Natural and Synthetic Micronutrients
Micronutrients are trace elements such as vitamins, iron, and other minerals found in food substances that are essential for healthy growth and development. Naturally occurring micronutrients, vitamins, for instance, are found in whole foods. They comprise co-factors, co-enzymes, and enzymes, functioning together to perform their expected biological functionality purposes (Kim, n.d.). Refined micronutrients are synthetically obtained through manufacturing processes but are comprised of isolated components compared to those that occur naturally in whole foods. Vitamin C is a good example.
Vitamin C is water-soluble and an essential natural antioxidant primarily obtained from vegetables and fruits. Vitamin C in vivo functions as a co-factor for various biosynthetic enzymes, which are necessary for the production of neuropeptide hormones, neurotransmitters, and macromolecules. It is also involved in regulating gene transcription and epigenetics (Carr and Vissers, 2013). Its anti-oxidative property is responsible for the protective effect of these foods against photosensitivity diseases, certain forms of cancer, and cardiovascular diseases (Rietjens et al., 2002). Naturally harvested vitamin C contains bioflavonoids (vitamin P), rutin, ascorbic acid, tyrosinase, ascorbogen, factor K, factor P, and factor J (Kim, n.d.). The work of these components altogether is responsible for the general biological function of vitamin C.
Synthetic vitamin C and naturally harvested vitamin C have identical chemical compositions on the one hand. Still, the majority of synthetic vitamin C supplements lack some of the components found in natural vitamin C on the other. Most artificial supplements are made up of only ascorbic acid or ascorbate, a reduced form of vitamin C, which only represents the outer ring that serves as a protective cover for the vitamin C complex.
While synthetic and natural vitamin C have identical chemical compositions, fruits and vegetables are abundant in various nutrients, phytochemicals (for example, bioflavonoids), and dietary fiber, and their presence may influence their bioavailability. Additionally, some studies show the interaction between vitamin E and vitamin C. Some kiwifruits, for instance, contain rather great quantities of vitamin E, and certain studies have proven that vitamin E can preserve vitamin C in vivo. In addition, both naturally occurring and manufactured vitamin C have been associated with an increase in the uptake of non-heme iron, possibly because vitamin C is able to reduce iron from its ferric state to a ferrous form.
Nevertheless, differences in the bioavailability of vitamin C in relation to artificial and natural scenarios have been displayed. However, the bioavailability of vitamin C appears to be similar in humans. Still, ingestion of whole foods to obtain vitamin C is considered essential due to the simultaneous consumption of other macronutrients, micronutrients, and phytochemicals, which add beneficial properties to health, such as decreased incidences of stroke and coronary heart disease.
In conclusion, naturally occurring micronutrients and refined micronutrients are chemically identical, equally bioavailable in humans, and serve similar biological purposes. However, naturally harvested micronutrients are considered to be more advantageous since they contain additional essential chemical components. Also, by consuming whole foods, one ingests other essential macro- and micronutrients responsible for healthy growth and development, not seen in manufactured micronutrients.
References
Carr, A. and Vissers, M. (2013). Synthetic or Food-Derived Vitamin C—Are They Equally Bioavailable? Nutrients, 5(11), pp.4284-4304.
Kim, B. (n.d.). Synthetic vs. Natural Vitamins.
Rietjens, I., Boersma, M., Haan, L., Spenkelink, B., Awad, H., Cnubben, N., van Zanden, J., Woude, H., Alink, G. and Koeman, J. H. (2002). The pro-oxidant chemistry of the natural antioxidants vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and flavonoids. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 11(3-4), pp.321-333.
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Natural and Synthetic Micronutrients
400-word minimum on one micronutrient from 2 perspectives, one from a naturally occurring harvest and the other from a refining and manufacturing process