When it comes to dietary supplements, there is a big distinction between natural and synthetic nutrients. Natural nutrients are found in the foods we eat, while synthetic nutrients are found in dietary supplements and fortified foods. Scientists may tell you that synthetic supplements are identical to the vitamins and minerals found in foods, but this is not the case. Synthetic supplements contain few or no natural ingredients, and they are processed in a laboratory.
Your body can tell the difference, even if a microscope can't. In nature, minerals are never found in pure form. For this reason, they are chelated into amino acids for optimal absorption. For example, magnesium glycinate chelate is magnesium linked to the amino acid glycine.
While minerals are generally referred to as synthetic, it is only due to the binding of the mineral to another substance for absorption purposes. Aside from vitamin E, there is no difference between natural and synthetic vitamins. Synthetic nutrients from supplements and fortified foods can have harmful health effects, especially when used in high doses. Seeking Health's omega-3 supplements are non-synthetic and come from high-quality seafood sources. Research has shown that this form of vitamin E is not bound or transported as easily as natural vitamin E.When you supplement your diet with natural supplements, you get the real nutrition you should have received from eating a healthy plant-based diet.
Consumers in the dietary supplement industry receive very little information about synthetic versus natural vitamins. The main criticism is that synthetic vitamins are “isolated” and, since they do not work together with other vitamins, enzymes and minerals, the human body does not recognize the isolated ones. It can be difficult to choose a vitamin supplement with the many synthetic and natural options available today. Natural vitamin E, such as spinach, nuts and oils, contains eight molecules called tocopherols and tocotrienols. In addition, synthetic supplements can help you get more vitamin than you would normally get from food. When selecting a vitamin supplement (whether synthetic or natural), make sure it has been tested for toxicity and contaminants, is properly labeled, and breaks down in the body in the right time.
With a few exceptions such as vitamin E, natural beta-carotene and vitamin B12, all vitamins used in dietary supplements are synthetic. However, you'll always want to choose supplement companies that have synthetic nutrients that match their natural counterparts. A natural vitamin can be produced from a component directly from the soil or it can be “naturally produced” in the body through digestion.
