Nutrients from Food or Supplements? Does it Matter?

19 May 2021DediKate Nutritionist - Amy

Nutrients from Food or Supplements? Does it Matter?

Most of us would agree that ideally we’d have a gloriously healthy, nutrient balanced diet, but..we have these supplement pills now. Does it really matter anymore?

Spoiler alert! The answer is YES...YES IT DOES.

Why Get Nutrients From Whole Foods?

Special Compounds Called Phytochemicals
Most supplements are synthetically made and do not contain special compounds called phytochemicals typically found in whole plant based foods, such as fruit and vegetables. Phytochemicals are bioactive compounds that increase health, a good example is resveratrol in red wine. There are at least 10,000 identified different phytochemicals. It is thought that fruits and vegetables are so good at fighting disease because they provide us with these important phytochemicals beyond which we can make in a lab (1). Some of which we may not even know about yet!

More Fibre
Plant based foods such as fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, beans and lentils provide us with fibre. This is necessary for keeping our digestive system healthy and regular. If we stop eating these healthy foods in favour of taking pills, powders and potions our fibre intake would dramatically decrease. Additionally, fibre does a great job of slowing intestinal movement meaning we have longer to absorb nutrients from high fibre food in the intestines.

Basically

Whole fruits, vegetables and wholegrains contain lots of phytochemicals that are great for health.
Whole fruits, vegetables and wholegrains contain way more fibre than pills, powders or potions.

Downsides to Supplements

Overdosing
Supplements allow nutrients to be taken in concentrated forms, far higher than you might find naturally occuring in whole foods. This can have harmful effects on health. For Example, overconsumption of Vitamin A can lead to a toxic build up in the liver (2). It has also been found that green tea extract, not in drinking tea form but in powdered or supplement form, can cause toxification and liver damage (3).

Negative Interactions With Medications:
You should always check with a medical professional if you are taking medication and supplements at the same time. There are lots of possible negative interactions. For example, 5 HTP (a sleep supplement) cannot be taken with antidepressants.

With Other Nutrients:
Some nutrients compete for the same pathway to get into the bloodstream. For example, if you supplement with too much Zinc, (which is not hard as the recommended dose is only 8 mg per day) you may reduce your ability to absorb copper.

With Lifestyle Factors:
In some cases supplementation has actually been found to have negative effects on long term health. For example, beta-carotene supplementation has been found to significantly increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers (2,4). Which is concerning as beta-carotene is commonly found in multivitamins.

No Regulation Around Effective Dose:
There is no regulation on whether the product is actually useful or effective in terms of what the supplement is or how much of the ingredient it contains (5). For example, turmeric research shows we need at least 500mg of curcumin (the active compound) to reduce inflammation, however I have seen turmeric supplements with 7mg per serve! You are effectively paying for a light dusting of an ingredient.

Expensive:
Supplements are often expensive. Since we have to eat regardless of buying supplements anyway this is on top of our grocery bill. That money may be better spent contributing towards good quality nutrient dense foods.

Questionable Absorption:
The level of nutrient absorption (bioavailability) from supplements is not well regulated. There is a lack of relevant studies supporting bioavailability of supplements in humans as a lot of the research is carried out in laboratory test tubes and in animals (6). For example, black pepper and fat is required for effective absorption of turmeric compounds but not always found in the supplements.

Basically:

Easier to overdose on supplements
Supplements can negatively interact with medications, other nutrients or lifestyle factors
No guarantee you are taking an effective product or dose.
Supplements can be expensive
No guarantee it is being absorbed

Supplements Can be Useful Though!

Pre-existing Nutrient Deficiencies
If you are low (deficient/insufficient) in any nutrient and need to boost your levels quickly you need to supplement. Especially if the deficiency is linked to health concerns. For example, heavy menstrual bleeding and anemia requires iron supplementation.

Diet is Lacking in Nutrients
If your diet simply does not cover your requirements you may need to supplement. For example, vegans may need to supplement with B vitamins. Pregnant ladies may need to supplement with folate.

Medically Required
You should supplement if it is advised by a medical professional to aid in your treatment, recovery or increased requirements. For example, in post-bariatric surgery, management of Crohn's disease or supplementing probiotics alongside antibiotic use.

Basically:

Take supplements if you are deficient
Take supplements if you know your diet is lacking
Take supplements if your medical professional suggests it

Let’s Sum It Up

There are lots of reasons why taking supplements might NOT be a good idea ranging from simply having no effect to having extremely negative health consequences. It seems you really can’t beat good old fruits and vegetables when it comes to health benefits. However there are times you may need to supplement your diet. You should talk to a medical or health professional before beginning any supplementation. At the very least you should know exactly what the ingredients are, and why you are taking them.

Written by DediKate Nutritionist, Amy Allport (MSc)

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