Do Vitamin Supplements Work?

Wednesday, June 10, 2020 at 6:07PM
Team RightWay

And, Are Vitamin Supplements Necessary?

Paramount before finding answers to these two questions is this one: Are vitamin supplements safe? See Here for answer to a fundamental question inherent to this safety question. The importance of this topic desires a separate article. The safety issues for supplements raised by this article and the few listed below need to be addressed.

CHECK out the below article titles that all question the benefits of vitamin supplements and prompt many Health Professionals to question if vitamins have more risks than benefits?

 https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/is-there-really-any-benefit-to-multivitamins

Vitamins are absolutely needed by the body for survival.  Unlike most other mammals, humans do not build any vitamins inside the body, like cats and dogs that build their own vitamin C. Healthy bacteria in the intestinal tract help the body by not only digesting vitamins out of food, they also produce a few vitamins that can get absorbed into the body. Other than that, foods, supplements, and sunshine are the sources to supply the body with needed necessary vitamins. Many vitamins act as a co-enzyme factor becoming a part of enzymes that are really the elements that do the work attributed to many vitamins. Other vitamins perform anti-oxidant functions to protect cells from radical damage. Vitamins like vitamin D combine with other elements including a form of vitamin A to instruct the cells to build needed proteins like osteocalcin which participates in bone building and blood sugar regulation. These proteins are first activated by other vitamins. In the case of osteocalcin built by vitamin D and A, vitamin K2 is needed to activate or process osteocalcin into a form that binds with minerals so it can become a part of new bone.

PROOF: That vitamins work was proven when refined grain flours and white rice were enriched with synthetic B vitamins and this prevented Beri-Beri and Pellagra diseases. Iodine added to salt is another example of s supplement, in this case a mineral, preventing a disease.

Unfortunately, the reality is that very few people have a diet that supplies all vitamins in amounts needed. Supplements can help supply the missing level of nutrients, but vitamin formats and dosages can play significant roles in this process that have to be respected.

Far too many supplement formulas, in fact most if not ALL, fail to provide vitamins in forms and at dosages that adapt similar roles and actions to the vitamins supplied in foods.

Supplement vitamins are very concentrated and can easily overwhelm normal body processes of digestion, absorption, and assimilation. Plus, certain supplement forms are not natural to the body and require extra processing, often even to the point of interfering with regular food nutrient absorption and metabolism. An Example here is represented by larger dosages of synthetic or natural isolated vitamin E hindering absorption of the other fat soluble vitamins. This action can block out Vitamin K and the seven other vitamin E family members arriving in food.

That so many vitamin questions are still open to speculation from Scientific nutritional research on both sides is indeed quite tragic. This topic is about the health of People. Truths are the only option. The articles on this website highlight a number of missed health building opportunities for vitamin supplements that apparently remain mysteries to a number of Health Professionals. This science is readily available to anyone who spends the energy to find it.

After reading the articles on this website and the conclusions in the linked scientific references, you will gain knowledge and understanding to be able to correctly answer the above questions, plus explain why some vitamin research shows a lack of benefits while many others are positive.

The answer to both questions is yes. The vitamins found in supplements are the same ones added to grain foods in the food fortification program. These added vitamins have successfully prevented beriberi, pellagra, goiter, and rickets. Thus, the fortification program long ago showed that vitamins work and are necessary if unwise food choices, or processing methods, are adopted. Today there are other vitamins and nutrients besides the food fortified ones that now need supplementing, or supplied by a BETTER DIET. Unfortunately, these now necessary vitamins are not OFTEN found in many of the multi-vitamins in the Marketplace today, especially in favorable formats and dosages.

NEW VITAMIN ISSUES TODAY (The real BIG issue)

The issue now is that lately some studies have revealed certain vitamin forms and dosages tested did not prevent cancers or heart disease, and some even hint at negative results such as this one mentioned above: ref < from Johns Hopkins Medicine, "Is There Really Any Benefit to Multivitamins?"

Answer:

THE PREMISE OF THIS WEBSITE IS NOT TO DISAGREE WITH THE ABOVE NEGATIVE and NIL FINDINGS, but rather to explain why these results might be a natural consequence for the incomplete and flawed vitamin forms and dosages tested, and how proper and effective vitamin supplement dosages, forms, and synergistic combinations have arrived at positive results instead. Look at the new Science!  

Next reference reveals one explanation about how vitamin research study methods may have built-in flaws that need to be addressed. ref 

After 50 years of study, this website author has uncovered unique, novel, and rare scientific vitamin research that when combined together with human physiology solves many of the so far unexplained vitamin mysteries. MOST OF THE ISSUES ARE DUE TO FAULTY NUTRIENT FORMS, DOSAGES, and /or MISSED SYNERGISTIC NUTRIENT INTERACTIONS.

Utilizing this new vitamin information presents opportunities to improve the effectiveness of existing vitamin products. This modifies multiple vitamin formulas to be closer to optimal dosages and proper nutrient formats. Only a few such products already exist as you will soon learn. 

Over 99% of current MULTIPLE VITAMINS products contain flaws in either or both vitamin dosages, forms, and missing synergistic complimentary nutrients.

Here are factors that unfortunately are far too often the case:

• People who take better care of themselves and already eat a good diet, are also the ones must likely to take supplements. Obviously, they are also less likely to need them.

