Vitamin Supplementation: Synthetic Alternatives vs. Organic Nutrients

Vitamin Supplementation forms the basic cornerstone of a healthy body. It affects many bodily functions such as cognitive development, homeostasis, immunity, and metabolism.

Most often we encounter terms such as vitamin deficiency, vitamin hyperdoses, and nutrient supplementation on a daily basis. Although we commonly see such things being flashed on our television screens, given radio airtime, and even on print ads.

There is very little information given regarding the products themselves that it has become common knowledge for people to think vitamins bought from a drug store are healthy.

This is however farther from the truth and is, in fact, a form of dangerous fallacy which still resurfaces time and time again often with consequential and very alarming results such as vitamin overdose.

What is Vitamin Supplementation?

Nutrient Vitamin supplementation refers to the process wherein the body receives and makes use of the vitamins being taken. Vitamins, in general, are an organic substance which is usually gained through plant and animal sources. Although a large chunk of the major vitamins can be found abundantly in plant sources.

It is for this reason that vegetables and fruits should form the basis of a balanced diet. Vitamins can still be gained through animal sources and only differs significantly in the process and the mechanism it is metabolized by the body.

Organic Vitamins?

Just as stated earlier, vitamins are obtained both from plants and animal sources and some vitamins such as vitamin D can be made through our skin. It is, for this reason, it is advisable for people to get at least get 20 minutes of direct exposure to sunlight a day.

Almost all mammals except higher level primates which include humans are the only few species which cannot produce vitamin C. This is because we lack the enzyme necessary to convert

Synthetic Vitamins?

Synthetic vitamins mimic the natural reaction of the body when given such nutrients and therefore sometimes cause problems to the one taking them. Allergies in the form of skin lesions or stomach upsets tend to be common when taking synthetic vitamins. It is also not unheard of with certain people to develop health problems if the intake is not managed or maintained properly.

Control and Management

Vitamins obtained through natural food sources are pretty much safe and easily manageable. It is usually the ones which are contained in so-called health foods, food supplements, and vitamins which you need to be worried about. In large doses, they have been known to cause fatal reactions to major organs which normally would be able to dispose of the substances or produce enzymes to inhibit the absorption to healthy cells.

Synthetic vitamins which are produced by pharmaceutical companies and heavily marketed by the industry are usually shrouded in the shadows. In normal cases, if they are known to have such harmful effects on the body, they should only be dispensed only with a prescription.

Vitamin Prescription It is however impossible to limit the sale and distribution to vitamin supplements, health foods, and food supplements with a prescription since they aren’t classified as drugs. Hence you’ll usually see the phrase “No Therapeutic Claims” on the label or the containers they come with. This usually puts consumers on a bind both legally an socially.

One, they can’t simply sue the company or doctor for damages as generally such supplements do not carry the weight in court as medical drugs do. Sufficiently “No Therapeutic Claims” can be both interpreted as a no assurance to cure or no assurance to cause harm.

Second, overdose from such substances still carries a legal and personal responsibility of the person who ingests the substances thus rendering any social and legal responsibility from the companies or parties involved.

Get Examined

One way to avoid becoming a victim of overdose is to know how your body reacts to such chemicals. The only way to know about that is to get yourself tested.

If you think you have problems related to nutrient imbalance and require vitamin supplementation as a way to preserve your health. Then seek professional advice from your healthcare professional.

6104068209_d134b246f5_b-min It is never a good idea to second guess such problems or to settle with self-medication as an alternative. It is best to always seek medical help whenever necessary. Although getting a full physical just to know if you are safe to consume such products is a step too much. Then consider the long-term and short-term consequences.

The problem might not present itself early one but who says it can’t manifest itself at a later time. The only surefire way to know you have a problem is simply to seek out and find out if you do.

So get yourself tested, ask a professional, and do research. Healthcare is expensive but taking the cheaper route and gambling it on advertising will do you no good.

Food and Alternative Sources

Vitamin A

download Vitamin A shows up in food as beta-carotene. The body must convert it into vitamin A to be useful which sounds less effective, however, vitamin A can become a toxin in large doses. Beta-carotene is a nutrient which allows the body to convert what it needs and discard what it does not need as a natural safeguard against cellular and tissue damage.

Food Sources:

The highest concentration of vitamin A can be found in sweet potatoes; One medium-sized baked sweet potato contains more than 28,000 international units (IU) of vitamin A which is about 561% of your recommended daily value (DV). Beef liver, spinach, fish, milk, eggs, and carrots also are good sources of vitamin A.

Synthetic Sources:

Synthetic vitamin A is known to us as retinyl palmitate or retinyl acetate. This synthetic substance is made from combining fish or palm oil with beta-ionone. The chemical compound beta-ionone is created using citrus, acetone, and calcium oxide.

Vitamin B

The B vitamin family is made up of eight different vitamins. They are commonly recognized as a group and often work together in the body. Each of the individual B vitamins performs unique and important functions in the body.

