Synthetic vs. Natural Vitamins

[Guest guest]

Synthetic

vs. Natural Vitamins

http://drbenkim.com/articles-vitamins.html

 

Posted By Dr. Ben Kim on Oct 03, 2004

Here

are some facts that you won’t find advertised on most of the vitamin

supplements at your local vitamin store:

 

The majority of commercial vitamin supplements

are made up of synthetic vitamins

Synthetic vitamins do not perform the same

functions in your body as vitamins found naturally in whole food

Many synthetic vitamins deplete your body of

other nutrients and tax your kidneys before being excreted through your

urine

 

If

you want a comprehensive understanding of what vitamins are and what they do in

your body, it would be best to take a full course in biochemistry. Do you

remember all of those molecular formulas and chemical reactions that you

studied in your high school chemistry class? Biochemistry is really just an

extension of chemistry, with an emphasis on the thousands of chemical reactions

that occur in your body on a moment-to-moment basis.

Anyone

who studies biochemistry learns that vitamins do not exist as single components

that act on their own. Vitamins are made up of several different components – enzymes,

co-enzymes, and co-factors– that must work together to produce their

intended biologic effects.

Vitamins

that are found naturally in whole foods come with all of their necessary

components. The majority of vitamins that are sold in pharmacies, grocery

stores, and vitamin shops are synthetic vitamins, which are only isolated

portions of the vitamins that occur naturally in food.

A

good example is vitamin C. If you take a look at a variety of vitamin C

supplements, you will find that the majority of them contain only ascorbic acid

or a compound called ascorbate, which is a less acidic form of acorbic acid.

Ascorbic acid is NOT vitamin C. It represents the outer ring that serves as a

protective shell for the entire vitamin C complex, much like an orange peel

that serves as a protective shell for an orange. Real vitamin C

found in whole foods like fruits and vegetables contain the following

components:

 

Rutin

Bioflavonoids (vitamin P)

Factor K

Factor J

Factor P

Tyrosinase

Ascorbinogen

Ascorbic Acid

 

When

you take only ascorbic acid found in your synthetic vitamin C tablet or powder,

your body must gather all of the other components of the full vitamin C complex

from your body’s tissues in order to make use of it. In the event that

your body does not have adequate reserves of the other components, ascorbic acid itself does not

provide any of the health benefits that the full vitamin C complex does.

After circulating through your system, the unused ascorbic acid is eliminated

through your urine.

Just

like vitamin C, almost all other vitamins that we know of offer their full

health benefits when they are in the presence of a number of enzymes,

co-enzymes, co-factors, and even minerals. For example, Vitamin D may have as

many as twelve different active components, while vitamin P has at least five

different components. The mineral copper is needed for full vitamin C activity,

while vitamin E works closely with the mineral selenium to provide its health

promoting, anti-oxidative effect.

Clearly,

it is best to get your vitamins from whole foods because whole foods provide

complete vitamins rather than fractions of them. In many cases, whole foods

also provide the minerals that are necessary for optimal vitamin activity. For

example, sunflower seeds are an excellent whole food source of vitamin E and

the mineral selenium, both of which need each other to offer their full health

benefits.

How do you know if the vitamins on your kitchen counter

are from whole foods or if they are synthetic?

If

the list of ingredients includes an actual vitamin like Vitamin C”

rather than an actual food that contains natural vitamin C like “acerola cherry powder”,

you can bet that it is a synthetic vitamin.

If

you choose to use nutritional supplements, it is in your best interest to use

only those products that list actual foods as their ingredients

rather than synthetic and isolated vitamins. While some synthetic and isolated

vitamins have been shown to provide minimal health benefits, on the whole, most

of them cause more harm than good and you are far better off spending your

money on whole foods.

It

is important to note that the principles in this article are just as relevant and applicable

to minerals and mineral supplements.

Two

whole food supplements that my family uses on a regular basis are a super green food mixture

and an acerola cherry

powder product.

 

[Guest guest]

While I am a strong proponent for the use of natural vitamins to supplement our nutrient depleted foods I cannot agree with some things you say here for the following reasons.

 

1. You ignore much of the positive research that shows positive results using synthetic vitamins.

 

2, You do not acknowledge the great body of work done by Linus Pauling regarding ascorbic acid

 

3 You do not mention the virtual 'cures' done by intravenous infusion of ascorbic acid by numerous institutions throughout the world.

