Understanding vitamins: synthetic vitamins vs. whole food concentrates

I find myself explaining the difference between synthetic and whole food concentrate supplements almost every day. For this reason, I decided to dig back into the Red Clover Clinic Newsletter archive and republish this article with fresh information. I hope it will clear up any confusion on the subject.

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To achieve optimal health, my nutrition practice recommends a good, organic diet with supplementation from whole food concentrates, herbs, and homeopathic remedies. I am often asked to muscle-test the various vitamins that people are taking to see if the body likes them. Whether inexpensive vitamins from Target or very expensive ones from the local coop, these vitamins are synthetic. In almost every instance, synthetic vitamins don’t test well. They actually stress the body over time.

What’s the difference between synthetic vitamins and whole food concentrates?

Vitamin complexes were first identified in food in the early part of the 20th century. As the science of vitaminology developed, scientists identified, then isolated, what they thought was the active component in each vitamin complex. They then concentrated the individual component into a high potency pill. If some is good, more is better…right?

Nutrient isolates are produced in the same manner as pharmaceutical drugs. Furthermore, since the middle of the 20th century, these vitamins have been produced from chemicals, cheap oils, coal tar, corn starch, and petroleum.

There is a type of supplement that can be labeled a “whole food supplement” that is better than what is described above but still isn’t the same as a whole food concentrate. These are vitamins that have been cultured in yeast. To make this type of product, minerals and synthetic vitamins are “fed” to yeast. The yeast are then processed to form the supplement. The idea is that a cultured (pre-digested) product is more bioavailable. These supplements tend to have a lower potency than full synthetic vitamins, which makes them a little closer to what nature intended.

The best supplement choice, however, is whole food concentrates which, as the term implies, are concentrated whole foods. Why are they better than synthetic vitamins? They contain complete vitamin complexes as they are found in nature. They still have all of the cofactors (the individual parts of the complex) that act as catalysts, which makes them more absorbable and thus effective. The idea is that if you give the body the basic nutritional building blocks, it will be able to sustain normal function, healthy growth, and tissue repair. Standard Process is one of very few companies that produces a complete line of true whole-food supplements.

How do synthetic vitamins cause harm to the body?

Since synthetic vitamins are isolates, and lack the cofactors that the body needs to absorb them, the body’s stores of these cofactors are depleted. In other words, taking an isolate in a high potency causes relative deficiencies within the vitamin complex. Someone may initially feel improvement by taking a synthetic vitamin, but after a while, as the cofactors are depleted, they begin to feel worse. In fact, they may begin to experience symptoms of a deficiency of the very same vitamin they are taking. Furthermore, high-potency vitamins place stress on the organs of elimination (kidneys, liver, and bowels), just as any drug does. Ultimately, this will cause harm to the body.

How can you tell whether a supplement is synthetic or a whole food concentrate?

The best way to learn about a supplement is to read the label. Look below for a comparison of two labels. On the left you see a standard vitamin C label. It states that the C is in the form of ascorbic acid, which is an isolate, not the whole vitamin complex. You will also notice that each tablet contains 1000 mg of ascorbic acid, which is 1,667% of the recommended daily value. One small orange contains 51 mg of vitamin C. So one tablet of this supplement provides the equivalent of almost 20 oranges. I don’t think Mother Nature intended for someone to eat that many oranges in one sitting!

The whole food concentrate C complex label is very different, and possibly a bit confusing. One serving (3 tablets) provides you with 25% of the recommended daily value. The big actors in this supplement, the source of the vitamin C, are listed on the bottom half of the label. You’ll notice many different foods listed, all high in the C complex. They are in their whole food form, which is easy for the body to recognize and assimilate. More is not always better; it is the form that really counts.

When you can, eat whole foods. When you can’t, eat whole food concentrates. Bottom line: eat food, not chemicals!

The magic of minerals – Part 3

In the past two issues of the Red Clover Clinic Newsletter, I presented information about how common mineral dysregulation is and what effect it has on our health. In this installment of the series, I will lay down some basic principles of the Root Cause Protocol, designed by Morley Robbins.

