9 A Day Plus

Scientific Data Confirming the Superiority of
Whole-Food-Vitamins to Synthetic Vitamins

NATURAL VS SYNTHETIC

In a 2000 study published by R. J. Thiel of the independent research group Doctors Research Inc. of Arroyo Grande, CA, in Medical Hypotheses (Natural vitamins may be superior to synthetic ones. R. J. Thiel Med Hypotheses, Dec 2000 (Vol. 55, Issue 6, Pages 461-9) Elesevier Publishing LTD) and available at http://www.medical-hypotheses.com/medline/record/MDLN.11090291, it is clearly stated that there is a physiochemical difference between synthetic, fractionated vitamins and natural vitamins from whole food sources and that the organic vitamins are nutritionally superior to those synthetic vitamins produced in a laboratory.

Thiel’s report cites various studies and concludes “the bioavailability of natural food complex vitamins is better than that of most isolated USP (United States Pharmacopoeia) synthetic vitamins, they have a more positive effect on general health and are for the most part preferentially maintained by the body.”

Dr. Victor Shayne of the Nutrition Research Center agrees that “a (manufactured) vitamin doesn’t contain any of the things that a food contains which includes antioxidants, bioflavonoids (etc)… all these things are found in natures foods. A (synthetic) vitamin is created in a laboratory but food is created in nature which is why we use whole food supplements… the problem with vitamins is that it is a singular isolate and cannot make up for the deficiency.” He goes on to say that there can be serious toxic side effects from isolates. Shayne suggests “Stay with whole food supplements.”

TODAY’S FOODS ARE INSUFFICIENT

Dr. Vincent Bellonzi D.C., C.C.N., a certified Clinical Nutritionist from the Austin Wellness Institute, is quoted as saying “most people have a (nutritional) deficiency even with a pretty good diet.” He adds that one of the most important factors is people don’t get enough Omega 3’s in their diet and he also acknowledges that the value of probiotics is a relatively recent advance in medical circles. “You’re probably are going to find it difficult to find everything you need out of your food.”

There are many reasons for this including the way foods are now grown and harvested, and especially the way foods are processed. Today fruits and vegetables are more of a commodity than a food. Plant hybrids are developed for greater size and color but do not have the same nutrient content of the foods our grandparents ate.

A good example to illustrate our point would be the “Marathon” broccoli sold in your local supermarket. Broccoli is well known for its great calcium content, but this popular hybrid of broccoli, according to a study done by the US Department of Agriculture, is consistently about a third lower in calcium and magnesium than other hybrids. Other hybrids are about 50% lower in calcium than broccoli listed in the 1998 USDA nutrient database. (Terry Mitchell; Vitamin-less vegetables, LE Magazine 2005.)

Besides processing our food and thereby reducing the nutritional content, many of the additives in these processed foods can do more harm than good. Substances like sodium bicarbonate are added to foods as a preservative. When it is added to peas and green beans, for example, (to retain and enhance their color) it destroys the thiamin in them.

Other additives have adverse effects, such as the artificial fat olestra (Olean)which will rob the body of Vitamins A, D, E, K and carotenoid antioxidants. When we irradiate meat, fruits and vegetables the characteristics of those foods change. (Herbert Court Young, www.redsofts.com/articles) Another factor is that a significant amount of nutritional content is lost to overcooking n vegetables and fruits. “Cooking meat can reduce Vitamin B5 by as much as 50% while processing vegetables can reduce it by up to nearly 80%. Refining, cooking and canning can destroy as much as 95% of the nutrients in leafy vegetables.” (www.redsofts.com/articles)

In the 1980’s, a study was conducted in the United States by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Using 50,000 people, it was found that not a single person was getting the recommended amounts of the 10 essential vitamins required for normal health.

A USDA food consumption survey shows that although Americans are making improvements in their eating habits, most do not consume the full five to nine servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day, as is recommended. However, even if they did eat properly every single day, the nutrient values in their food may not be sufficient to meet the body’s daily requirements to maintain good health.

FOOD ADDITIVES - DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH

Although bioavailability and effectiveness are important, they are not the only factors to consider when purchasing a vitamin/mineral supplement. Safety and toxicity should also be of great concern. Many of the additives allowed in foods are in fact harmful to the body.

