When it comes to vitamins, there are two main types: synthetic and natural. Synthetic nutrients are dietary supplements manufactured artificially in a laboratory or in an industrial process. Natural nutrients, on the other hand, are those found in whole foods. Natural vitamins come with several enzymes, minerals, lipids, proteins, and other nutrients to help the body digest and utilize them.
Synthetic vitamins are isolated forms of those that they mimic. By contrast, natural forms of folate can also be produced through synthetic processes. The difference is that they are chemically identical to the natural form found in the body and in food. In fact, to obtain high concentrations of folate in these higher forms, it must be synthesized.
This is the case for many nutrients. Folic acid, on the other hand, is not a natural form and should be avoided. We call this artificial form of synthetic vitamins “man-made” because the molecular structure is not natural, but invented. Pregnant women should be especially careful with their intake of vitamin A, as excessive amounts have been linked to birth defects (6). Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate), B vitamins, and sometimes vitamins E and K usually come in synthetic form when produced for dietary supplements.
One thing that experts generally agree on is that vitamin D supplements, when combined with calcium, can improve bone health in older people (50).It's more efficient to produce vitamins in a controlled laboratory environment than to obtain them from literally tons of fruits and vegetables. Synthetic vitamins are strategic and offer you more specific and higher-quality support than what you can get from food. However, you'll always want to choose supplement companies that have synthetic nutrients that match their natural counterparts. Ascorbic acid is a vitamin isolated from genetically modified corn sugar that is hydrogenated and processed with acetone. At Seeking Health, dietary supplements are of natural origin when it's the best choice and synthetic when it's the best option.
Their solution is to create cheap vitamins in laboratories, fortify foods and beverages with them and convert them into multivitamins. It's no secret that vitamins can improve health, but not all vitamins and minerals are created equal. They are then synthetically combined with amino acids for use as a dietary supplement, a process called chelation. Fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K, need fatty acids for the body to absorb them properly. In conclusion, it's important to understand the difference between synthetic and natural vitamins when choosing dietary supplements. Natural vitamins come with several enzymes, minerals, lipids, proteins, and other nutrients to help the body digest and utilize them while synthetic vitamins are isolated forms of those that they mimic.
Folic acid should be avoided as it is not a natural form. Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate), B vitamins, and sometimes vitamins E and K usually come in synthetic form when produced for dietary supplements while fat-soluble vitamins need fatty acids for the body to absorb them properly.
