Introduction
Vitamins are organic substances present in small amounts in foods. Too little of any particular vitamin may increase the risk of certain health issues.
A vitamin is an organic compound, which means that it contains carbon. It is also an essential nutrient that the body may need to get from food.
There are five things that most people do not know about vitamins. So I’m going to share these things with you today.
1. Most mega vitamin companies are owned by big pharma, chemical companies, or food manufacturing companies.
These companies own the big brands. Bayer, for instance, owns ONE A DAY, and they just bought up Monsanto.
Pfizer owns Centrum and Emergen-C.
Clorox owns ReNew Life.
Nestle owns Garden of Life, Puritans Pride, Pure, Douglas Laboratories, Solgar, Nature’s Bounty, and many others.
2. Ninety-five percent of all vitamins are made synthetically by chemical companies
That means they’re made from petroleum, chemicals, and coal tar. They do not come from growing things, and maybe you’re told that there’s no difference between synthetic and natural vitamins — that they’re the same molecule. Well, there’s a massive difference between the store-bought vitamin C/ascorbic acid versus natural vitamin C with all the different complexities. So when we are talking about synthetic vitamins, we are talking about stuff like:
· Ascorbic acid
· Vitamin B1
· Vitamin E
· Beta carotene (a precursor to vitamin A)
Photo by Raimond Klavins on Unsplash
3. China is the largest exporter of vitamin C and B1.
Unfortunately, they are not too transparent. They don’t tell you their manufacturing processes, and the regulations are just a bit shady.
4. The vitamin studies you read about online show an increased risk for cancer only using synthetics
They do not use food-based complexes. They don’t use natural vitamins. That’s just a minor omission they don’t tell you. So, in the medical professional’s mind, vitamins do not create any difference.
But, here’s the thing — what kind of vitamins are they talking about? Synthetic vitamins?
Well, as I said before, there’s a vast difference between using vitamins for short-term effects like detoxes but other than that, you shouldn’t be taking them long-term for your maintenance.
Whole food concentrates are more complete and bioavailable despite having lower amounts of vitamins.
Photo by Li Yang on Unsplash
5. Medical doctors only get about 25 hours, on average, of training on nutrition
I’m not sure that’s enough to grasp all the vitamins to be able to give advice and have an opinion on it. Of course, doctors are experts in drugs and surgery. But the point is that their training is insufficient to give a reasonable opinion one way or the other on nutrition.
According to research, many people in the United States take multivitamins and other supplements, though these may not be necessary or helpful.
A balanced, varied diet that contains plenty of fruits and vegetables should be the primary source of vitamins.
The Department of Health and Human Services provides up-to-date guidelines detailing the best ways to get enough nutrients from the diet.
Fortified foods and supplements may be appropriate in some cases, such as during pregnancy, for people with restricted diets, and for people with specific health issues.
Anyone taking supplements should be careful not to exceed the maximum dose, as research shows that taking too much of any vitamin can lead to health problems.
Also, some medications can interact with vitamin supplements. Overall, speaking with a healthcare provider before trying any supplement is essential.
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
Takeaway
Vitamins are essential nutrients that mainly come from foods. Each performs various roles in the body, and deficiencies of different vitamins can harm health differently.
Aim to get vitamins from a balanced, varied diet that contains plenty of fruits and vegetables. A doctor or nutritionist may recommend supplements if a person is pregnant or has a health issue or a restricted diet.
Try and stay away from synthetic vitamins and stick to consuming whole foods.
Disclaimer: Dr. Berner does not diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical diseases or conditions; instead, he analyzes and corrects the structure of his patients with Foundational Correction to improve their overall quality of life. He works with their physicians, who regulate their medications. This blog post is not designed to provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment, or services to you or any other individual. The information provided in this post or through linkages to other sites is not a substitute for medical or professional care. You should not use the information in place of a visit, consultation, or the advice of your physician or another healthcare provider. Foundation Chiropractic and Dr. Brett Berner are not liable or responsible for any advice, the course of treatment, diagnosis, or any other information, services, or product you obtain through this article or others.
