| Taking dietary supplements will ensure that you | | | | body can more easily get rid of any excess. |
| get all of the nutrients you need to stay healthy. | | | | - With synthetic products, all you get is the |
| But are natural supplements better than synthetic | | | | "chemical" that has been synthesized, but with |
| supplements? | | | | natural products, you get additional nutrients. |
| Natural dietary supplements are made from | | | | Even with these differing opinions, scientific data |
| natural ingredients that have not been chemically | | | | has provided us with conclusive facts about three |
| or falsely enhanced in any way. The natural | | | | particular supplements - vitamin E, beta carotene, |
| ingredients can come from nutrient sources, plant | | | | and folic acid. |
| herbal sources, or animal sources. Natural dietary | | | | Studies have shown that the natural forms of |
| supplements contain no artificial flavors, colors, | | | | vitamin E and beta carotene are superior to the |
| preservatives, coatings or fillers. | | | | synthetic forms. Natural vitamin E is better |
| Synthetic dietary supplements are made from | | | | retained and more biologically active than synthetic |
| artificial ingredients that have been created in a | | | | vitamin E. Beta-carotene is a natural form of |
| laboratory. The artificial ingredients copy natural | | | | vitamin A that is safer than synthetic vitamin A |
| ingredients, that is, they have a similar or identical | | | | because any excess beta-carotene is easily |
| molecular structure to natural ingredients. | | | | flushed from the body so that it can't build up to |
| There is limited scientific research on whether | | | | toxic levels. Not so with synthetic vitamin A that |
| natural supplements are better than synthetic | | | | can become toxic in high doses. With regard to |
| supplements, so doctors, nutritionists, and other | | | | folic acid, the synthetic form is absorbed better |
| health experts have varying opinions on this issue. | | | | than the natural form is. |
| Here are some of the key opinions that are often | | | | The bottom line with regard to natural versus |
| expressed: | | | | synthetic supplements is that until more scientific |
| - Synthetic products are less effective than | | | | research is conducted, you have to use your own |
| natural products because the artificial ingredients | | | | judgment when selecting all but the |
| they contain are not assimilated by the body as | | | | aforementioned three supplements. But regardless |
| well as natural ingredients. | | | | of whether you choose natural or synthetic |
| - Synthetic products are just as effective as | | | | supplements, make sure that you only purchase |
| natural products because the artificial ingredients | | | | your supplements from a reputable company with |
| they contain have similar or identical molecular | | | | a proven track record of producing safe, |
| structure to natural ingredients. | | | | effective, high quality products. |
| - Natural products are safer to use because your | | | | |