The debate between supplements or whole foods, this is a fair question and for good reasons. I would like to believe you know what’s the better choice between the 2 here, however many people feel the 2 offer the same valuable nutrients, but do they?

We are going to take a deep look into the pros and cons of supplements, when you should take them, the difference between supplement brands and why is eating a balance healthy diet better than taking a daily pill?

This multi-billion-dollar industry has consumers hooked on the idea that supplementation is not only normal for your overall well-being but it has people thinking that it is part of a balanced diet. Consumers are being presented a large number of products, brands, and formulations, distributed through a wide variety of marketing channels and most of the time people are unsure as to why they are taking them at all.  

let’s break it down for some clarity

Although this article is mainly based on how the body processes vitamin and mineral with supplements, it certainly also refers to the broad range of supplements on the market including protein powders, amino acids, collagen, super food blends, tinctures & botanical blends. 

Getting the right amounts and variety of vitamins and minerals is crucial for a range of complex processes in our body. Most people who take supplements take them as an assurance against deficiencies, which is an effective way with dealing with deficiencies quickly if and when you have a deficiency or if your immune system is compromised, however some people are also taking them without exactly knowing if they require a boost or not.

I am certainly not against supplements, I do take some myself due to my choices in dietary intake, however if and where possible I would always try to eat my nutrients over a supplementation mainly due to the fact that food is health it is a fuel source and nutrients are absorbed differently by the body when eaten as a whole food. 

While I must add, that yes you could get your nutrients from taking vitamin supplements, it’s best to improve the diet before using supplements as vitamins and minerals are most potent when they come from food. In food, they are accompanied by many other beneficial nutrients, including hundreds of carotenoids, flavonoids, minerals, and antioxidants that aren’t in most supplements. 

Dietary supplements (DS) are a broad category of products that contain a “dietary ingredient”, such as vitamins, minerals, herbals, botanicals, amino acids, fatty acids, and others that may be used individually or in combination. They are meant to be consumed to supplement one’s diet and fulfill basic nutritional needs, and they are categorised according to their type or function. Although people take dietary supplements for different reasons, the most significant drivers of intake include ensuring proper nutrition, reducing the risk of age-related disorders, and protecting body tissues. It is important to add that supplements do not hold the same nutrients as food, vegetables contain phytochemicals which a supplement can simply not contain.

The closer something is to its natural state the better it is for you, and vitamins and minerals are in their natural state in foods, not supplements. 

food V’s supplement

There is no hiding that eating a balanced diet of natural whole foods may help manage and prevent many lifestyle factors including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer along with longevity. These benefits have been linked to the wide range of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemical, fibre and fatty acids found in whole foods.

What is a phytochemical? 

Phytochemicals are substances found in plant foods that contribute significantly to the flavour and colour of foods. These substances are usually classified as polyphenols, terpenes, sulphur-containing compounds, nitrogen-containing compounds. 

Numerous studies over the last decades have demonstrated these substances play an immeasurable role in physiological regulation and disease prevention through their actions in antioxidation, anti-inflammation, antiaging, antivirus, anticancer, cardiovascular protection, immunity regulation, improvement of metabolic functions just to name a few. 

Generally, plant-based foods that are rich in phytochemicals include whole grains, vegetables and fruits, nuts, and legumes.

Dietary supplement may help you improve or maintain your overall health, while filling nutritional gaps, especially for those with medical conditions and dietary restrictions. However, getting the majority of our nutritional intake from real food comes with many benefits.

1. Vitamins and minerals in whole foods come grouped with a variety of other nutrients that your body needs including antioxidants 
2. Fruit and vegetables contain dietary fibre which help support your gut function and how other compounds are absorbed
3. Whole foods contain antioxidants which defend against cell damage and free radicals
4. Optimal nutrient absorption – real, whole foods contain a wide variety of nutrients we need, often paired with other compounds that help our bodies absorb and use them efficiently.
5. Fuelling your body with nutrient-dense food will sustain energy levels and satiate your hunger for loner periods of time. 

It may be easier to ingest a supplement each day, which is fine when you are feeling run down or when you are low on time, but it is vital if you are concerned about your overall health to eat a nutritious combination of all food groups. 

The body typically won’t absorb nutrients in supplements the same way as it absorbs them through a diet of whole foods. When we eat real food, we’re not just consuming single nutrients, but rather a range of vitamins, minerals, fats and proteins that work synergistically in our bodies. How well you absorb a supplement depends on its quality, your diet and your gut health. 