 

4. You have not mentioned that Linus Pauling was able to reverse or control scizophrenia using synthetic niacin.

 

Synthetic vitamins do have use in our body but they do depend on adequate mineral stores in the body and the ability of teh body to produce hydrochloric acid, bile, and pancreatic enzymes. I suggest that those who use synthetic supplements pay close attention to their diet before they pay for those supplements - and whole food supplements may be what makes a diet complete. --- On Fri, 3/5/10, Jan Slama <slamajama2 wrote:

Jan Slama <slamajama2 Synthetic vs. Natural Vitamins"Jan Slama" <janslamaFriday, March 5, 2010, 4:30 PM

 

 

 

Synthetic vs. Natural Vitamins

http://drbenkim.com/articles-vitamins.html

Posted By Dr. Ben Kim on Oct 03, 2004

Here are some facts that you won’t find advertised on most of the vitamin supplements at your local vitamin store:

 

The majority of commercial vitamin supplements are made up of synthetic vitamins

Synthetic vitamins do not perform the same functions in your body as vitamins found naturally in whole food

Many synthetic vitamins deplete your body of other nutrients and tax your kidneys before being excreted through your urine

If you want a comprehensive understanding of what vitamins are and what they do in your body, it would be best to take a full course in biochemistry. Do you remember all of those molecular formulas and chemical reactions that you studied in your high school chemistry class? Biochemistry is really just an extension of chemistry, with an emphasis on the thousands of chemical reactions that occur in your body on a moment-to-moment basis.

Anyone who studies biochemistry learns that vitamins do not exist as single components that act on their own. Vitamins are made up of several different components – enzymes, co-enzymes, and co-factors– that must work together to produce their intended biologic effects.

Vitamins that are found naturally in whole foods come with all of their necessary components. The majority of vitamins that are sold in pharmacies, grocery stores, and vitamin shops are synthetic vitamins, which are only isolated portions of the vitamins that occur naturally in food.

A good example is vitamin C. If you take a look at a variety of vitamin C supplements, you will find that the majority of them contain only ascorbic acid or a compound called ascorbate, which is a less acidic form of acorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is NOT vitamin C. It represents the outer ring that serves as a protective shell for the entire vitamin C complex, much like an orange peel that serves as a protective shell for an orange. Real vitamin C found in whole foods like fruits and vegetables contain the following components:

 

Rutin

Bioflavonoids (vitamin P)

Factor K

Factor J

Factor P

Tyrosinase

Ascorbinogen

Ascorbic Acid

When you take only ascorbic acid found in your synthetic vitamin C tablet or powder, your body must gather all of the other components of the full vitamin C complex from your body’s tissues in order to make use of it. In the event that your body does not have adequate reserves of the other components, ascorbic acid itself does not provide any of the health benefits that the full vitamin C complex does. After circulating through your system, the unused ascorbic acid is eliminated through your urine.

Just like vitamin C, almost all other vitamins that we know of offer their full health benefits when they are in the presence of a number of enzymes, co-enzymes, co-factors, and even minerals. For example, Vitamin D may have as many as twelve different active components, while vitamin P has at least five different components. The mineral copper is needed for full vitamin C activity, while vitamin E works closely with the mineral selenium to provide its health promoting, anti-oxidative effect.

Clearly, it is best to get your vitamins from whole foods because whole foods provide complete vitamins rather than fractions of them. In many cases, whole foods also provide the minerals that are necessary for optimal vitamin activity. For example, sunflower seeds are an excellent whole food source of vitamin E and the mineral selenium, both of which need each other to offer their full health benefits.

How do you know if the vitamins on your kitchen counter are from whole foods or if they are synthetic?

If the list of ingredients includes an actual vitamin like Vitamin C†rather than an actual food that contains natural vitamin C like “acerola cherry powderâ€, you can bet that it is a synthetic vitamin.

If you choose to use nutritional supplements, it is in your best interest to use only those products that list actual foods as their ingredients rather than synthetic and isolated vitamins. While some synthetic and isolated vitamins have been shown to provide minimal health benefits, on the whole, most of them cause more harm than good and you are far better off spending your money on whole foods.

It is important to note that the principles in this article are just as relevant and applicable to minerals and mineral supplements.

Two whole food supplements that my family uses on a regular basis are a super green food mixture and an acerola cherry powder product.

 

[Guest guest]

The results of synthetic vitamin therapy are due to drug effects, not

nutritional supplementation. An isolated nutrient cannot function without

upsetting the chemical balance of the body, and furthermore is does not " work "

like the real thing as found in nature. The practice of nutrition boils down to

NUTRITION, which is WHOLEsome food. How rarely is this actually practiced!

 

Dr. Wm Kotheimer

 

, Tony De Angelis <tntstuart

wrote:

>

> While I am a strong proponent for the use of natural vitamins to supplement

our nutrient depleted foods I cannot agree with some things you say here for the

following reasons.

>  

> 1.  You ignore much of the positive research that shows positive results

using synthetic vitamins.

