Dr. Wonson Newsletter - October 2005
Natural versus Synthetic Vitamins & Supplements
Today, nearly 70% of Americans take some type of vitamins, and more than 3,000 vitamin and mineral supplements are on shelves. Did you know that 90% of the vitamins on the shelves are synthetic? Below are the sources found on labels of vitamins and supplements to show you how to tell which are natural and which are synthetic.
| Vitamin |
Natural Sources |
Synthetic Sources |
| A |
Fish oils, lemon grass |
Acetate, Palmitate |
| B-complex |
Brewer's yeast, rice bran |
Source is not usually listed |
| B-1 |
Rice bran, molasses, yeast |
Thiamine Hydrochloride, Thiamine, Mononitrate, Thiamine Chloride |
| B-2 |
Rice bran, molasses, yeast |
Riboflavin |
| B-3 |
Rice bran, molasses, yeast |
Niacin, Niacinamide |
| B-5 |
Molasses, yeast |
Calcium Pantothenate |
| B-6 |
Rice bran, molasses, beets, yeast |
Pryidoxine Hydrochloride |
| C |
Rose hips, citrus fruit, green, peppers, acerola |
Ascorbic acid |
| Choline |
Soybeans, yeast |
Choline bitartrate |
| E |
Soybeans, vegetable oils, wheat germ |
Alpha Tocopheral Acetate, Tocopheryl, Acetate, DL-Alpha Tocopheral, Succinate |
| Folic Acid |
Rice bran, molasses, yeast |
Pteroylglutamic Acid |
| K |
Alfalfa |
Menadione |
When taking synthetic vitamins, the body requires a much higher dosage because the body does not absorb as high of a percentage of synthetic vitamins as it does natural vitamins.
The differences between natural and synthetic vitamins are:
Natural vitamin C helps the body heal conditions such as bleeding gums, and varicose or spider veins.
Synthetic vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is made from corn sugar. Mega dosages can lead to collagen disease, impaired mineral metabolism and an imbalance with other vitamins, leading to formation of kidney stones and diabetes mellitus.
Natural vitamin B (such as in rice bran) helps the body heal the nervous system.
Synthetic vitamin B (thiamine) is made from coal tar, and can lead to nerve damage.
After the Korean War, American war prisoners suffered from malnutrition and received synthetic vitamin B injections. Prisoners did not show any improvement until they received rice bran.
Natural vitamin A (such as fish oils, butter) can improve organ tissue healing and eyesight.
Synthetic vitamin A (acetate or palmitate) can lead to yellowish palm and liver damage.
As fall is here and the weather is changing, some people are prone to catching colds, so schedule an appointment for a preventive tune-up. Bring your vitamins and supplements in with you to make sure you are taking natural vitamins.
Sources:
Medford, L. (2002). Why Do I Need Whole Food Supplements? Tulsa, OK: LDN Publishing.
Murray, R. (1995). Natural Vs. Synthetic, Life Vs. Death, Truth Vs. The Lie.
Vitamins: Synthetic vs. Natural. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2005 from
http://www.marysherbs.com/Miscellaneous/natualP.htm
More Information
For more information on preventing and treating fibrocystic breast disease, contact Dr. Wonson's office at 415-544-9104 or send us an e-mail at drwonson@drwonson.com.
Written by: Dr. Wonson, DC, LAc
