Is it better to get nutrients from supplements or food?

What is the truth behind the food vs. supplements debate? When should you take supplements? It is so important to understand the pros and cons in order to make decisions that will benefit your health, help you achieve balance and at the same time save you money!

Whole foods contain a whole range of vitamins, minerals and micronutrients that allow optimal absorption of nutrients in the body. On the other hand, it is still not fully understood how well synthetic nutrients and supplements are absorbed and used in the body. Therefore, without the additional nutrients that are usually found in food, synthetic supplements are not very likely to be absorbed in the body like nutrients from natural food are absorbed.

Although the vitamins and minerals found in food are easier to absorb, but supplements may be appropriate in some situations:

Individuals following a vegan diet might be at risk for nutritional deficiencies such as vitamin D, zinc, iron, omega-3, vitamin B-12 and calcium, where fortified foods and appropriate supplementation should be considered. Nutritional deficiencies can also affect individuals who follow any type of diet that restricts a whole category of foods.
Supplements may be beneficial if you have a medical condition that affects your ability to absorb and use nutrients.
Women who are pregnant or planning to get pregnant should consider prenatal supplements and folate to help with fetal growth and development.
Women who have heavy bleeding during their menstrual cycle are at risk of developing iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anaemia.
Athletes may need specific supplements to optimize physical performance.
Older adults who are at risk of malnourishment can also benefit from supplementation.

It’s crucial to remember that they are called supplements for a reason. They are meant to complement your diet and NOT to replace whole meals or food groups. If you decide to include a vitamin or mineral supplement in your diet, you must remember to:

• Check with your dietitian and health practitioner to help you get a sense of what you might be missing, and to avoid any drug interactions with prescription medications.

• A health practitioner can also help you get your micronutrient levels tested to figure out the exact supplements and doses needed specifically for your body, as excess intake of some supplements can be harmful.

• Check your supplement labels to see what nutrients are included, the doses and serving sizes and information about the manufacturer.

• Keep in mind that some nutrients can help each other out by boosting absorption. For example, vitamin D helps absorb calcium and vitamin C enhances non-heme iron absorption.

Getting the nutrients you need from food is the best way to get all the micronutrients your body requires. However, there are times where supplements are required. Medical conditions, pregnancy, athletic performance are examples of cases where supplementation might be beneficial. Nonetheless, supplements should be personally tailored to your needs and should not be taken without the full understanding of what you might be missing or without consulting a dietitian or health practitioner.

References

Association Among Dietary Supplement Use, Nutrient Intake, and Mortality Among U.S. Adults: A Cohort Study Fan Chen 1 , Mengxi Du 2 , Jeffrey B Blumberg 2 , Kenneth Kwan Ho Chui 3 , Mengyuan Ruan 4 , Gail Rogers 5 , Zhilei Shan 6 , Luxian Zeng 2 , Fang Fang Zhang 2
Health benefits of fruit and vegetables are from additive and synergistic combinations of phytochemicals - Rui Hai Liu
Human plasma and tissue alpha-tocopherol concentrations in response to supplementation with deuterated natural and synthetic vitamin E G W Burton 1 , M G Traber, R V Acuff, D N Walters, H Kayden, L Hughes, K U Ingold
How prevalent is vitamin B(12) deficiency among vegetarians? Roman Pawlak 1 , Scott James Parrott, Sudha Raj, Diana Cullum-Dugan, Debbie Lucus.
Oral nutritional supplements in a randomised trial are more effective than dietary advice at improving quality of life in malnourished care home residents Emma L Parsons 1 , Rebecca J Stratton 2 , Abbie L Cawood 1 , Trevor R Smith 3 , Marinos Elia