How to choose the right supplement

The vitamin and supplement industry is absolutely booming, it has become one of the biggest industries world-wide, and with so many brands competing with each other, how do you know what brand to take?

When supplementing, it is key to read the packaging, read the actual quantity of the vitamin or mineral present in each supplement. And are the supplements synthetic or natural? 

The majority of supplements available on the market today are made artificially. These include vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and amino acids. 

They can be taken in pill, capsule, tablet, powder or liquid form, and are made to mimic the way natural nutrients act in our bodies.

Supplements come in 2 forms: natural & synthetic

Here’s the difference between natural and synthetic nutrients

• Natural supplements: these are harder to come by, but are very beneficial when taken in a supplement form. They come from a variety of wholefood sources (fruit, vegetables, spices, herbs, algae, seeds, whole animal protein sources, amongst many others). These natural supplements are extracted from a natural source and contain a variety of other beneficial nutrients and co-factors. They are often obtained more easily by the body and are usually considered safe.
• Synthetic nutrients: Also referred to as isolated nutrients, these are made artificially, with chemicals, created in a laboratory and are often isolated from their co-factors. They may not be as easily absorbed or utilised by the body as natural vitamins.

To figure out if your supplement is synthetic or natural, check your label. Natural supplements usually list food sources or are labelled as 100% plant or animal-based.

Natural sources of vitamins are generally considered superior to lab made ones, due to the presence of their beneficial macronutrients and better recognition and absorption by the body.  

The word “supplement” itself describes how we should think of them – supplementary to a healthy, whole-foods diet. 

Should I take a multi vitamin or an individual supplement?

This question is a HUGE one, and it all comes down to the individual and the supplement brand. The convenience of a multi vitamin can be a lot more accessible for many people yet it’s really crucial to read the breakdown on the back of the label to see how much of the daily intake each vitamin is providing you for each dose. When it comes to multi vitamins they really are not all the same. 

I’m not saying all multi vitamins are bad for you or made up the same, but from experience I have noted personally from researching that some multi vitamins barely contain the nutrients you should be taking each day, so this is where the difference lies. 

If you can find yourself a multi vitamin which will provide you all of the nutrients you are seeking to obtain then this could be a great choice for you. But otherwise, it may be just 1 or 2 nutrients you are lacking in your diet, so topping yourself up with an individual nutrient in a supplement form is all you need to take, like I said, its really what your body needs at the moment. And that’s another thing, you may not need to take a particular supplement for the rest of your life, you may just be needing it for a short period of time, this is where you should be seeking advice from your health care provider. 

Timing Your supplements

You can take your vitamins any time of the day. Its important to know that your body will absorb some of its vitamins better with food, so you may want to take it with a meal or a snack. You’ll also avoid the upset stomach that you can get when you take it on an empty stomach. 

Water soluble vitamins 

Water dissolves them, and your body doesn’t store them, so mostly its typically fine to take these every day. They can be taken with or without food, with one exception: You’ll absorb B12 better with a meal. 

Reminder, vitamin C (and this includes juices such as OJ or tomato juice) should not be taken with your B vitamins and if you are taking both C & B in a supplement form put at least 2 hours between them to ensure you’re getting your B vitamins absorbed properly. 

Fat soluble vitamins 

Vitamins A, D, E, and K are absorbed better with fat from a meal. But saying this, you don’t need a lot of fat, and generally speaking I am not suggesting saturated fat. The healthy plant-based kind you find in foods like avocado or nuts will do just fine.

Minerals

Minerals don’t usually get as much attention as vitamins, however they are super important, they are building blocks to a healthy and functional body. And, with depleted soil and increasing environmental stress, minerals are running drastically low in many people, so sometimes a supplement may be required for deficiencies. 

The timing of taking minerals really does vary between them all, most of the time they are best taken any time during the day, with some exceptions such as magnesium can also be taken at night to help provide a better sleep. 

There are some which do prefer to be taken with food, including zinc, magnesium and calcium (but with different meals) while others are best to be taken after eating such as  potassium.

Blending supplements 

There are several vitamins and minerals which work well when taken together and there are also several supplements which do not work well together, generally it’s an absorption interference or an effect on physiological function. This is especially important when they are all combined in a multi vitamins. 

