The modern era of food has ordained a new paradox – we’ve never had more access to food, yet we’ve never been more malnourished. Enter the concept of supplements, affording an assurance to bridge the nutritional divide. However, beneath the glossy advertising, not all supplements are created equal. The disparity lies chiefly between whole food nutrition and synthetic counterparts. SOS Nutrients (sosnutrients.com) has devoted extensive research and resources to demonstrate the intricate difference between the two.
A Swiss study from 1994 on a synthetic form of beta carotene brought into stark focus the dangers of synthetic nutrients. The study was designed based on the knowledge that dietary beta carotene has been shown to be very protective for lung cancer. However, the study was aborted prematurely, as it was discovered that the synthetic version of beta carotene increased lung cancer by 15.5% and all-cause mortality rate by a staggering 8%. This is an 8% increase in the death rate based on taking one additional supplement that sounds like a natural substance. Another research observed the effects of Vitamin C on the early development of atherosclerosis and reported a slight protective effect from dietary vitamin C whereas the synthetic version of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) actually tended to increase the speed at which people moved toward atherosclerosis. The highest dose of the synthetic version moved people 3 times faster toward atherosclerosis than people not taking any at all.
The striking divergence in the body’s response to these two sources of nutrients stems from what they are composed of and how they are processed. Astonishingly, most synthetic supplements are derived from substances that would never be considered as ‘food’. As an example over 90% of the market for beta-carotene is said to be a synthesized from petroleum. Synthetic vitamin C is predominantly manufactured from corn syrup, which is frequently genetically modified. Then there’s Vitamin B1, or thiamine hydrochloride, manufactured from a disturbing blend of hydrochloric acid, acetone, ammonia, and even coal tar.
If the reaction ensues as to why synthetics impregnate the supplements landscape, the answers are straightforward yet unsettling. Firstly, the provenance of synthetics offers simplicity and control for supplement manufacturers. Factors such as a stable shelf life, minimal taste issues, and reduced material volume contribute to the synthetic appeal. In addition, the synthetic version costs substantially less than its natural rival. For instance, the cost disparity between zinc from a guava leaf extract to zinc gluconate is a staggering 45 times. Similarly, vitamin C from a blend of organic freeze-dried berries costs 25 times more than synthetic vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Iodine, derived from a blend of three organic kelp from Iceland, is 35 times costlier than potassium iodide.
The nub of the matter is this – manufacturers often choose economy over efficacy. Through an uninformed blend of marketing and label loophole, they focus on the scantest amount of whole food in the product, sidestepping the torrent of synthetics. Such craftiness contributes to a user’s unwary intake of synthetics, which are poorly metabolized by the body.
Knowing what’s in your supplement is the key to leveraging their potential benefits. Consumers need to become adept at reading nutritional labels rather than relying wholly on promotional literature. Look for a brand that believably states its ingredients are from natural, whole foods, not just ‘food-based’. Check for authentic certifications and avoid those supplements that contain artificial colorings or fillers. Furthermore, engage with a brand that provides transparency about their sources and manufacturing process, like SOS Nutrients does through their website.
Website: https://sosnutrients.com/
Comprehensive nutrition is about more than meeting daily recommended values. It’s about discerning the nature of those values – whether they come from whole foods or synthetic compounds. Remember, your body, like nature, recognizes and responds best to natural nutrients. That said, the final choice always lies with the consumer – a few extra coins for a bottle of health harvested from nature or settling for synthetics manufactured in a lab. Choose wisely. The cost of your health hinges on that decision.
Published by: Aly Cinco