The Root Cause Protocol is a list of steps to follow, with the purpose of balancing minerals and reducing inflammation. The primary mission is to manage iron levels and iron storage in order to reduce iron’s inflammatory effects on the body. I encourage you to reread the first and second installments of this series of articles, for more background information on why you would follow this protocol.

Phase 0

Phase 0 is a list of “STOPS.” There are several supplements to be avoided, such as iron, vitamin D, zinc, and calcium, as discussed in the second installment of this series.

Phase 0 also includes avoiding things that I regularly recommend avoiding, like high-fructose corn syrup; highly refined, commercial oils; and high-carbohydrate and processed foods. I strongly believe that everyone would be healthier if they avoided consuming highly refined, processed foods.

Phases 1-3

Phases 1-3 include many “STARTS.” The recommendations included in these phases are about adding certain foods and/or supplements to your diet, such as whole foods, trace mineral drops, whole-food vitamin C, cod liver oil, bee pollen, and others. All of these foods/supplements support basic nutrition and help to manage iron’s inflammatory effects.

Phase X

Phase X is a list of a few “STARTS,” things to do outside the realm of diet and dietary supplements. The two most important ones are donating blood and getting enough sunlight. Donating blood helps to guide iron out of the tissues, where it causes inflammation, and back into the blood.

Getting sunlight is the safest way to get vitamin D. As mentioned in the previous installment, taking vitamin D supplements can increase the storage of iron in the tissues. That’s why vitamin D supplements are also listed as a “STOP” in Phase 0.

By putting these phases into action, you can get your minerals balanced and decrease inflammation in your body. To learn more about this program and the science behind it, you can sign up for The Root Cause Protocol mailing list. They will send you a very complete instruction manual free of charge.

I have been incorporating much of this information and some of the recommended products into my Nutrition Response Testing work. So far, I have been pleased with the outcomes.

The magic of minerals – Part 2

The last issue of the newsletter was an introduction to the impact of minerals and mineral dysregulation on our health. To summarize, most of us are deficient in magnesium, due to stress, diet, environmental factors and aging, and iron accumulates in the tissues with age and other factors, causing inflammation. This interferes with energy production. Finally, we learned about basic mineral balancing and the importance of keeping magnesium, copper, calcium, and iron in balance.

The biochemistry of mineral balancing

This issue is devoted to the biochemistry of restoring proper mineral balance and the potential problems of supplementing with the minerals calcium, vitamin D, iron, and zinc. Let’s begin by reviewing the diagram from the last issue.

It is of primary importance to understand that minerals are a tightly regulated system, as  illustrated above. When you supplement with one mineral, you affect the status of another. This is true even of the mineral most of us are deficient in, magnesium. It is important, therefore, to understand the effects of the supplements you are taking, and know how to support the whole body, to prevent mineral dysregulation. With only some exceptions, foods are the best and safest forms of supplementation. 

Magnesium

Magnesium is the mineral of motion and energy. It is responsible for keeping the enzymatic functions of the body working, including the production and use of ATP (the energy carrier in our cells). Taking too much vitamin D, calcium, iron, and zinc interferes with magnesium absorption and retention. Magnesium supplementation lowers sodium, which causes a loss of potassium. This can cause the adrenal glands to “crash.” Restoring electrolytes in such a situation is critical, especially in cases of adrenal stress and fatigue.

Copper

Copper helps to carry warmth to the hands and feet. It aids in oxidizing iron in the body, and supporting the mitochondria in making energy. Copper needs to be paired with the enzyme ceruloplasmin to function and to guarantee that iron does what it should in the body. Too much iron breaks down the ability of copper and ceruloplasmin to keep the iron in check.

