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Posted by Carlos on October 29, 1998 at 17:18:29:
In Reply to: What's the difference? posted by rpcman on October 29, 1998 at 16:25:58:
rpcman wrote:
I've never understood the difference. Of course natural foods have additional benefits like fiber, calories, etc., but what is the difference between say 5 mg of vitamin C in natural vs. supplemental forms? Same exact vitamins, right?
There is a whole body of literature on food combinations and vitamin absorption (I know this not because I've read any of it but because my wife has). So, questions of purity aside, one difference may be that vitamins in their natural state are better absorbed by the body than are supplements. Your body may, in fact, prefer vitamin C in the form of broccoli as opposed to a pill.
Also, there are vast differences in quality among various vitamin and mineral supplements. Take calcium for example. The most commonly available form is calcium carbonate, which may not be as easily absorbed as other forms such as calcium citrate. Also, calcium carbonate can be made from oyster shells, which can contain trace amounts of toxic minerals such as lead and mercury. Or, even worse, it can be made from bone meal - no way with what I've read about BSE that I'll be ingesting any bone meal voluntarily.
The bottom line is that just downing a few pills a day probably isn't enough - research is required - or at least a wife who has done it for you. :)
The link below is to a discussion about the various forms of calcium.
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