ABC of Synthetic and Natural Vitamins

Most of the vitamins that you tend to find in pharmacy shelves are synthetic vitamins, made through chemical processes and not made from other materials or plants, although there are some manufacturers who make natural vitamins even now.

In fact, these manufacturers even claim that their products (that is, their natural vitamins) are far better than its synthetic variants available in the market although it is very difficult to be certain of the truth about these claims.

Difference between natural and synthetic vitamins

It is a little difficult to distinguish between natural and synthetic variant of vitamins. According to some, a natural vitamin is a concentrated nutrient that is derived of a natural resource.

The idea in this case is to preserve and make use of all the natural nutrients rather than resort to sweeteners, artificial color, or preservatives.

Natural source of vitamins come with a number of co-factors that comes along with these natural nutrients.

For example, the co-factors usually found with Vitamin C are bioflavonoid. Concentrated very carefully of its natural resource, it is not subjected to the extremes of heat or pressure and does not make use of any toxic solvents.

It does not even make use of chemical or sugar tablet coatings. These nutrients are essentially prepared from quality raw products without adding any chemicals.

Synthetic vitamins are usually manufactured in laboratories of derivatives of coal tar. No co factors are present in this case. Most of the vitamin supplements sold in the markets are of this synthetic variant. The heightened popularity of synthetic vitamin in the market is perhaps owing to its exceptionally low cost.

If you want to compare the natural and synthetic vitamins on any other basis, it needs to be considered based on its molecular structure.

Health authorities usually ascertain that synthetic vitamins are ineffective and useless.

Similarity of Natural and Synthetic Vitamins

However, a few physicians or health authorities even claim that synthetic and natural vitamins have an identical molecular structure and that synthetic variants are as effective as the natural variety of available vitamins.

Thus, we can reasonably think that both natural and synthetic vitamins would function in a similar fashion.

Advantages of Synthetic Vitamins

Since synthetic vitamins are produced in the laboratory, it provides the biochemist with a number of advantages.

Firstly, dosage of synthetic vitamins can be regulated. If you are trying to take vitamins of natural resources, you can never regulate its dose.

For example, one variety of orange may give you 50mg of Vitamin C while the other may contain only 10 mg of Vitamin C.

The vitamin content depends on a number of factors like the place where the plant grew up, its harvest, storage and transportation.

Purity of these synthetic vitamins is an added advantage as they are produced in a licensed laboratory that must meet with the standards of the country they are manufactured in.

As has already been said, a number of synthetic vitamins are similar to its natural counterpart available of natural resources and can be converted to its natural form very easily by the human body.

Furthermore, synthetic vitamins are also comparatively purer and cheaper and have lesser potential of being contaminated.

Conclusion

Quality in nutrients and vitamins are hard to determine. Consider the list of ingredient and their amount in order to settle on a list.

In short, multivitamins act as the foundation of your health and it is most effective when taken in liquid form as the absorption power increases a great deal in this case.
 

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