Despite the decline in health today, the supplement industry
is a billion dollar a year business (topping in at $6 billion in 2008.) You
would think that with so many people spending their hard earned money on one
type of supplement or another, chronic disease would be on the decline.
Sadly,
the rate of chronic disease continues to climb each year.
So what’s going on here? People are gulping down the
vitamins but our health remains in a crisis mode. Some of these vitamins may
not be the answer to our health problems and maybe some of these vitamins are
actually contributing to our state of declining health.
Do you take a daily vitamin? Are you having your kids take
vitamins on a regular basis? Let’s explore a bit more about what we’re really
putting into our bodies and learn how to make informed choices so you spend
your money on supplements that are actually good for you.
Fillers Found in Vitamins
Before we get into the specific dangerous vitamin
fillers let’s talk about fillers in general with supplements. Supplement
manufacturers often add in a variety of fillers to their vitamin and mineral
supplements for numerous reasons:
- Easier and faster production
- More appealing to the eye (colorants)
- Easier to swallow (coatings)
The reasons for using fillers aside, the real problem lies
in how these fillers impact your body and health. Simply put, it’s not good.
Just like processed foods being loaded with additives and fillers, the same
goes for vitamins. Any supplement that has additives and fillers will be
harmful to your health in the same way those processed foods are.
The body doesn’t need or want these ingredients so don’t put
them in there. They also block the absorption of nutrients. Now let’s get to
the specific problems with certain dangerous fillers.
Dangerous Filler #1: Hydrogenated Oils
That’s right, hydrogenated oils are added to vitamins. These
are the same hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils I’ve told you to
avoid in the foods you eat. These are the oils found in many bakery products as
well as highly processed, nutritionally devoid foods.
In fact, it’s been found that partially hydrogenated soybean
oil is one of the major fillers in the majority of vitamins sold on the market
today.
Partially hydrogenated (and hydrogenated) oils damage the
body in numerous ways. They encourage heart problems, strokes, nervous system problems;
block the absorption of essential fatty acids, upset blood sugar regulation and
more.
You don’t want these in your food and it’s certainly not a
good idea to have them in your vitamins.
Dangerous Filler #2: Artificial Colors
Artificial colors are being added to vitamins too.
Artificial colors have been linked to problems from cancer to hyperactivity in
children. These colors are added to vitamins to make them more appealing to the
consumer in hopes this will encourage the sale.
Some of these artificial colors are derived from toxic coal
tar. Coal tar is used for a variety of purposes some of which are roofing,
outdoor sealants, exterior paints, heating…the list goes on but nothing on the
list would indicate in any way that you should consume coal tar.
Dangerous Filler #3: Magnesium Stearate
This is one of the most controversial topics in the
supplement world today. Many argue that this toxic ingredient shouldn’t be
added to vitamins and is of serious health consequence. On the other side some
say that it has not been proven by the scientific community to cause serious
health problems in humans – yet.
Again, I urge you to remember that many times the science to
back what we suspect can lag behind. It’s vital to make your own informed
choices. When it comes to magnesium stearate you should know a few facts.
Magnesium stearate is used as a lubricant so that the
vitamins don’t stick to one another or the equipment being used. This is the
sole reason that magnesium stearate is used in vitamins.
The controversy surrounds a few studies on magnesium
stearate. One study links this compound to creating a suppressed immune system.
Other studies show that this ‘chalk’ will create a biofilm in the body. This
biofilm blocks the body from absorbing any of the needed nutrients.
Dangerous Filler #4: Titanium Dioxide
Titanium oxide is a naturally occurring oxide of the element
titanium. This widely used mineral is used in vitamins as a pigment. It is also
used for this same reason in many cosmetics.
However the research is now showing that exposure to this
metal (along with other metals) can lead to problems with the immune function
in the body.
If you’re taking a vitamin to improve your health why would
you even consider taking one with such a filler as this (or any of the others?)
Clearly this is an unnecessary, unhealthy filler ingredient used by the huge
vitamin producers in order to sell more of these low quality vitamins.
Choosing Whole Food Vitamin Supplements
When it comes to supplements there are some that are better
than others. Steer away from the mass produced vitamins by huge conglomerates
(often owned by pharmaceutical companies) and opt for smaller operations that
you learn about first.
Look for a company with a philosophy that reflects their
genuine interest in improving the health of the nation. Companies exist, do
your homework and find one you trust for all of your supplement needs.
Vitamins are No Substitute for a Healthy Diet
There’s no doubt about it no matter how high quality your
vitamin or mineral supplement is it’s simply no match for eating straight from
nature the way God intended. There’s a reason they are called supplements.
Quote of this post: Eating a whole food diet full of fresh, raw, and local foods
is the best way to improve health and fight off disease no matter what. There’s
no substitute for the original source.
Sources:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/14/Why-Taking-Supplements-Could-be-Hazardous-to-Your-Health.aspx
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