High Fructose Corn Syrup and MSG are common ingredients found in the frozen and packaged food sections of your grocer. HFCS has shown in studies to lead to obesity and cardiovascular disease (US Department of Agriculture, Dr. Meira Fields, Proceedings of the Society of Experimental Biology and Medicine, 1984, 175:530-537). It raises blood levels of cholesterol and another type of fat, triglyceride. It makes blood cells more prone to clotting, and it may also accelerate the aging process.

"People should avoid it," urged John Yudkin, M.D., Ph.D., professor emeritus at Queen Elizabeth College, London. Although MSG is often associated with Chinese restaurants it is now a common additive in commercially processed foods such as stocks, sauces, chips, dips, and canned or frozen foods.

THE NEGATIVE-IMPACT OF
COMMERCIAL SYNTHETIC VITAMINS

What is less known, but just as significant, are the ingredients used in manufacturing most commercial brands of supplements. As posted in the Monday, March 20, 2006 Wall Street Journal an article by Tara Parker-Pope explains that some vitamins can be hazardous to your health.

Most people are not aware that many of the synthetic vitamins, including some of the highly advertised “name brands” are processed in a laboratory at high temperatures, contain petroleum derived chemical solvents, such as ethyl cellulose, coal tar and acetone and are coated with methylene chloride, a carcinogenic material.

Add to that the fact that these vitamins are not from natural sources. Rather than being whole food natural vitamin complexes they are fractionated chemicals.....only fractional portions of the whole.

According to Dr. Zoltan P. Rona, M.D., “Although most healthy people will have no obvious side effects from ingesting small amounts of toxins found in cheap (fractionated/synthetic) vitamins, the long term consequences of continuous, daily intakes are potentially dangerous. Over 7% of the population displays sensitivity to these chemicals.” Dr. Rona continues to say, “allergic reaction includes fatigue, memory loss, depression and insomnia”.

DANGERS OF FRACTIONATED VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS

Here are some additional reports on the dangers of fractionated vitamins:

• Reported on April 14, 1994 in The New England Journal of Medicine was a study in which 29,000 male smokers were given synthetic beta-carotene and synthetic Vitamin E to evaluate the cancer-protective effect of the "vitamins". After 10 years, the men taking the synthetic beta carotene had an 18% higher rate of lung cancer, more heart attacks, and an 8% higher overall death rate. Those taking Synthetic Vitamin E had more strokes.  Food sources of these same nutrients, such as fruits, and vegetables, consistently demonstrate protection against cancer, heart attacks and stroke.
  
  
• On November 23, 1995, the following was reported in The New England Journal of Medicine. 22,748 pregnant women were given synthetic Vitamin A. After four years the study was halted because of a 240% increase in birth defects in babies of women taking 10,000 IU daily, and a 400% increase in birth defects in babies of women taking 20,000 IU a day. Women eating natural food sources of Vitamin A showed no increase in birth defects.
  
  
• Reported in Reuters Health, March 3, 2000 was a study of men who took 500 mg of synthetic Vitamin C daily. It was found that over an 18-month period, these men had a 250% increase of the intima-media lining (inner lining) of the carotid artery. This thickening is an accurate measurement for the progression of atherosclerosis. That is, synthetic Vitamin C induced atherosclerosis, even at 500 mg dose.  Whole food Vitamin C protects and repairs the inner lining of blood vessels, and is preventative against atherosclerosis.

According to Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2000),approximately 40% of the population regularly takes a vitamin/mineral supplement in an effort to optimize their health. Unfortunately, most of these supplements contain synthetic, fractionated vitamin isolates.  Synthetic vitamin isolates are ‘crystalline’ in structure, which is physiologically different from the vitamins found in foods.  (Food & Nutrition Encyclopedia, 2nd Ed. New York: CRC Press, 1993). In nature, vitamins originate in plant tissues as food-vitamin complexes and are never isolated.  (Royal Society of Chemistry, 1989:125-127).

In several studies published in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. the adverse effects that can be caused by ingesting synthetics are clearly documented. They can even have an impact on other vitamins in your system.