Food Sources:

Vitamin B food sources are abundant in both animal and plant products in varying amount. It is found in poultry products such as eggs and chicken meat, dairy products such as butter and cheese, and fish products particularly fatty fishes such as tuna. It is also found in plant products from soy and wheat.

Synthetic Sources:

B1 (Thiamine) – Thiamine mononitrate or thiamine hydrochloride is made using coal tar, ammonia, acetone, and hydrochloric acid. The synthetic version is much less absorbable since it isn’t bound to phosphate. It forms a crystalline in a structure which is unlike plant-based counterparts.
B2 (Riboflavin) – Synthetic riboflavin is made with acetic acid and nitrogen or through the use of genetically modified bacteria and fermentation. It has been shown to be less absorbable and then quickly removed from the bloodstream and expelled from the body in urine.
B3 (Niacin) – Nicotinic acid is created using coal tar, ammonia, acids, 3-cyanopyridine, and formaldehyde. It is less absorbable and has a higher risk of developing side effects.
B5 (Pantothenic Acid) – Pantothenic acid involves using isobutyraldehyde and formaldehyde to form a calcium or sodium salt. The alcohol derivative, panthenol, is sometimes used since it is more stable and has a longer shelf life.
B6 – Pyridoxine hydrochloride is derived from petroleum ester, hydrochloric acid, and formaldehyde. It isn’t readily absorbed or converted in the body and has been shown to inhibit the action of natural B6 in the body. It can also cause side effects which are not normally found from natural food sources.
B7 (Biotin) – Synthetic B7 is produced using fumaric acid.
B9 (Folate) – Folic acid doesn’t actually exist in natural foods, is crystalline, and is not easily absorbed by the body despite the large quantities which are added to vitamins and supplements. It comes from petroleum derivatives, acids, and acetylene.
B12 (Cobalamine) – Cobalt and cyanide are fermented to make cyanocobalamin known colloquially as vitamin B12.

Vitamin C

fruits-vitamins-orange-healthy-53525 This nutrient is used for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of the body. It helps the body produce collagen, which is an important protein found in skin, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels. Vitamin C is also needed for healing wounds, repairing, and maintaining the bones and teeth.

Food Sources:

Most people think vitamin C is abundantly found in citruses such as oranges and grapefruits when they think of the nutrient. However, it is actually sweet red peppers which contains more of the vitamin than any other food source. At about 95 mg per serving which is ahead of oranges which is at 93 mg per serving. Aside from citrus and sweet red peppers, other sources include kiwi fruit, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cantaloupe.

Synthetic Sources:

Ascorbic acid is an isolated vitamin from genetically modified corn sugar that is hydrogenated and processed with acetone. It does not include the flavonoids and phytonutrients that make it work. In other words, it is like getting the egg without the shell.

Vitamin D

veggies The body needs vitamin D to properly absorb calcium and promote bone growth. Too little of the nutrient results in soft bones in children a condition known as rickets which makes the bone fragile and misshapen. It is also needed for other important body functions such as digestion and enzyme production.

Food Sources:

Vitamin D is abundantly found in fatty fishes which includes swordfish, salmon, and mackerel are among the few naturally occurring dietary sources of vitamin D. Majority of people tend to consume vitamin D via fortified foods such as milk, breakfast cereals, yogurt, and orange juice. It is however also produced through our skin using sunlight called vitamin D synthesis.

Synthetic Sources:

To mimic the natural production found in the skin. Scientists irradiate animal fat in order to stimulate vitamin D3 synthesis. The most commonly used fat is lanolin, which is the waxy secretions found from sheep skin that keeps wool dry.

Vitamin E

images It is an antioxidant that occurs naturally in foods which include nuts, seeds, and green leafy vegetables. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin used in many important processes in the body. It can also prevent free radical damage to specific fats within the body that is critical for health.

Food Sources:

Wheat germ oil packs more vitamin E than any other food source. Although most people will find it easier to get their required dose of vitamin E from sunflower seeds or almonds.

Synthetic Sources:

The synthetic dl-alpha-tocopherol is created in a process involving refined oils called trimethylhydroquinone and isophytol. The substance is not as easily absorbed and normally doesn’t stay as long in tissues since it is quickly dispelled like a toxin or unknown chemical by the body.

Vitamin K

A fat-soluble vitamin which is well known for the important role it plays in blood clotting and preventing hemorrhage. Vitamin K is also an essential nutrient in building strong bones, preventing heart disease, and a crucial part of other bodily processes such as digestion.

Food Sources:

Green, leafy vegetables are the best source of this vitamin which is also known as phylloquinone. Kale probably is the best source with 1.1 mg per cup and then followed by collard greens and spinach with about 1 mg per cup, and is also found in more exotic sources such as the like of turnip, mustard, and beet greens.

Synthetic Sources:

Synthetic vitamin K, menadione, comes from coal tar derivatives and genetically modified and hydrogenated soybean oil, and involves using hydrochloric acid and nickel in the process. It is considered highly toxic and can cause damage to the immune system.