Calcium

Think of calcium as being the cement of the body. It is great when it is in our bones, but we don’t want it to deposit in our joints, muscles, kidneys and arteries. Magnesium helps to control calcium levels, and when magnesium is depleted, the calcium can deposit anywhere in the body. Taking an excess of vitamin D can also lead to calcium deposits in the body. Think osteoarthritis, atherosclerosis and kidney stones. Osteoporosis is actually more of an iron problem than a calcium problem, so taking calcium supplements to treat it is not addressing the root cause, and definitely doesn’t ensure that the calcium will be absorbed into the bones.

Iron

Iron in nature rusts. If we store too much iron, our tissues feel like they’re rusting, and we develop pain, creaky joints and inflammation. Of course we need iron, as it carries oxygen in our blood so that cells can produce energy. Too much iron, however, is detrimental to our health, and we tend to hang onto iron as we age. As discussed in the previous newsletter, we have become toxic in iron, due to fortification of our foods, high fructose corn syrup and GMO foods.

Common misinterpretations of blood tests and taking the wrong supplements

Are you taking vitamin D, iron or zinc supplements? You may want to rethink it. It is important to ask why the levels are low and fix the root problem. By supplementing these nutrients, you may be making the problem worse.

Vitamin D

If you supplement with vitamin D, it will compete with the retinol (vitamin A, which is a fat soluble nutrient from animal products) stored in the liver, and cause the iron storage to increase, ultimately causing more inflammation. Excess unbound iron will lead not only to magnesium deficiency and inflammation, but also low storage of vitamin D. Taking vitamin D will also lead to a calcium problem (as mentioned above), irritate the immune system, and ultimately deplete magnesium.

It has become common to have vitamin D levels tested when going to the doctor. The typical blood test for vitamin D is: Vitamin D 25-Hydroxy Blood Test. It tests the storage of vitamin D. This test frequently comes back low, and high doses of vitamin D are prescribed. In some cases, the prescription fails to increase the value of the storage vitamin D levels, and more is prescribed. It is important to also test the active vitamin D with this test: Vitamin D 1,25 Dihydroxy (Calcitriol) Blood Test. The ratio of these two tests is more important than one number alone. The active result should never be more than two times the storage result. By balancing iron and magnesium, the storage vitamin D value will typically come into the normal range.

Iron

It is common to be diagnosed with low hemoglobin (iron deficiency anemia) and/or low ferritin levels in your blood. The typical recommendation is to take iron supplements. The problem is that it is important to determine whether the anemia is due to a functional issue or if it is a true iron deficiency (most commonly due to blood loss). If you have low copper, you will have low functional iron, which is an anemia of chronic inflammation. The iron needs to be taken from the tissues and into the blood by balancing the minerals; taking iron supplements will only make the problem worse. Increasing magnesium, copper, and retinol in the diet should shift the iron out of the tissues, and increase the values of the hemoglobin and ferritin blood tests.

Zinc

Low zinc levels in the blood indicate an iron problem, as zinc competes with iron. If zinc is low, iron is high. If you supplement with zinc, it exacerbates the imbalance. Too much zinc can also cause a copper deficiency, which we saw above further contributes to iron issues. By handling the iron problem, the zinc levels should improve naturally.

How to balance minerals safely

In Part 3 of this article (January 2019), we’ll discuss the basic protocol of restoring mineral balance, primarily through food-based supplementation and avoiding problematic foods and supplements.

The magic of minerals – Part 1

Like many health practitioners, I learn a lot through exploring my own health and various treatments. My most recent health-related adventure has been all about minerals. I have always been taught that most of us are deficient in magnesium. I also knew through personal experience that taking too much magnesium can send you running to the bathroom! I also had the experience of a magnesium supplement causing acid reflux. The whole thing has been frustrating, and other than eating certain foods and topical applications, I wasn’t sure how to remedy the situation of deficient magnesium.

A couple of months ago I came across an interview with Morley Robbins, who is known as the “The Magnesium Man.” He examined peer-reviewed scientific literature from around the world and determined that magnesium deficiency is epidemic. The issue is more complicated than simply supplementing magnesium. Rather, due to conditions of modern life, we are also suffering from a deficiency in bio-available copper, which leads to an excess of unbound iron in the body. This excess of iron causes systemic inflammation.

