Supplementation vs. Nutraceuticals: What is the difference and why does it matter.

In the next portion of our blog series I will be listing the only supplements one should really need if following an epigenetic lifestyle. I am actually not a huge proponent of either supplements or nutraceuticals. However, both can be considered necessary depending on the situation.

Due to industrialization and commercialization of our food products, not being outside for the majority of the day anymore due to working inside and the over prescription of antibiotics, it has become much harder to get (and keep) a few of the essential nutrients we need to live to our best quality of life.. Thus, the necessity for supplementation.

Supplementation vs. Nutraceuticals

As soon as we sit down to do a Wellness and Prevention plan, many of my clients start talking about how many “supplements” they are taking. Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B’s are usually in the conversation. Put bluntly, this is not technically considered supplementation. This is nutraceutical therapy and there is are big differences between the two, although the nuance is not popularly recognized. I want to highlight these differences before we continue through this wellness series, as our next blogs will be speaking on proper supplementation when necessary.

Disease and Treatment Paradigm

Nutraceutical or nutritional therapy fall within the disease/treatment paradigm. A vitamin, mineral, or nutrient is prescribed to a patient due to have low blood levels of a certain nutrient like iron or calcium. However, many of these nutrients are readily found in the diet, as long as the person is eating what is necessary for the body (i.e. genome centric). These treatments are individualistic, based on the individual’s diagnosis and generally used for a short amount time until levels are back to normal.

Wellness and Prevention Paradigm

As nutraceutical therapy is to the disease/treatment paradigm, supplementation is to the wellness/prevention paradigm (Chestnut, n.d., n.p.).  Hippocrates once said, “Let food thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” That mantra has become harder and harder to live by due to industrialization and commercialization of our food sources along with the abundance of processed and synthetic foods.

True supplementation, as opposed to nutraceutical therapy, focuses on providing the proper amount of an essential nutrient which is not already found in the human diet (n.p.). Any vitamin, mineral, or nutrient that our human genome requires should be found, or at least used to be found, in our environment. Some such vitamins, minerals, or nutrients are much harder to come by as a part of a regularly accessible diet or environment, hence the need for supplementation.

What is an essential nutrient?

An essential nutrient is based on what is required for that species genome to thrive. Every member of that particular species requires the same essential nutrients, not just for a short period of time, but for life (Essential, n.d., n.p.). I use the same example we used in a previous blog post: can you think of any nutrient that one giraffe needs more than another giraffe? Is there any member of a species in the animal kingdom that has different nutritional needs than another member of its own species? Why would it be any different for the human species?

What is essential to our diet?

Essential, in biochemical terms, means that this specific nutrient cannot be produced by the body, therefore it must be ingested or absorbed from the environment, by every member of that species, for life. True supplementation is not individualistic, like nutriceuticals, but rather, is species-specific and species-wide (Chestnut, n.d., n.p.). One species, one diet.

The Big Three

There are only three essential nutrients that may require supplementation when following a genome-centric nutritional plan: omega-3, vitamin D, and probiotics (Essential, n.d., n.p.).

It is rare given our widespread industrialized food production processes, but there are some humans who may ingest plenty of omega-3, vitamin D, and probiotics naturally to avoid some or all supplementation (n.p.). It’s important to look at your diet and supplement based on your needs rather than taking vitamins in a way that is nutraceutical therapy.

Importance of knowing the difference

Knowing the difference is important because so many get wrapped up taking synthetic forms of vitamins and other nutrients, throwing all kinds of money at a situation that could be corrected by eating real food, mostly plants and then properly supplementing to fill the gaps. Everything one needs to be healthy can be found in our environment, so we need to start there and then supplement when necessary.

In the next few weeks we will discuss these occasions when supplementation may be necessary, as well as go into detail on how important these essential nutrients are for disease prevention.

