If you are like me, then you might not have time to eat nutritious meals throughout your day. Instead, you might take nutrient supplements or consume a beverage packed full of excess vitamins and minerals in order to offset the lack of real food. However, I wonder what effect, if any, this habitual intake of nutrient supplements has on my health. Sitting next to me is a can of [redacted], which could be classified as an energy drink and downstairs I have a bottle of multivitamin gummies. These products serve as transportation media for caffeine, vitamins, and minerals. In one serving of these products, there are vitamins and minerals that are delivered in 100%-1000% of the Daily Value (DV) established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 1000% of the recommended DV of a vitamin in one serving seems a bit excessive. But what role do supplements serve you may ask. Well supplements serve as convenient ways to counter nutrient deficiencies, which enhance overall health. You get all your essential vitamins and minerals from one source rather than several sources. But before we continue, let’s discuss what some of the most common vitamins do and why they are important. The three that are most common amongst energy beverages and vitamin supplements are riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin B12.
Riboflavin, also called B2, is normally found in dairy products, lean meats (like beef, pork, fish), vegetables (like spinach and asparagus) and some grains. B2 is the precursor to flavin mononucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide, both of which are coenzymes. Coenzymes assist our enzymes in performing their normal function and catalytic activity. This reliance on coenzymes is why they are often referred to as essential vitamins because our bodies do not produce them on their own. Some critical metabolic regulating enzymes require riboflavin and its derivatives to function, for example glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase which is involved in triglyceride synthesis.
Niacin, also called B3, is found in meats, nuts, grains, carrots, peaches, and some other foods high in protein. Niacin plays a role in energy metabolism and maintaining healthy skin tissue. Between 1902 and 1940, millions of Americans had been diagnosed with a condition called pellagra. Today we now know that pellagra was caused by niacin-deficient diets, which is why some of our foods are enriched with niacin.
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is found in animal liver, cow milk, and soybeans. However, it is exclusively synthesized by microorganisms like pseudomonas denitrificans and Propionibacterium shermanii. Vitamin B12 is mainly important for nerve function and red blood cell production. Cobalamin is involved in many complex mechanisms that won’t be discussed here in this blog.
Now that we know a little about these three essential vitamins and why they are important, it makes sense why so many people gravitate towards supplements and why they seem to have become so common. However, supplements should never replace real food, and they probably shouldn’t be taken at such high concentration as regularly as they are. Real, whole food tends to provide a complex matrix of nutrients and bioactive compounds that work synergistically, such as vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, and phytochemicals, which is what enables the nutrients to be better absorbed by our bodies. A good example of this is found in broccoli which contains vitamin C and iron. Vitamin C enhances iron absorption, which is a naturally occurring instance of synergy between vitamins and minerals in real food. Therefore, the common consensus among health professionals is that supplements should complement, but not replace food in your diet.
We’ve discussed what they are, where they are from, and the benefits of having supplements, but what are the downsides; let’s talk about those. Most vitamins provided in supplements tend to be water-soluble vitamins and not fat soluble which means any excess not absorbed by the body gets filtered out through urine and not stored in fat cells. Which sounds safe at first, our bodies take what they need and eliminate the rest. However, the very presence of some nutrients and their byproducts can trigger genetic switches within our genome because genes control how we absorb, utilize, and process vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Some studies have shown that when we consume excessive amounts of specific nutrients, our bodies can downregulate endogenous synthesis or upregulate gene expression of complementary components needed to break down nutrients which may have secondary functions that aren’t needed in the absence of real food.
In closing, while supplements offer convenience and targeted support, they should never overshadow the importance of real foods. Our bodies thrive on the intricate dance of nutrients found in animal meat, vegetables, grains, and fruits. So, remember to fuel yours with a harmonious blend of nutrients from the plate, not just the pill.
References:
“Vitamins: Water and Fat Soluble.” 2020. The Medical Biochemistry Page. May 18, 2020. https://themedicalbiochemistrypage.org/vitamins-water-and-fat-soluble/.
Ritchie, Hannah, and Max Roser. 2017. “Micronutrient Deficiency.” Our World in Data. August 2017. https://ourworldindata.org/micronutrient-deficiency.
News.bbc.co.uk. 2002. “Warning on Vitamin Use,” August 30, 2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2225150.stm.
Wooltorton, Eric. 2003. “Too Much of a Good Thing? Toxic Effects of Vitamin and Mineral Supplements.” CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal 169 (1): 47–48. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC164945/#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20magnesium%20can%20cause
Cari Nierenberg. 2022. “Taking Too Many Vitamins? Side Effects of Vitamin Overdosing.” WebMD. March 6, 2022. https://www.webmd.com/diet/effects-of-taking-too-many-vitamins.
Department of Health & Human Services. 2022. “Vitamin and Mineral Supplements.” Www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au. August 7, 2022. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/vitamin-and-minerals.
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