There are still a number of people who have not seen a benefit taking vitamins, whether they be natural vs synthetic.
We at AntiAgingByDesign would disagree with that after using vitamins so successfully for 43+ years. However, we would agree that someone might not feel a benefit, but that is because of the wide variance of supplements.
Back in the 1980’s when we started on our health journey, we learned that when it comes to maintaining optimal health, vitamins play a crucial role.
Full disclosure we were learning about natural vitamins, and living more naturally and with less chemicals.
We learned that synthetic vitamins are chemical-based.
What we have come to believe is that the right kind of natural supplements can support everything from immune function to energy production, but only because we have lived it – not just from learning about them.
Today, it is generally understood that not all vitamins are created equal. There is the fact of price and quality difference from brand to brand, but there are other differences as well.
A big difference is Natural vs Synthetic.
The debate between natural vs synthetic vitamins has been ongoing for years, with questions about how well each type is absorbed by the body.
In this article we want to explore the differences between natural and synthetic vitamins, an interesting topic of how they interact with your digestive system, and which option might be better for your health.
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What Are Natural and Synthetic Vitamins?
Let’s start with what these terms mean before we talk about absorption.
- Natural Vitamins: derived directly from whole foods or natural sources like fruits, vegetables, and animal products. They are often formulated with other beneficial compounds, such as enzymes, minerals, and antioxidants, which enhance their absorption and effectiveness.
- Synthetic Vitamins: manufactured in laboratories to mimic the chemical structure of natural vitamins. While they may appear identical on paper, synthetic vitamins often lack the cofactors found in their natural counterparts, which can affect how well your body absorbs them.
The Digestive System: A Brief Overview
To understand how vitamins are absorbed, it’s essential to know how your digestive system works. Here’s a simplified breakdown:
- Mouth: Chewing breaks food into smaller pieces, and saliva begins the process of breaking down nutrients.
- Stomach: Stomach acid further breaks down food, preparing it for nutrient extraction.
- Small Intestine: This is where most nutrient absorption occurs. Nutrients pass through the intestinal lining and enter the bloodstream.
- Liver: The liver processes absorbed nutrients before they’re distributed throughout the body.
- Bloodstream: Nutrients are transported to cells, where they perform vital functions.
How do vitamins travel through this system? Is it different for natural vitamins and synthetic vitamins?
How Natural Vitamins Are Absorbed in Your Body
Natural vitamins have an advantage when it comes to absorption because they come with built-in helpers called cofactors. These include enzymes, minerals, and other compounds that aid in digestion and utilization. Here’s how the process works:
- Cofactors Present: Natural vitamins are accompanied by substances that help with absorption and how your body will use them (bioavailability).
- Gradual Breakdown: As the vitamins move through your stomach and small intestine, they are broken down gradually, allowing for efficient absorption.
- Efficient Absorption: Because of their high bioavailability, natural vitamins are absorbed more effectively into your bloodstream.
- Transported to the Liver: Once absorbed, the vitamins are processed by your liver and distributed to cells throughout your body.
This process helps your body get the maximum benefit from the vitamins you consume.
How Synthetic Vitamins Are Absorbed in Your Body
Synthetic vitamins may be chemically similar to natural ones, but mostly without the cofactors that facilitate absorption. Here’s how they journey through your digestive system:
- Lack of Cofactors: Without the natural enzymes and minerals found in whole foods, synthetic vitamins may require additional processing by your body.
- Limited Breakdown: Some synthetic vitamins are harder for your body to break down, leading to reduced absorption rates.
- Reduced Absorption: Due to lower bioavailability, synthetic vitamins are often less efficiently absorbed in your small intestine.
- Potential Waste: Any excess synthetic vitamins that aren’t absorbed may pass through your digestive system unutilized or be stored in your fat tissues, potentially leading to imbalances over time.
While synthetic vitamins can still meet nutritional needs, their absorption is generally less efficient compared to natural vitamins.
We feel that this may be why people who don’t get results they can feel when they take vitamins. There are a lot of factors and everyone is unique in their body and body processes.
Even with natural vitamins there are different formulations, different ingredients and different quality of ingredients the same as in food.
Key Differences Between Natural and Synthetic Vitamins
| Factor | Natural Vitamins | Synthetic Vitamins |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Derived from whole foods | Manufactured in labs |
| Cofactors | Present | Absent |
| Bioavailability | High | Lower |
| Absorption Efficiency | Efficient | Less efficient |
| Waste Potential | Minimal | Higher potential for waste |
Which Is Better for Your Body?
The answer isn’t black and white for everyone.
You may not be as concerned about chemicals as we are. And this goes beyond vitamins, to skin care and personal care and all products we use on or in our bodies.
- Natural Vitamins: These are ideal because they are formulated to be similar to the nutrients you eat in food, and to be better absorbed and utilized by your body. Most people’s diets today do not include all the nutrition your body needs for optimal health, and natural vitamins can help bridge those gaps.
- Synthetic Vitamins: While vitamins can be helpful for filling nutritional gaps, especially for individuals with dietary restrictions or specific deficiencies, synthetic vitamins are chemicals made in a lab. They are not made from real food. You can look for options that are designed to mimic natural vitamins as closely as possible, yet it may be hard to determine if a synthetic vitamin will cause an imbalance in your body.
Here are some of the reasons we chose the brand of natural vitamins*, from the most clinically proven wellness company in the world, that we have taken for 43 years:
1) how they are formulated to break down at specific parts of the body where the specific nutrient is best absorbed (this is not true of many vitamins and is a patented delivery system)
2) the fact that they are clinically proven to do this – this distinction means that they can and do prove efficacy
3) the high standards of all ingredients that surpass the industry standards
4) the high quality of individual ingredients that also surpasses industry standards
5) the safety of the brand that tests ingredients and products that surpass industry standards, and 6) the 100% guarantee on all supplements
The reasons why we continue to use the brand we support on this site is the results that we get with our long time use. Our goal is to live younger and healthier and more natural longer while feeling strong, energized and healthy. That is what we’ve been doing and it feels so good!
Doctors who get almost no nutrition education in med school may not recommend you take vitamins, the reason being they feel the best approach is to prioritize getting all your nutrition from the food you eat.
The problem with that is most of us don’t get the amount of nutrition our body, our cells, need for really good health.
Our choice for all of these years is to be our own health advocate when it comes to wellness. Doctors take care of our sick care, and we take care of our well care.
If you are doctoring and/or on medication for any kind of health issue, you should take supplements under the guidance of your healthcare professional.
We are not currently on medications for the supplements we take to have any interactions; and we choose vitamins and herbal supplements that are made as close to the way the nutrients are found in the foods they come from as possible.
If you want to learn more about the brand we use, please visit the link below and get a free personalized health assessment. And also explore the site – when you land on a product page, be sure to scroll down and see all the science and info on the product and click any + signs you see that will expand a section to show additional information.
NATURAL VITAMIN FREE PERSONAL ASSESSMENT
The natural nutrition brand we recommend here on the blog are products we have personally used for the past 43+ years. We are not medical professionals. We are on a personal health journey to live younger, energized and healthy longer.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.