What Are Natural Vitamins and Nutrients and Are They Better Than Synthetic?

You get natural vitamins from food and synthetic vitamins are made synthetically or artificially. Both natural and synthetic vitamins have health benefits, but research shows that natural vitamins are better than synthetic ones.

Supplements can be of two types — natural and synthetic. Natural vitamins are ones you get from natural food sources like fruits and vegetables. The other type is synthetic vitamins, which are made synthetically or artificially. Both types provide you with essential nutrients and benefit you. But their activities may vary based on your body and lifestyle. 

So, which ones are better for you, natural or synthetic? 

Natural vitamins are concentrated nutrients obtained from whole food sources. They are present in food in complex forms attached to other nutrients and antioxidants called cofactors. Your body recognizes these nutrients and breaks them down to absorb them. They are small in size and don’t have a crystalline structure, which makes them easy to use by your body.

Natural vitamins can also be manufactured from natural sources and made into pills, powders, liquids, and so on as supplements. 

Examples of natural vitamins

Fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients like fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other bioactive compounds. Many fruits and vegetables such as apples, oranges, tomatoes, carrots, and green leafy vegetables contain vitamins like vitamins A, C, E, and folate. These are beneficial for your health. They boost your immune system and protect your body from diseases and infection.

Beans and legumes. Beans and legumes are great sources of protein and fiber. They also contain nutrients like vitamin A, C, and folate, and various bioactive ingredients like antioxidants.

Nuts and Seeds. Nuts and seeds are high in healthy fats, minerals, and antioxidants. They are a rich source of nutrients, including vitamin E, folate, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and vitamin B3.

Whole Grains. Whole grains have many nutrients like fiber, minerals, and vitamins. They mainly contain B vitamins and vitamin E.

Meat, poultry, and fish. Animal food sources are rich in minerals like iron and vitamin B12.

Most commercially available vitamin supplements are made artificially or synthetically. Synthetic vitamins are made in a laboratory from coal tar and have no natural ingredients. They are crystal-like molecules without cofactors. They are slightly bigger than natural vitamins. They are made in capsule, pill, tablet, powdered, or liquid form. They are also available as multivitamins, which include a mix of various nutrients.

Their structure changes their bioavailability or how your body absorbs and uses them. But they are like natural vitamins and are capable of the same function in our bodies. They are cheaper to produce and are purer than natural vitamins.

Examples of synthetic vitamins

Here’s a list of different synthetic vitamins corresponding to their natural form:

• Vitamin A. Synthetic retinoids like retinyl acetate or palmitate
• Vitamin B1 or thiamine. Thiamine hydrochloride or thiamine mononitrate
• Vitamin B2 or riboflavin. Synthetic riboflavin
• Vitamin B3 or niacin. Synthetic niacin made using formaldehyde and ammonia
• Vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid. Synthetic pantothenate as a calcium or sodium salt
• Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine. Synthetic pyridoxine hydrochloride
• Vitamin B9 or folate. Pteroylglutamic acid
• Vitamin B12. Cyanocobalamine is made by fermenting vitamin B12 with cyanide
• Vitamin C. Synthetic ascorbic acid without bioflavonoids
• Vitamin D. Synthetic vitamin D3
• Vitamin E or tocopherol. Synthetic all-rac tocopherol
• Vitamin H or biotin. Synthetic biotin made from fumaric acid
• Vitamin K. Dihydro-vitamin K processed during the hydrogenation of oils

Both natural and synthetic vitamins have health benefits. But research shows that natural vitamins are better than synthetic ones. 

A wholesome, nutrient-rich, and plant-based diet will provide you with all the natural vitamins you need. Natural sources offer concentrated vitamins bound to other beneficial nutrients like bioflavonoids or antioxidants, which boost their uptake and activity in your body. In contrast, the absorption of synthetic vitamins varies from person to person. They are absorbed and show benefits like natural vitamins in some, while they have no effects in others. 

Studies also show synthetic vitamins can act opposite to natural, food-based vitamins. They can lead to symptoms of vitamin deficiency and have ill health effects in some.

Vitamin A. Reports show that supplementing more than 10,000 international units of synthetic vitamin A or retinyl acetate per day in pregnant women can increase the rate of developmental problems in babies. It can also lead to liver damage or cirrhosis. But having natural vitamin A and its precursor beta-carotene from food helps both the mother and child.

Vitamins B2 and B12. An animal study showed that natural vitamin B2 is absorbed in the blood and retained in the liver 1.92 times more than synthetic riboflavin. Another animal study showed that complex vitamin B12 in food is absorbed and retained better in the body than its synthetic version, cyanocobalamine. Research also shows that synthetic vitamin B12 may have the opposite effect of natural vitamin B12 and may lead to deficiency. 

Vitamin C. Evidence also suggests that natural vitamin C in citrus fruits breaks down slower than synthetic vitamin C or ascorbic acid. Natural vitamin C is always bound to bioflavonoids, which facilitate its absorption and activity. They are antioxidant molecules that increase vitamin C absorption in your body by 30%. But vitamin C produced in a lab doesn’t contain bioflavonoids.

Vitamin E. A human study revealed that natural vitamin E is absorbed and stored in the body two times better than synthetic vitamin E. Another study using human urine samples showed that natural vitamin E is better absorbed than synthetic tocopherol. Animal research also showed that synthetic vitamin E is associated with an increased risk of tumor formation compared to natural vitamin E.

However, synthetic vitamins have health benefits, especially if you have nutrient deficiencies. They are useful in older people, who may develop vitamin D or B12 deficiency due to less food intake. 

Vegans or vegetarians are prone to vitamin B12 deficiency due to a lack of animal products in their diet. Supplementation with synthetic vitamins can help them restore vitamin B12 levels. Also, pregnant and breastfeeding women need folate, vitamin D, and vitamin A supplements in regulated amounts for the proper development of their babies.

Avoid taking supplements that exceed the recommended daily dose of specific nutrients. Vitamin C and B vitamins are water-soluble. If you have an excess of them, they are flushed out of your body through urine. But vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble. They get stored in the body, and high levels can cause hypervitaminosis or vitamin toxicity. Also, research shows that having synthetic multivitamins can increase cancer risk.

To avoid the risks associated with synthetic vitamins, include more sources of natural vitamins in your diet, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Talk to your doctor to check if you need extra supplements. Take supplements according to the dose mentioned on the pack for safety.