Should We Take Multivitamins?
This is a topic near and dear to my heart.
As it stands, we cannot get our appropriate nutrients from food alone due to increased toxin exposure and nutrient depletion in the foods. I am actively working on solutions where that is not the case.
The only way to get the nutrients lacking in our foods and the extra nutrients we need to deal with the detoxification process is through supplements which leads me to the point of writing this.
The detoxification process eliminates harmful substances from the body and is a crucial aspect of overall health. This process requires utilizing certain minerals in the body, such as sulfur, magnesium, selenium, iodine, and copper, among others.
These minerals act as cofactors and help convert toxic substances into less harmful forms that can be excreted from the body. A deficiency of these minerals can affect the efficiency of the detoxification process, leading to a buildup of harmful substances in the body and contributing to various health issues.
The more toxins we are exposed to, the more detox cofactors we need to process. They are not in desireable quantity in our food to meet our needs.
Minerals are of the utmost importance, and we must figure out how to get them. Most of those I encounater are on a multivitamin with minerals as their solution. I think this is an important inclusion, but we need to understand many things.
As a general rule, I’m not a fan of multivitamins as a way to address minerals. But understand the overwhelming aspect of supplements, health, and nutrition. It’s easy to take one thing and hope we’ve covered all the bases.
Low-Quality Multivitamin
With a multivitamin, it has a wide range of ingredients, much of which are the cheapest filler possible. Unfortunately, those cheap fillers aren’t bioavailable, meaning the body can’t use them and they can be down right harmful.
On top of the typically low quality, the imbalances are very concerning. Often there is way too iron. While I know everyone is told we need lots of iron, and for some reason, there are iron filings in cereal, I disagree entirely. While other minerals, such as copper, are insufficient.
Synthetic Vitamins
Synthetic B Vitamins Linked to Increased Cancer Risk + Death [1]
Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) analyzed two prior double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials.
Out of 6,837 patients, those who supplemented with synthetic vitamin B12 and folic acid, which is synthetic folate, experienced:
21% increase in cancer
38% increase in death from ANY disease
That same review noted a separate folic acid trial, which actually INCREASED the number of cancerous polyps compared to the placebo.
This is really scary, and there are many other synthetic versions of vitamins.
MTHFR Gene Variation
Please stay with me here, it can be challenging to wrap our minds around, but it is crucial to know.
MTHFR, or methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, is an enzyme that plays a crucial role in converting folate into its active form, which is essential for DNA synthesis and other metabolic processes. It is estimated one in 3 has one copy of the gene while one in 10 has two copies of the genetic variation in the MTHFR gene. This leads to reduced activity of the enzyme and an increased risk of certain health problems, including birth defects, cardiovascular disease, and depression.
I have two copies of the MTHFR C677T and a copy of A1298C. On a DNA test they will look like this (2 copies +/+, 1 copy +/-, and none -/-)
This means my children have at least one copy, therefore this is a very important topic for my family.
Medical professionals often need help understanding the MTHFR gene and its variants despite its significance.
Folic acid is a highly oxidized form of folate that is not the same as natural, reduced forms of folate B9, such as L-methyl folate and folinic acid. Only the reduced forms of folate can enter the brain, while the oxidized forms cannot. However, they do not block up FRa receptors.
Folic acid, a highly oxidized manufactured, synthetic form of folate, can block the Folate Receptor alpha (FRa) receptors on the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) and prevent the good “reduced” forms of folate from entering the brain.
Over-the-counter folic acid is highly oxidized, manmade and blocks the entry of good folates into the brain.
Dirty Genes by Dr. Ben Lynch is a great resource. His supplement company is Seeking Health which I recommend but don’t sell.
Many DNA companies test for gene variations. Ancestry and 23 & Me data can be uploaded.
I used StrateGene® from Seeking health. Link below.
Word of caution: If you have a gene variation, do not freak out and try to use supplements or make it a big deal. It’s ok and a few little things make a significant impact.
Key takeaways:
- Consuming riboflavin B2 rich foods like my favorites, eggs, raw dairy (goat milk, manchego cheese), beef/bison liver, small wild-caught fish (sardines, mackerel, anchovies), and non-fortified nutritional yeast is essential.
- Folic acid is different from folate and should be avoided. This may go against what some, if not most, doctors suggest.
- Incorporating low-oxalate greens like broccoli, cabbage, and bok choy into your diet can provide additional B vitamins.
More on Folate
Folate deficiency is a common nutritional problem that can result in several health issues.
The deficiency of folate in the body can lead to anemia, neural tube defects in a growing fetus, weakened immunity, cognitive problems, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
This is a very serious nutrient to get in our diets. Please don’t think I’m downplaying the significance.
Again, folate is natural and folic acid is synthetic.
Fortified Foods
Fortified foods are foods with added vitamins or minerals in an attempt to make them more nutritious. Their problem is that the form of is from synthetic sources such as folic acid.
We are inundated with fortified flour to make bread, pasta, and cereals. Not only have I laid out why I am against synthetic b vitamins, but iron is also a massive issue, and I don’t believe in any way we need to be consuming extra in those means.
I avoid fortified foods and do not give them to my children.
Many people I see here at the market daily are not fans of Big Pharma, and they use supplements to avoid them. In many instances, they own the supplement companies too. Look at the link below if you’d like to go down that rabbit trail. [2]
A multivitamin can offer an economical and simple way of getting nutrients but please be careful and get the best possible one if that’s the route you want.
What I look for in multivitamins
- Get methylated b vitamins from natural sources
- Avoid folic acid
- K2 as menaquinone-7 is needed
- Low or no iron
In conclusion, supplements are necessary to get nutrients, especially minerals, but they can also be highly damaging to health. Use caution and work with a well-versed nutritionist and healthcare professional.
DNA Test
https://www.seekinghealth.com/products/strategene-report
References
[1] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/184898
[2] https://anh-usa.org/big-pharma-buying-up-supplement-companies/