Eat the right food for the right kind of vitamins

The differences between natural and syntheic vitamins

There is much discussion in the medical community regarding the differences between natural and synthetic vitamins. While some argue that the body cannot tell the difference between natural vitamins found in the foods we eat and synthetic vitamins grown in a lab, there is a good amount of evidence that points to the contrary.

One of the main reasons that natural vitamins are heralded over their synthetic counterparts is the fact that the entire vitamin is not replicated in the synthetic process.

For example, Vitamin C is mostly composed of a compound known as ascorbic acid. This ascorbic acid has been synthesized in labs and is now trumpeted as a source for Vitamin C. However, ascorbic acid only accounts for a fraction of the entire Vitamin C compound, so it is therefore sub-standard when compared to its natural counterpart. Ascorbic acid is manufactured in laboratories by extracting it from glucose found in corn.

This allows the synthetic vitamin manufacturers to promote their product as organic and natural, which can truly lead people in the wrong direction when it comes to choosing a supplement. It is in no way a substitute for natural Vitamin C, as it is merely a percentage of the full Vitamin C compound.

Studies have shown that the efficiency of synthetic vitamins may be lacking. A test was conducted in which 500 pregnant women were given Vitamin D; half of them were given synthetic Vitamin D while the other half received natural sources of Vitamin D. Many of the women who ingested the synthetic Vitamin D ended up with diseased kidneys while their natural counterparts experienced no such side effects. There were numerous other studies conducted on animals regarding natural and synthetic vitamins.

One notable study that occurred included the effects of different types of Vitamin B on pigs. All of the pigs that were given twice the daily recommended value of Vitamin B. Half of them were fed the synthetic vitamin and the other half was given the natural vitamin. The pigs that ate the natural vitamins were fine, and their offspring were normal. The pigs who received the synthetic vitamins, however, experienced full sterility in all of their offspring. Yet another research study incorporated the testing of synthetic Vitamin B-complex on Silver Foxes.

As in the other experiments, a control group of foxes was given natural sources of the B-Complex, while a test group had nothing but synthetic B-Complex vitamins. The test group of subjects experienced a lack of growth, increased fur deterioration, and died prematurely. The control group, however, went on to live healthy lives.

There have been plenty of studies in this department, and the scientific consensus seems to be that synthetic vitamins are nowhere near an adequate replacement for their natural counterparts. For this reason, it is important to try your best to get most of your vitamin nutrition through natural sources. When buying supplements, ensure that you are getting the proper nutrients and not mere fractions of the compounds our bodies need.