods also were far less likely to contain residues of more than one pesticide.
Even so, the amount of man-made pesticide residues found in conventional foods is still well below the level that the Environmental Protection Agency has deemed unsafe. The real issue is whether these small doses, over years and decades, might add up to an increased health risk down the line.
“Is it going to make a difference? I don’t know,” says Reganold. “But it’s something to think about, and we’re the guinea pigs.”
Man-made pesticides aren’t the only threats to food safety. There is also the question of natural toxins produced by the plants themselves. In this arena, conventional foods may actually have the advantage.
Because organic production steers clear of synthetic insecticides and herbicides, organic crops usually contend with more pests and weeds than conventional crops. This means the organic plants may produce more natural toxins.
Synthetic Vitamins Eventually Become Toxic
Fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamins A, D, E, and K, need fatty acids to be absorbed properly by the body. When taken through natural food sources, the body can adequately metabolize them, with any excess excreted accordingly.
Meanwhile, synthetic forms of these vitamins are made in high concentrations.
Since theyre isolated and contains no fatty lipids for proper processing by the body, they are stored in the liver.
Over time, these excess vitamins build up in the liver and eventually become toxic to the body.
You need to eat food containing minerals, nutrients, and enzymes to help metabolize synthetic vitamins.
Don’t Miss: What Vitamins Are Good For Joint Support
Making The Switch To Organic Food
Where would you start if you wanted to go organic? “Produce,” says registered dietitian Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Try buying organic versions of foods on the Dirty Dozen list, published each year by the Environmental Working Group . The list shows USDA findings of conventionally grown foods most likely to contain pesticide residues. This year’s list includes apples, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, nectarines, peaches, potatoes, snap peas, spinach, strawberries, and sweet bell peppers.
Produce items with thicker skins tend to have fewer pesticide residues, because the thick skin or peel protects the inner fruit or vegetable. Remove the skin or peel, and you’re removing much of the residue. The EWG puts out a list of those foods, too, called the Clean 15. On the list this year: asparagus, avocados, cabbage, cantaloupe, cauliflower, eggplant, grapefruit, kiwi, mangoes, onions, papayas, pineapples, sweet corn, sweet peas, and sweet potatoes.
Why Organic Matters To Us
At Global Healing, our passion for purity is woven into every fiber of our work. Your health matters to us. We recognize that organic dietary supplements may be more expensive than synthetic options. Nevertheless, the benefits of going organic are immeasurable. This is true whether youre purchasing a standalone vitamin or mineral supplement, an herbal extract, or capsules containing various ingredients.
Our mission at Global Healing is to provide products that revolutionize your journey to better health. We provide the purest supplements on the market to do just that.
Don’t Miss: What Vitamins Boost Female Fertility
Best Vitamin Brands: A Dietitians Picks
We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Heres our process.
While its no secret that certain supplements can help improve your health, not all vitamins and minerals are created equal.
In fact, some brands are pumped full of fillers, additives, and unhealthy ingredients that can do more harm than good when it comes to your health.
Its important to choose a reputable brand that has undergone third-party testing and is sourced from quality ingredients. Doing so can ensure that youre getting a supplement thats pure and potent and that your body can use efficiently.
Here are the 13 best vitamin brands to help meet your nutritional needs.
We chose the following vitamins based on safety, nutritional value, user ratings, dietitian recommendation, and pricing.
What Are Synthetic And Natural Nutrients
Heres the difference between natural and synthetic nutrients:
- Natural nutrients: These are obtained from whole food sources in the diet.
- Synthetic nutrients: Also referred to as isolated nutrients, these are usually made artificially, in an industrial process.
The majority of supplements available on the market today are made artificially. These include vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and amino acids, among others.
They can be taken in pill, capsule, tablet, powder or liquid form, and are made to mimic the way natural nutrients act in our bodies.
To figure out if your supplement is synthetic or natural, check the label. Natural supplements usually list food sources or are labeled as 100% plant or animal-based.
Supplements that list nutrients individually, such as vitamin C, or use chemical names like ascorbic acid, are almost certainly synthetic.
Bottom Line:
Synthetic nutrients are dietary supplements made artificially in a laboratory setting or industrial process. Natural nutrients are those found in whole foods.
