Synthetic Vitamins: How Much Can They Help You

We live in fast times and we rarely have the opportunity to dedicate ourselves to our well being. We are constantly under stress, minding every minute we spend and making sure we spend it wisely. We do not sleep enough, we do not eat enough and, to make matters worse, we do not eat healthy food. The useful nutrients our ancestors consumed on a daily basis (and which, due to evolutionary processes, our bodies crave and demand us to consume in the same quantities) are rarely available in the types of (fast) food we eat.

Our lifestyle is rarely our own choice

rnThe need for supplements in the diet of a modern human being is a real one. Although the ideal scenario would be that we all eat healthy, organic food full of minerals, vitamins and other things necessary for our bodies to function normally, the truth is - many of us simply cannot afford it. The money is rarely a problem, though - it is our lifestyle which prevents us from taking proper care of ourselves. And changing our lifestyle is easier said than done. After all, we can’t all abandon cities and go to villages to spend the rest of our lives being organic farmers.

Controversial controversy

rnSynthetic vitamins are a controversial topic in the medical circles and every now and then some doctor is here to tell us it is better to eat oranges then to take Vitamin C pills. While no sane human being would be able to deny the benefits of fresh fruit, the question is: In today’s world, with all the physical and mental stress we suffer every day, do we maybe require more than a simple fruit can offer us? The fact is, although the vitamins which are in fresh fruit tend to be more effective than their synthetic counterparts, vitamin pills usually contain hundreds of times bigger quantities of vitamins, thus making up for the effectiveness. The price is also an important factor, since, say, a thousand oranges costs much more than a bottle of vitamins from popular budget producers, like Swisse.

Where supplemental vitamins are irreplaceable

rnThe benefits of synthetically produced vitamins are particularly obvious in fighting annoying illnesses such as common cold. When fighting a cold it is crucial that we take as many vitamins as possible and some doctors suggest that the best tactic in this case is to combine natural vitamins from fruits with supplements. Supplements are also highly recommended to pregnant or breastfeeding women and even to women who are only trying to conceive. Furthermore, old people and people with dark skin are recommended to take Vitamin D supplementation, while children up to the age of 5 (and older than six months) should augment their diet with supplemental vitamins A, B and D.

So, should we be afraid of them?

rnThe short answer is - not at all. If we take care to combine supplemental vitamins with eating a fruit every now and then, as well as practice moderation (as it goes with everything else) and take only the vitamins we need, we will make sure we get the best out of both worlds.