• There is also a marketplace trend to higher dosages needing explanations as to why lower dosages are more effective and the race to higher supplement dosages may push vitamin amounts into adverse actions.

• Vitamin supplements have the most benefit when a dietary vitamin deficiency exists. Dietary analysis aids here to determine those needed nutrients.

• Genetics can play a significant role in supplement needs. Almost half of population have limits to completely process sunshine into vitamin D. 10% are almost completely blocked out, and 40% have partial disruption.

• In this case, vitamin supplements take on another role rather than to just supply necessary daily vitamin nutrition, they attempt to correct for genetic quarks or metabolism errors. The BRCA1 and 2 mutations are unfortunately well known examples in women that influence breast cancer risk. While these mutations are not linked directly with vitamin fixes, there are roles where some supplements can help. This requires some professional supervision and an assumption that these professionals have gained such knowledge.

• Another specific use of supplements is to either help overcome an already existing disease state, or as a prevention if family history and genetics warrant.

• Under medical supervision, there are some therapeutic large amounts of certain vitamins used to improve specific metabolic conditions.

• Nutritionally, lower doses of vitamins often exhibit greater effectiveness of biological processes since they closely harmonize with food amounts.

• Some of the vitamin forms tested in studies against diseases, like heart, cancer, and dementia, are simply not the most effective ones at combating those diseases, plus they may not even be the vitamins and forms that are deficient at the start of those diseases.

Why do Scientists continue to study incorrect vitamin forms and dosages that are missing necessary symergistic nutrients, often family members of the tested vitamins? 

EXAMPLE USING VITAMIN E FAMILY

Theories were put forth that vitamin E as d'alpha tocopherol should help people survive or prevent heart attacks with antioxidant activity against excess free radicals. Many studies were undertaken, but results started coming up short on benefits. Finally, a Doctor decided to measure the alpha tocopherol levels against other vitamin E family members in heart patients versus healthy people. He discovered that vitamin E as alpha tocopherol levels were nearly the same in both groups. It was another vitamin E family member than measured lower, gamma tocopherol, in heart patients.  ref Thus, the question: If alpha tocopherol is not lower in heart patients, why would taking extra help? Doesn't it make more sense to increase the low level of gamma tocopherol instead? Nature works with Balance and Harmony. ref ref 

Remember: Gamma tocopherol can convert to alpha tocopherol if the body needs more of the alpha form, but not vice versa. This action would change these nutrient ratios. Thus, it could be that the body needs more alpha tocopherol, but it comes at the expense of the other vitamin E members converting into it. This could leave the unique functions of the other vitamin E members in jeopardy. 

This presentation is in no way negating the value of vitamin E as alpha tocopherol. It is vitally important to the health of the body by protecting oxygen from potentially destructive oxidation reactions. Gamma tocopherol does a similar beneficial action against nitrogen radical formation. The body most likely needs some of both forms. 

Probably there is a ratio balance needed between the vitamin E family members that should be studied and respected when supplement amounts are considered. This aspect is unfortunately, currently lacking. ref <on prostate cancer future studies.

Here is a study on Vitamin E as only alpha tocopherol on CAD, coronary heart disease that shows a negative effect as vitamin E supplement increased. ref The different family members of vitamin E probably exert counter balancing effects when taken together to control potential negative aspects of just one alone. article 

This next vitamin E family study on tocotrienols should help cement the concept. Tocotrienols have protective breast cancer effects that the tocopherols do not have. Plus, the operating protective mechanisms are now mentioned. ref.   

This article goes into depth with scientific research examples.

FYI: There are studies that reveal a negative result when gamma tocopherol levels are much higher than alpha tocopherol. First, dietary sources must be factored. Gamma tocopherol is found at higher levels in the American diet from the large amount of soy and corn oils consumed plus margarine from these oils. Olive oil by contrast is quite low. This factor raises certain inflammatory elements. Inflammation increases gamma tocopheol levels even more regardless of dietary amounts. ref This has complex factors tangled up together. Again, balance and ratios need to be considered. Vitamin E alpha tocopherol supplements at 400 IUs reduce plasma gamma tocopherol levels from diet by 58%. Also, the type of fats consumed influences alpha and gamma levels. ref

 

Precautionary Point when taking new Vitamins or Other Supplements

Any supplement product may have along with some nutritional benefits, the possibility for adverse reactions in the body simply due to potential allergies or sensitivties to the formula formats, dosages, or the extra ingredients called excipients. Sometimes one Brand will not work while the same ingredient in another Brand may be OK.

Adverse reactions may be instant or take up to 5 days to be revealed. Or even longer if the reaction happens after exceeding a tolerance amount. Listen to your body as it can provide clues. Unfortunately, sometimes another event at the same time could be the real influencing factor, and the product will need to be re-introduced again after a wash out time to be sure.

POINT OF CLARIFICATION FOR VITAMIN RESEARCH

At best, scientific vitamin studies give a possible guidance rather than concrete facts. While there have been many studies on vitamins and health aspects, the nature of nutritional science does not adapt very well to scientific research. There are just far too many variables to control such as genetics, body types, and food nutrient content differences from growing and cooking methods. Plus, vitamins do not operate in a vacuum, they interact with many other nutrients in cascading processes. Research used as support in the articles on this website should not be assumed as 100% factual, but simple as directional guidance and possibilities. New science could modify or change at any time. 

Article originally appeared on Vitaminworkshop.com (http://www.vitaminworkshop.com/).