>  

> 2, You do not acknowledge the great body of work done by Linus Pauling

regarding ascorbic acid

>  

> 3 You do not mention the virtual 'cures' done by intravenous infusion of

ascorbic acid by numerous institutions throughout the world.

>  

> 4. You have not mentioned that Linus Pauling was able to reverse or control

scizophrenia using synthetic niacin.

>  

> Synthetic vitamins do have use in our body but they do depend on adequate

mineral stores in the body and the ability of teh body to produce hydrochloric

acid, bile, and pancreatic enzymes.  I suggest that those who use synthetic

supplements pay close attention to their diet before they pay for those

supplements - and whole food supplements may be what makes a diet complete. 

>

> --- On Fri, 3/5/10, Jan Slama <slamajama2 wrote:

>

>

> Jan Slama <slamajama2

> Synthetic vs. Natural Vitamins

> " Jan Slama " <janslama

> Friday, March 5, 2010, 4:30 PM

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

Synthetic vs. Natural Vitamins

> http://drbenkim.com/articles-vitamins.html

> Posted By Dr. Ben Kim on Oct 03, 2004

> Here are some facts that you won’t find advertised on most of the vitamin

supplements at your local vitamin store:

>

> The majority of commercial vitamin supplements are made up of synthetic

vitamins

> Synthetic vitamins do not perform the same functions in your body as vitamins

found naturally in whole food

> Many synthetic vitamins deplete your body of other nutrients and tax your

kidneys before being excreted through your urine

> If you want a comprehensive understanding of what vitamins are and what they

do in your body, it would be best to take a full course in biochemistry. Do you

remember all of those molecular formulas and chemical reactions that you studied

in your high school chemistry class? Biochemistry is really just an extension of

chemistry, with an emphasis on the thousands of chemical reactions that occur in

your body on a moment-to-moment basis.

> Anyone who studies biochemistry learns that vitamins do not exist as single

components that act on their own. Vitamins are made up of several different

components †" enzymes, co-enzymes, and co-factors†" that must work together to

produce their intended biologic effects.

> Vitamins that are found naturally in whole foods come with all of their

necessary components. The majority of vitamins that are sold in pharmacies,

grocery stores, and vitamin shops are synthetic vitamins, which are only

isolated portions of the vitamins that occur naturally in food.

> A good example is vitamin C. If you take a look at a variety of vitamin C

supplements, you will find that the majority of them contain only ascorbic acid

or a compound called ascorbate, which is a less acidic form of acorbic acid.

Ascorbic acid is NOT vitamin C. It represents the outer ring that serves as a

protective shell for the entire vitamin C complex, much like an orange peel that

serves as a protective shell for an orange. Real vitamin C found in whole foods

like fruits and vegetables contain the following components:

>

> Rutin

> Bioflavonoids (vitamin P)

> Factor K

> Factor J

> Factor P

> Tyrosinase

> Ascorbinogen

> Ascorbic Acid

> When you take only ascorbic acid found in your synthetic vitamin C tablet or

powder, your body must gather all of the other components of the full vitamin C

complex from your body’s tissues in order to make use of it. In the event that

your body does not have adequate reserves of the other components, ascorbic acid

itself does not provide any of the health benefits that the full vitamin C

complex does. After circulating through your system, the unused ascorbic acid is

eliminated through your urine.

> Just like vitamin C, almost all other vitamins that we know of offer their

full health benefits when they are in the presence of a number of enzymes,

co-enzymes, co-factors, and even minerals. For example, Vitamin D may have as

many as twelve different active components, while vitamin P has at least five

different components. The mineral copper is needed for full vitamin C activity,

while vitamin E works closely with the mineral selenium to provide its health

promoting, anti-oxidative effect.

> Clearly, it is best to get your vitamins from whole foods because whole foods

provide complete vitamins rather than fractions of them. In many cases, whole

foods also provide the minerals that are necessary for optimal vitamin activity.

For example, sunflower seeds are an excellent whole food source of vitamin E and

the mineral selenium, both of which need each other to offer their full health

benefits.

> How do you know if the vitamins on your kitchen counter are from whole foods

or if they are synthetic?

> If the list of ingredients includes an actual vitamin like Vitamin C†rather

than an actual food that contains natural vitamin C like “acerola cherry

powderâ€, you can bet that it is a synthetic vitamin.

> If you choose to use nutritional supplements, it is in your best interest to

use only those products that list actual foods as their ingredients rather than

synthetic and isolated vitamins. While some synthetic and isolated vitamins have

been shown to provide minimal health benefits, on the whole, most of them cause

more harm than good and you are far better off spending your money on whole

foods.

> It is important to note that the principles in this article are just as

relevant and applicable to minerals and mineral supplements.

> Two whole food supplements that my family uses on a regular basis are a super

green food mixture and an acerola cherry powder product.

>  

>