 

Sources

Chestnut, J. L. (n.d.). Species Wide and Species Specific: The Science and Paradigm of Wellness & Prevention Nutrition. Retrieved September 18, 2018, from http://www.innatechoice.com/viewarticle.cfm?id=0D5B2CAB-A1FF-D8C7-F1F6993DA64D1052&return=/articles.cfm&ref=&plid=

Essential Supplementation. (n.d.). Retrieved September 18, 2018, from http://bonfirehealth.com/essential-supplementation-fish-oil-omegas-probiotic-efa/ (image)

 

The Sweet Dangers of Sugar

The last blog, “Let Food Be Thy Medicine” focused on food that tend to lead to inflammation in the body, with overwhelmingly the worst offender being sugar. There is a lot of confusion on how sugar can affect the human body, which ones are bad and which ones are okay to have in moderation. This blog expands on the history of sugar, the dangers of sugar and how to find the best sources for the occasional (or frequent) splurges.

Epidemic of Sugar Consumption

The single largest amount of calories consumed by the average American comes from sugar – specifically refined and processed sugars. Below is listed the mind blowing trend following sugar intake over the last 300 years in the United States and United Kingdom (Johnson, 2007, n.p.):

  • In 1700, the average person consumed about 4 pounds of sugar per year.
  • In 1800, the average person consumed about 18 pounds of sugar per year.
  • In 1900, individual consumption had risen to 90 pounds of sugar per year.
  • Today, the average American consumes almost 152 pounds of sugar in one year.

I recommend to my clients to limit 15-20 grams of processed, refined sugar daily if not fully eliminate it. When you look at the numbers above, the average American eating 152 pounds is intaking 181 grams of sugar daily!! How did it get to this?

Sugar as a Luxury

Processed sugar as a regular part of a human’s diet is a relatively new phenomena. For a large part of human history, sugar was a luxury reserved only for the wealthy and elite. However, with economic growth and agricultural advances, sugar has become more widely available for the general population. Unfortunately, due to historical and political factors, the consumption of sugar in the United States, and globally, has far surpassed what is healthy for people leading to chronic illness, chronic pain and even cancer.

The Secret History of Sugar

In 1968, the Sugar Research Foundation (SRF), a predecessor to the International Sugar Research Foundation, paid a researcher to lead a study with lab animals.

Initial results showed that diets high in sugar increased the amount of triglycerides, a fat in the blood, in these lab animals. In humans, high triglycerides are known to increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. This study also showed that increased amounts of sugar in the diet led to higher levels of a specific enzyme linked to bladder cancer in the urin of these lab animals (Aubrey, 2017, n.p.).

Before the researcher could finish, the SRF pulled the plug on the study and never released the potential findings.

The Sugar Research Foundation’s (SRF) and the sugar industry as a whole continued to point the blame for common diseases, such as coronary heart disease, obesity, and others at saturated fat (Domonoske, 2016, n.p.). Americans listened and continue to listen, and with the decrease in consumption of fat, they dutifully continue to buy and consume more sugar in order to replace it.

The Different Types of Sugar

It is easy to become confused by the various sugars and sweeteners, which ones are fine to consume in moderation and which ones are not. Here are a few of the more common sugars (Mercola, 2010, n.p.):

  • Simple sugars, which you will see labeled in food ingredients as dextrose, glucose, or fructose.
  • High fructose corn syrup, which is part fructose, part glucose. This is a riskier type of sugar due its synthetic chemical formation.
  • Sugar alcohols, such as glycerol and sorbitol, are not actually sugars, but are becoming common sweeteners. Your body absorbs them well; however, they can lead to bloating, flatulence, or diarrhea.
  • Splenda (sucralose) is also not a sugar, and has detrimental health effects similar to aspartame and saccharin.
  • Agave syrup, often labeled as being “natural” is actually incredibly processed and contains 80% fructose. There is next to nothing natural about it.
  • Stevia is completely safe in its natural form, but the processing of this sugar can create issues in the human body.
  • Honey is the best option when it comes to sweeteners, especially local honey.