Could all disease be caused by mineral dysregulation?

Morley makes the statement “There is no such thing as medical disease. There is only metabolic dysfunction, due to mineral dysregulation.” This may sound like a strong claim, but I do think there is a lot of truth to it. His claim is based on the fact that our energy, which is produced in our cells, is dependent on vital minerals and nutrients. If we are lacking in nutrients, our bodies can’t heal themselves. In other words, we need to balance our minerals in order to fix all other imbalances.

A lightbulb that went on for me when studying this information is the connection between minerals and connective tissue, and the fact that the gut is made up of connective tissue. Many of us are suffering from leaky gut issues and food sensitivities. See the July/August 2016 issue of the Red Clover Clinic Newsletter for more information about leaky gut.

It is such a struggle to heal a leaky gut. Merely avoiding certain foods to decrease inflammation and supplementing with pre- and pro-biotics to support the microbiome doesn’t seem to be the ultimate fix. The tissue in the gut won’t heal without restoring proper mineral regulation.

Why are we so deficient in magnesium?

There are many reasons we are so deficient in magnesium, but one of the biggest factors is stress. As soon as our bodies experience stress, we start losing magnesium. The modern world is so full of stress that our need for magnesium is huge. Often we experience stress as self-perpetuating. If we take a magnesium supplement or a bath with magnesium chloride or epsom salts, we are often able to experience some relaxation and rest, ultimately breaking the stress cycle.

Other factors that cause magnesium deficiency are:

• mineral depletion in the soil leading to mineral deficient foods

• fortification of calcium and iron in food

• fluoride in our water

• consumption of processed food, coffee, sugar, alcohol, and medications

Another thing we need to consider is that magnesium status drops as we go through life, and this trajectory accelerates as we get older.

Why is magnesium so important?

Magnesium is involved in over 300 different processes, including the production and use of ATP (the energy carrier in our cells). ATP doesn’t work without magnesium. Generally speaking, magnesium keeps enzymatic functions in the body working.

How does iron cause our bodies to rust?

Iron accumulates as we go through life. It is the mineral that ages us. It triggers further loss of magnesium, affects the mitochondria, and stops production of ATP. It causes the body to “rust,” signified in the breakdown of tissues, leading to pain and inflammation. Pathogens feed on iron, which is often why people struggle with chronic immune issues.

How did we become toxic in iron?

• 1941–Iron fortification of food began, mostly in wheat and wheat products.

• 1971–The amount of iron added to food increased by 50%, in spite of opposition by scientists.

• 1980s–Introduction of high fructose corn syrup – lowers copper and increases iron

• 1990s–Introduction of GMO foods – lowers copper and increases iron

Basic mineral balancing

Magnesium, copper, iron, and calcium need to remain in proper balance for normal metabolic function. (See image below.) Unfortunately, the modern diet, environment, and lifestyle, tend to decrease magnesium and copper, and increase iron and calcium stores. This imbalance leads to aging, from aches and pains to disease. As we go through life, magnesium and copper decrease and iron and calcium increase.  We should focus on restoring proper mineral balance rather than simply treating the symptoms of inflammation and disease.

How is this new information affecting my practice?

As I listened to the Morley Robbins interview, I knew that I had stumbled across something very important that would be helpful, not only to my health, but to the health of my clients. I quickly found someone I could work with who was trained by Morley and have made the decision to take his training the next time it is available. In the meantime, I have begun to add various parts of his protocol into my Nutrition Response Testing sessions, and have begun to see good results in the areas of immune and endocrine issues, fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, inflammation, and other conditions. It can take time to get the minerals balanced out, but once they are, symptoms can begin to improve quickly.

More information to come

In Part 2 of this article (November 2018), we’ll delve a little deeper into the biochemistry behind restoring proper mineral balance in our bodies. If you’re currently supplementing with vitamin D, iron, and/or zinc, take heed; the second installment will be of special interest to you. In Part 3 (January 2019), we’ll discuss the basic protocol of restoring mineral balance.