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Imagine
Your Kids with Vibrant Health and Natural Vitality!
Boost and Strengthen their Immune System the Natural
Way!
Super Healthy Kids is a comprehensive e-book (you can get a printed
paperback version as well) about what you can do to strengthen your
kids health and boost their immune system to prevent disease and
create increased vibrant health and vitality...read
more...
Synthetic or Natural Vitamins - What's
The Difference?
by Dr. Laura Mason-Scarborough
Hold the Fritos, and pass the carrots. Most kids today are not
eating what they need for proper growth and general health. According
to the September ‘97 Journal of Pediatrics, only 1% of American
children aged 2 to 19 eat healthy diets. With a rapidly growing
kid’s vitamin industry, it is apparent that more and more parents
are turning to vitamins to supplement their children’s diets.
Do we really know how safe these products are? Can they fully replace
the nutrients in spinach or apples? Is there a difference between
vitamin products on the market?
What Are Vitamins?
Before we can answer these questions, we must know exactly what
vitamins are. In Judith DeCava’s book, The Real Truth about
Vitamins and Antioxidants, she defines a vitamin as “a complex
mechanism...of functional, interrelated, interdependent components.
A vitamin consists of, not only the organic nutrient(s) identified
as the vitamin, but also enzymes, coenzymes, antioxidants and trace
element activators.” A vitamin complex is not simply an individual
chemical or several chemicals. It must contain all factors that
make up the vitamin in its entirety. Just like a car is not four
tires, nor a wheel, nor an engine, but rather it is a “car”
when all parts are complete and working together.
Two Viewpoints
There are two points of view when it comes to supplements. One
is that vitamin parts can be synthesized, in high concentrates (high
potency). This is the principle followed by most supplement manufacturers,
the majority of which are pharmaceutical companies. These vitamins
are termed “synthetic”. (Though they can be labeled “natural”
even if they come from sugar or coal tar).
The other viewpoint is that vitamins and mineral elements are so
complex, and have so many parts that are dependent upon each other,
that when separated they no longer can produce a normal nutritional
effect on the body. According to this theory, an overdose of any
one vitamin, as it occurs with separated out or synthetic vitamins,
can be hazardous to the body. Complete vitamins, with all of their
parts and necessary cofactors are often termed “whole food
vitamins”, since they are derived entirely from whole foods.
Vitamin C is Not Simply Ascorbic Acid
An excellent example of the difference between whole food and synthetic
supplements, is vitamin C. The majority of books and magazines on
the subject of nutrition refer to vitamin C as ascorbic acid. These
terms are used interchangeably. However, vitamin C is not simply
ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is the outer skin of vitamin C, much
like the skin of an orange. Vitamin C also contains bioflavonoid
complexes, tyrosinase, and several other factors. What do you get
if you purchase a synthesized bottle of vitamin C? You are buying
ascorbic acid, a small part of vitamin C, manufactured from super-refined
corn sugar. Ascorbic acid does have strong effects on the body but
is more of a drug than a nutrient. Because your body needs all parts
of a vitamin to function, it will leech the other necessary cofactors
from itself in order to use the ascorbic acid. This puts a lot of
extra stress on your body, according to Dennis Nelson, in his book,
Maximizing Nutrition.
Another example of whole food versus synthetic is vitamin B complex.
Coal tar is the source of many synthetic B vitamins. Coal tar is
not alive, and research confirms that it does not work as well in
our bodies as natural sources of B vitamins, such as wheat germ.
What is Best For Our Children?
What is in the best interests for our children? According to many
nutritionists, including Dr. Betsy Meshbesher, a nutritionist and
owner of a national vitamin company, whole, organic foods in their
natural state are best. Feeding your children organic fruits, vegetables,
nuts, seeds and whole grains instead of potato chips, macaroni and
cheese, granola bars and other highly processed foods will give
them the nutrients they need to be healthy. What do you do if your
child won’t eat nearly enough whole foods? Then use whole food
vitamins such as wheat germ oil, which provides a substantial amount
of vitamin E complex as well as other vital nutrients. Or use rice
bran syrup or nutritional yeast, which are excellent sources of
the vitamin B complex.
How do we know if the vitamins are working? Let me relate my personal
story, which illustrates how I learned the hard way about the efficacy
of vitamins. One and a half years ago my daughter was born prematurely.
By the time she was three months old she had chronic bronchitis,
cradle cap, a persistent diaper rash, and very white porcelain skin.
Though she was breastfeeding, it was apparent that she needed additional
help. Liquid infant vitamin drops for several weeks did nothing
to change her health condition. After thoroughly researching nutrition
and consulting with several nutritionists, I started her on cod
liver oil (an organic source), which is rich in vitamins A and D;
rice bran syrup full of the vitamin Bs, iron, and other essential
nutrients; wheat germ oil, rich in vitamin E; a liquid mineral supplement,
and a whole food vitamin C tablet, which I crushed. By mixing my
breast milk with tiny amounts of all of these nutrients, (as well
as acidophilus-healthy bacteria that fight off bad bacteria in the
body) she was able to fully recover within two to four weeks.
Her lungs completely cleared and she has not even had a cold in
the past year. She has never again had a rash on her bottom. Her
cradle cap rapidly disappeared, replaced with beautiful shiny red
hair. Her skin changed from white porcelain to beautiful creamy
pink. She looks healthier and she is healthier.
In summary, it is best to feed your children the healthiest foods
possible because food is the best medicine. However, if your child
does not eat well or has a health condition that is not resolving,
try whole food concentrates. Skip the funny cartoon vitamins that
look and taste like candy. They may actually be harming instead
of helping your kids.
Dr. Laura Mason-Scarborough is a chiropractor, nutritionist, writer
and mother. She lives with her family in Clearwater, Florida.
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Use the information provided on this site as an educational resource for determining your options and making your own informed choices. It is not intended as medical advice or to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any specific illness.