Dr. Brandy Victory, Nederland. Many people take some kind of synthetic B-vitamin. The “Vitamin B Complex”, sold in a variety of forms, claims to help boost energy, increase muscle tone, fortify the nervous system, etc. Where people get lost is not understanding the difference between “synthetic vitamins” and “vitamins rich in whole vitamin complexes”.  

You see, you will never go outside and pick a vitamin B6, however, you can eat foods high in B6 and fortify your system with a more natural approach. Having the whole-food complex is a much more viable source since within it you have all the biochemicals that your body needs to absorb the B-vitamins themselves.  

Vitamins, unlike drugs, are living complexes and it’s critical to get the enzymes, co-enzymes, and minerals that make up a naturally occurring vitamin complex. The other benefit of deriving vitamins from real food is that you always get more than what’s on the label.  

Most labels list vitamins like B1 Thiamine, B2 Riboflavin or B3 Niacin, but what’s missing are the other nutrients that often gets shoved aside as unimportant. In an isolated vitamin like Centrum, One-A-Day, etc, they don’t add that stuff in because it’s simply all chemicals, really no different than a drug.  Actually, most isolated chemical vitamins are made by the drug companies!  

Synthetic ingredients are much cheaper to produce in a laboratory, and many times toxic chemicals, like coal tar derivatives and/or GMO corn are used to process things like synthetic B-vitamins.  That means you’re getting more than you paid for, but not necessarily in a good way. So, depending on how your B-vitamins are processed and manufactured, you may not be getting exactly what you need. 

Look for whole-food complexes in your vitamins (often found at our awesome Nederland Co-op or Natural Grocers) and go with a brand that carries the seal of USP or NSF, two nonprofit organizations that certify that vitamins are contaminant free and made according to good manufacturing practices.

The other thing to consider is your large intestine possesses specific and efficient uptake systems to absorb a number of water-soluble vitamins and if yours isn’t working well you may be missing out on absorption of many different nutrients. Issues like constipation, irritable bowel, food sensitivities, diarrhea, and heartburn are all indications that you have a GI problem. These things can be treated and is essential for you to have a healthy body. Improve your diet with more vegetables, fiber and teas to facilitate better detoxification can be helpful too.

Lastly, there’s a metabolic process called “methylation” which is how your B-vitamins are metabolized. It’s becoming common to see people who have a genetic predisposition to methylation problems therefore cannot adequately metabolize B-vitamins. There is a way around it though. You can actually buy methylated B-vitamins that are essentially “pre-digtested” so they are much easier to absorb.  Very cool! These types are not typically in a whole-food form, but whatever it takes to ensure you are filling those nutrition gaps is important.

All in all these are easy ways to ensure you are having your best chance as absorption. Know you are worth taking the extra time and money to take care of yourself. What’s the point of taking vitamins if they aren’t working or you are becoming more toxic in the process? You certainly don’t want to look back and say “I wish I would have…”

If you want to take a deeper look at exactly which B vitamins and micronutrients you’re deficient in and learn how to prevent accelerated aging, join us for our next Blood Draw & Meet The Doctor Day! We are offering a discount on lab evaluation fees when you do your labs in a group, October 21, 2019.  

*Pre-registration required. 303-619-7766  admin@drbrandyvictory.com

This information has not been approved by the FDA and do not claim to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Health-related information provided here is not a substitute for medical advice. This is for educational purposes only. 

(Originally published in the September 26, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)