Vitamins and minerals you should avoid taking together include

• Vitamin C (including fruits and vegetables) and B vitamins – vitamin C can break down the B vitamins, especially B12
• Iron and calcium – these compete for absorption and don’t work well together. Take them at different times, morning and evening, for best efficacy
• Iron and zinc – these compete for absorption and don’t work well together. Take them at different times, morning and evening, for best efficacy
• Iron and vitamin D – taking vitamin D can decrease your iron levels. Take them at different times, morning and evening, for best efficacy
• Vitamin E and vitamin K, fish oils/omega-3 – as these vitamins may impact blood vessel health in those on certain medications
• Calcium and magnesium – calcium can compete or interfere with magnesium

Vitamins and minerals which complement each other

• Vitamin C and zinc – both have amazing antioxidant properties which support immune system function
• Vitamin C and iron – vitamin C can aid Iron absorption from both food sources and supplements
•  Vitamin D and vitamin K2 – They have important roles in balancing the amount of Calcium in your body.Taking D and K2 together can support both bone health and heart health.
• Vitamin D and Omega-3s – Vitamin D doesn’t just support bone health, it also helps regulate your body’s immune response. Taking Vitamin D with a fat-containing meal or snack can enhance absorption. 

Who needs supplements?

There are certain groups of people who should take vitamin supplements, yet once again it is all individualised. 

Pregnant women need more iron and folic acid (vitamin B9) than they would normally get in their diet.

Vegans nearly always need to supplement or eat foods fortified with B12, along with iron supplements as these are nutrients that are not easily available in plant-based diets – although many know how to incorporate it. And vitamin D, especially if they’re not getting much sun exposure.

People on long-term restrictive weight loss diets may need a good quality multivitamin as it can be difficult to meet their nutritional needs through such restrictive eating.

People with certain diseases or health problems such as gastrointestinal disorders, coeliac disease, cystic fibrosis or pancreatitis may need to supplement.

People who live in areas where there is little to no sunlight Vitamin D deficiencies are very common in people who live in cold and wet areas it can also be quite common even in Australia. Our bodies create vitamin D when our skin is exposed to sunlight but this doesn’t work as well if you’re wearing sunscreen. 

During summer, most Australians get their vitamin D need covered in just a few minutes of sun exposure every day. This need for sun exposure increases throughout autumn and winter.

supplement saftey

If you’re taking vitamin supplements, make sure you follow the intake guidelines. Too much of a fat-soluble vitamin (as opposed to water-soluble vitamins B’s & C) like A, D, E and K can be toxic, as these build up and are stored in the body – as can iron if you take too much. Water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body, any excess water-soluble vitamins such as B vitamins and vitamin C are excreted in the urine, so are unlikely to accumulate in the body to dangerous levels.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) regulate the sale of vitamins in Australia and any product on shelves need to be pre-approved as safe for consumption. However, the TGA’s approval of supplements only relates to whether the product contains ingredients that are safe to consume – not whether it will do what it states on the bottle.

So, if you buy your supplements from a known brand here in Australia you can be pretty sure it’s safe to ingest as recommended by the manufacturer. But when it comes down to the supplement providing you with the specific nutrients you are seeking sometimes it’s best to seek guidance from your naturopath, Dietitian or GP. 

While many people overestimate the positive impact a supplement will have, it’s also imperative to mention the danger of underestimating the power of a supplement’s active ingredients. Just because something is “natural,” does not mean it’s safe for everyone. For example, some vitamins cannot be taken with certain medications as the mixture of the 2 can have serious health implications, once again it’s always a good start when changing your health with supplements to seek guidance first. 

the bottom line 

In my opinion, when deciding if you should be taking any form of supplementation it is best to first see your health practitioner to see if you actually do have any deficiencies prior to supplementation and then go from there.

It’s important to remember that a supplement is, exactly that! it is too short term supplement the diet for something you are lacking, it is not to replace eating nutritious health food. But if you know that you are lacking some of the important nutrients in your diet, then yes, supplementing is perfectly fine until you get your deficiencies under wrap. I would however do some research on the type of supplement you want to take whether is a synthetic or natural supplement, remember not all supplements are made equally.

Generally speaking, price should not make one product better compared to another, yet….. Sometimes you do get what you pay for, example being a supermarket supplement compared to a health store supplement will vary in price and so too will the quality. Staff in a health store are great people to ask questions too, they are trained and knowledgeable about their products if you get yourself a little confused about what you’re looking at. 

The consensus among most health professionals is that an average, healthy person should get most or all of their nutritional needs met through a balanced diet. However, supplements do still have their place! Those with diagnosed nutrient deficiencies can definitely benefit from supplementation. 

The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinion of the author, which has been researched through a variety of integrated health modalities.

The information on this website is not intended to replace the relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. The articles are intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience which has come from a variety of health practitioners in their individual fields.

Kin daily, encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your personal health journey with the guidance of a qualified health care practitioner.