Diseases linked to sugar

Excess amounts of sugar creates an inflammatory response in the body leading to a whole host of chronic illness. Many diseases can be linked to an increased consumption of sugar, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, ADHD, infertility, and a study also linked sugar to bladder cancer and other types of cancer (Aubry, 2017, n.p.). In fact, sugar impacts every system of the body. 

Sugar and Fibromyalgia

A more common issue that I am starting to see more consistently in my office is fibromyalgia. I have observed those clients who decide to remove processed foods, particularly sugar, are able to manage their pain much better. There is more peer reviewed research needed to draw clearer links between diet and fibromyalgia, but clinically there is evidence that eating less sugar and less processed foods can yield decreased chronic pain and fatigue associated with fibromyalgia.

Sugar Addiction

Eric Stice, Ph.D., a neuroscientist at the Oregon Research Institute, concluded that sugar activates the same regions of the brain that are activated when someone is addicted to substances like cocaine. He also found that those who are heavy users of sugar can develop a tolerance creating a need for more and more sugar to feel the same effect. Tolerance is a symptom of substance dependence. Nora Volkow, M.D., a psychiatrist at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, has done research similar to Dr. Stice by using brain imaging techniques to show the similarities between the brains of people who are obese and people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol (Conason, 2012, n.p.).

What to do

If you’re feeling overwhelmed after reading this, do not fear! There is hope! Here are several steps to help guide you in the right direction. If you are able to follow all of these suggestions, that is obviously ideal. Even following one of these suggestions can be effective in changing your body for the better.

  • Remember: Fat does NOT make you fat! Period. Sugar does!
  • If addicted to sugar, focus on eating more healthy fats and proteins to help curb the cravings. Fats and proteins help to fill up the stomach and keep it feeling full longer.
  • Diet sodas, although preferred over regular soda for those with diabetes, still are NOT good for you and should be avoided altogether. Even though your body does not metabolize these sugars like typical sugar, the sugars in diet sodas have been linked to dementia, neurotoxicity, and stroke.
  • Be aware of labeling and ingredients. Look to see how much sugar is in each serving and pay attention to serving size. Know what you are putting into your body!
  • Strive to limit processed/refined sugars to 15-20g daily, if not fully eliminate them altogether.
  • Naturally occurring sugars found in whole fruit and honey are fine to eat in moderation.
  • Drink plenty of water, which helps break down the sugar for an easier metabolic process. I encourage my clients to drink half their body weight in ounces every day.
  • Eat lots of fiber, especially while eating sugar, to help decrease rate of insulin release, decreasing the risk for type II diabetes.
  • When eating any kind of sugar, stick to high quality, organic sources. The less processed the better. This means more fruits and vegetables rather than man-made products.

Resources

Aubrey, A. (2017, November 21). What The Industry Knew About Sugar’s Health Effects, But Didn’t Tell Us. Retrieved January 25, 2019, from https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/11/21/565766988/what-the-industry-knew-about-sugars-health-effects-but-didnt-tell-us

Conason, A. (2012, April 4). Sugar Addiction. Retrieved January 30, 2019, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/eating-mindfully/201204/sugar-addiction

Domonoske, C. (2016, September 13). 50 Years Ago, Sugar Industry Quietly Paid Scientists To Point Blame At Fat. Retrieved January 25, 2019, from https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/09/13/493739074/50-years-ago-sugar-industry-quietly-paid-scientists-to-point-blame-at-fat

Johnson, R., & Segal, M. (2007, October 01). Potential role of sugar (fructose) in the epidemic of hypertension, obesity and the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease. Retrieved January 30, 2019, from https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/86/4/899/4649308

Leslie, I. (2016, April 07). The sugar conspiracy | Ian Leslie. Retrieved January 25, 2019, from https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/apr/07/the-sugar-conspiracy-robert-lustig-john-yudkin

Mercola, J., Dr. (2010, April 20). The 76 Dangers of Sugar to Your Health. Retrieved January 28, 2019, from https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/20/sugar-dangers.aspx.

New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. How Much Sugar Do You Eat? from https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/nhp/documents/sugar.pdf