• Synthetic vitamin B6 – pyridoxine hydrochloride – has been found to potentially inhibit natural vitamin B6 action and is chemically produced utilizing formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. (J Nutr 127(8): 1508, 1997 Encyclopedia of Food Science and Technology. New York: John Wiley, 1992)


• A study by the University of Pennsylvania found synthetic vitamin C to induce the production of genotoxins – substances found to mutate DNA. (Science Magazine 292:2083, 2001)


• A study at the University of Idaho in Moscow found the intake of synthetic vitamin A to significantly reduce vitamin E utilization in the body. (J Nutr. 1995 Jun;125(6 Suppl):1799S-1803S)
  


• Researchers at the Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C reported an increased risk of calcified atherosclerosis with a high intake of synthetic vitamin E. (Prev Cardiol. 2006 Spring; 9(2):75-81)

SUPPLEMENTS AND BRAIN-FUNCTION

Nutritional supplements are not only important for active adults with demanding lifestyles but also have an impact on seniors and especially children. In one study reported in the Prepared Foods e-newsletter (May 10, 2005), diets high in processed foods are causing bad behavior and learning difficulties in children. This Oxford University study showed that “junk food prevents the brain from working properly, leading to underachievement and a host of disorders.”

The British study involved more than 100 children who were given daily supplements rich in omega-3 essential fats that are vital for brain development but have been reduced in the typical diet over the last couple of decades.

In the study, approximately 40% of children given omega-3 supplements made dramatic improvements in reading and spelling. Dr. Alexandra Richardson, who led the research team said, “Food affects behavior. To ignore the role of nutrition is indefensible. If you paid attention to diet, you could really make a difference.”

THE CHINA STUDY

Dr. Colin Campbell Ph.D., who is a professor emeritus of nutritional biochemistry at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, the director of Cornell-Oxford-China Study (the "China Project"), the most comprehensive survey of the connection between diet and disease in world medical history] and the author of the subsequent book The China Study, which the New York Times hailed as the "Grand Prix of all epidemiological studies) is an advocate of whole food supplementation.

In his learned opinion "Cancer is a diet and lifestyle decision, it is not a genetic event. Family history and genes do not matter." His research indicates that the vast majority (perhaps 80 to 90%of all cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and other forms of degenerative illness) can be prevented, at least until very old age, simply by adopting a plant-based diet.

Dr. Campbell promotes a vegetarian diet for sustained health and long life and, though he states that vitamins are not a panacea for good health, he publicly affirms that whole food supplements from organic fruit and vegetable sources can in fact help people to avoid diseases that are preventable by developing proper nutritional habits. His basic principle is simply this: Good nutrition creates health in all areas of our existence.

VITAMINS AND MINERALS AFFECT OVERALL HEALTH AS PART OF A BALANCED-DIET
WITH EXERCISE AND REST

Vitamins and mineral deficiencies can have a critical impact on overall health and specific deficiencies can be responsible for a range of isolated symptoms. For example, it is generally accepted that older adults are at greater risk of developing a vitamin B¹² deficiency than younger adults. But one study, reported by the National Institute of Health suggests that the prevalence of vitamin B¹² deficiency in young adults may be greater than previously thought.

This study found that the percentage of subjects in three age groups (26-49 years, 50-64 years, and 65 years and older) with deficient blood levels of vitamin B¹² was similar across all age groups but that symptoms of vitamin B¹² deficiency were not as apparent in younger adults. The study also suggested that those who did not take a supplement containing vitamin B¹²were twice as likely to be vitamin ¹² deficient as supplement users, regardless of age group.

As defined by the NIH, Vitamin B12 helps maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells. It is also needed to help make DNA, the genetic material in all cells so the implications of B12 deficiency are clearly evident.

GET THE FACTS

Proper supplementation is only part of the overall approach to good health and fitness. A healthful diet, aerobic exercise and adequate sleep are necessary to be in balance with nature. Fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and fish are basic building blocks of dietary health. As the 2000 Dietary Guidelines for Americans states, "Different foods contain different nutrients and other healthful substances.

No single food can supply all the nutrients in the amounts you need". For more information about building a healthful diet, refer to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans http://www.usda.gov/cnpp/DietGd.pdf and the US Department of Agriculture's My Pyramid Food Guidance System http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/Fpyr/pyramid.html. For those interested in vegetarian or vegan diets there are numerous books and websites to reference.

The importance of proper supplementation cannot be underestimated when it comes to physical and mental fitness and wellbeing. The benefits of whole food supplementation over synthetic, fractionated supplements are well documented. For more information about the effects of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, essential fatty acids and probiotics on the body you can reference the National Institute of Health website at http://ods.od.nih.gov/index.aspx.