You May Like: What To Use With Vitamin C Serum
What Is The Difference Between Synthetic Supplements And Whole Food Based Supplements
Technically, on a molecular level, synthetic nutrients are considered to be almost chemically identical to those found in food. And while there is no contest between real food and synthetic supplements when it comes to getting our nutrients, following the same logic when comparing whole food supplements to their synthetic counterparts isnt always a sure thing. Form and bioavailability play a part in the equation of efficiency from nutrient to nutrient. Sometimes whole food-based supplements can be the most effective option, but there are many instances where it can actually be the least .
Synthetic Minerals Cant Be Excreted Right Away
The body excretes excess natural vitamins, while synthetic vitamins get stored in the liver as substances that can be toxic to the body.
The body utilizes only what it needs from organic vitamins. Excess vitamins are processed and discarded, but thats not the case with synthetic supplements.
Synthetic vitamins contain a high concentration of the chemical that mimic natural vitamins. You basically get a higher dosage of these vitamins than those obtained from fruits and vegetables as well as organic food sources.
They get stored in the body until they can be processed with the right nutrients.
This can be dangerous to the body because a buildup of chemicals the body cant excrete can eventually cause diseases.
Don’t Miss: How Much Vitamin C Can You Take Daily
Synthetic Vs Natural Nutrients: Does It Matter
Many people dont get enough nutrients from the diet alone (
However, there has been much debate over whether synthetic nutrients provide the same benefits as natural nutrients.
Some sources even suggest that synthetic nutrients may be dangerous.
This article takes an objective look at the science on synthetic and natural nutrients.
The Problem With Synthetic Vitamins
You know you need a steady supply of vitamins and minerals so your body can function properly.
Their solution is to create cheap vitamins in labs, fortify your foods and beverages with them, and dump them into multivitamins.
The problem is these synthetic vitamins are not what your body is looking for either.
Almost all multivitamins are from synthetics. The same goes for fortified foods.
Theres a good reason for this. Synthetic vitamins are cheaper to make and usually more stable.
This means they can last on shelves for months or years, be added to foods in high doses, and create small dense tablets packed with insane amounts of every type of vitamin.
These vitamins are allowed to call themselves natural even when they are synthetic because scientists say the synthetics are virtually identical to the ones found in food.
However, the way these compounds are made is not remotely similar to the metabolic processes that plants and animals use to create them.
Avoid dietary supplements that use words ending in -acid, -ide, and sometimes -ate or use the dl before the name.
Synthetic vitamins are isolated or simulated nutrients that do not take into account all the countless phytonutrients that come along with them.
These synthetic vitamins, according to a multitude of studies, are:
- NOT as bioavailable as whole food vitamins
- NOT absorbable or usable
- NOT what we find in natural foods
- NOT recognizable to the body
Read Also: Is Vitamin D Good For Joint Pain
What Is A Naturally Derived Vitamin
A naturally derived vitamins journey is a lot more straightforward. In the case of vitamin D, for example, the naturally sourced version is simply obtained from picking mushrooms! And the same goes for pretty much all naturally derived vitamins. Plants are harvested and then freeze-dried to keep them as close to their fresh and natural form as possible and to preserve their nutritional content.
And given that the body readily recognises the chemical structure of the naturally sourced vitamin, it is all the better absorbed by your body.
Vitamins Are Necessary For Health Because Of The Current Food Production Processes
Our soil is stripped of its nutritional value by mainstream farming methods. Fields are depleted by overuse, and repeat planting in the exact area causes the soil not to renew itself.
Soil matters. Every 100 years, only one inch of nutrient-rich topsoil is produced.
The current farming trends are causing the soil to be depleted at a rate of 10 times the amount it can replenish itself.
Thats why organic, sustainable farming methods matter. Conventional farming techniques try to compensate by adding pesticides and fertilizers but end up harming produce.
Pesticides limit the action of beneficial microbes in the soil that help plants draw in nutrients. Fertilizers focus on certain key chemicals and dont take into account all the trace minerals, organic components, or beneficial microbes that go into good nutrition.
And genetically modified foods have made their way into our food supply when we dont know how they may affect us in the long term.
On top of these problems, we refine and process our food, so it lasts longer, is more convenient, tastes better, and is even made to be more addictive. We strip out and destroy vital nutrients as we process them.
Much of the food you find in grocery stores, outside the produce section, barely even resembles what humanity has been eating for thousands of years. Theres no wonder we are seeing auto-immune disorders, food allergies, and a growing epidemic of obesity.
Don’t Miss: Is Nature Made Vitamins Made In The Usa
