USP-Type Nutrients Vs “Whole-Food-Type” Nutrients

Questions About Absorption

By Michael Mooney, July, 2005

I have heard that whole-food type multivitamins absorb much better than the isolated USP-type vitamins and minerals that are found in most multivitamins. Companies that sell them say they are actually food and this makes them more natural to the body. Can you tell me which type of nutrients absorbs the best?

You may be surprised to find out that although quality natural whole food is the basis for all health, USP-type nutrients generally absorb better than individual nutrients contained in foods. This is one reason complete daily vitamin supplements can be an important addition to your diet if your diet is not perfect. Additionally, so-called whole-food-type multivitamins are not really food in a literal sense. They are USP-type vitamins mixed with tablet amounts of food materials in a laboratory. These nutrients are then marketed as “food” that has living energy. However, the tablet amount of food they contain is too little food to be of consequence for dietary needs. Additionally, the food is dried and not living, so there is no “living energy.” Although marketing companies make tremendous claims of improved activity, none of these laboratory processes have been proven by independent scientific analysis to change the nutrients in such a way that they turn into “magic” live nutrients that absorb better than USP-type vitamins and minerals.

What Are USP-Type Nutrients?

USP means United States Pharmacopia, which is an established standard that confirms that the nutrient is a pure, safe, perfectly formed replica of the same molecule found in natural whole foods.

Do USP-Type Nutrients Absorb Better Or Worse Than Nutrients In Foods?
Most USP-type nutrients absorb better than nutrients in foods. This is due to the fact that USP-type nutrients are unbound, whereas the nutrients in foods are bound to various elements, including proteins, which have to be broken down through digestion before the nutrient can be absorbed by the body. The process of digestion can significantly affect the amount of nutrients being gleaned from food. Unbound USP-type nutrients, on the other hand, enter the body in a pure free state and, therefore, can be counted on to be absorbed in a much more efficient and predictable manner. While there are notions that foods contain carrier proteins that can enhance nutrient absorption, the carrier proteins that bring nutrients into the body are created exclusively in intestinal cells and attached to the free-state nutrients; they are not derived from outside sources.

Are All Multi-Vitamins Made With USP-Type Nutrients?

All vitamins and minerals sold in the United States , including “whole-food-type” vitamins, are made with USP-type nutrients. Some vendors of nutrients mix USP-type nutrients with food materials in laboratory processes the companies claim to enhance their absorption and effectiveness in the body. These processes include such simple things as mixing the nutrients into foods that are fermenting with yeast (Saccharomyces) or probiotics, such as acidophilus. These proprietary products are marketed as "cultured-food-type" nutrients, “food-grown-type” nutrients, “food-state-type” nutrients, “homeostatic-food-type” nutrients, “100% whole-food-type” nutrients, “probiotic-type” nutrients and other trade names. Claims are made that the laboratory fermentation process bonds the nutrient into the food making it into a “food” so it is more natural and thus, more absorbable and more effective than a pure USP-type nutrient. However, as the table below illustrates, if the USP-nutrients are actually bonded into the food, this might make them less absorbable, not more.

Nutrient Absorption Comparison Table

USP-Grade Nutrients And Nutrients In Food

This table shows the results of twenty independent scientific studies evaluating the absorption rates of USP-grade nutrients and the same nutrients as found in foods. Some studies do not provide exact percentages of absorption, but rather tell whether absorption was equal or greater. Some are not direct comparisons, but comparisons of different study results. There are often wide variations between studies, but the general patterns are unmistakable. Isolated USP-type vitamins and minerals absorb about as well as, or better than, most vitamins and minerals in foods.

Note 1: The % symbol refers to the percentage absorption of the referenced item. AUC means area under the curve, measuring the total amount in blood over a specific period of time.
Note 2: The percentage difference can be looked at two different ways. For instance, USP-Type Vitamin K could be seen to absorb 22.76 percent better or 575 percent better, as it is 5.75 times better absorbed. If the second method is used to calculate percentages, each of the other nutrients would show a similar greater percentage absorption.

USP-Grade Nutrient

%

Food

%

Food

%

Food

%

Food

%

Best Source

Percent Difference

1

Calcium Carbonate Calcium Citrate

39% ^1 39% ^2

Spinach

5.1% ^3

Milk

32.1% ^1

Sardine Bones

23% ^4

Kale

40.9% ^5

Kale Calcium

1.9% Better

2

Calcium Carbonate

Equal ^6, 7

Yogurt

Equal

Milk

Equal

All Forms

Equal

3

Folic Acid

90% ^8,9,10,11,12

Lettuce

25%

Orange Juice

31%

Egg

59%

Banana

82%

USP-Grade Folic Acid

8% to 65% Better

4

Folic Acid

90% ^8,9,10,11,12

Yeast

30%

USP-Grade Folic Acid

60% Better

5

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

Equal ^13, 14

Orange

Equal

Orange Juice

Equal

Cooked Broccoli

Equal

Raw Broccoli

20% less

All Forms (Except Raw Broccoli Is 20% Less)

Equal (Except Raw Broccoli Is 20% Less)

6

Vitamin B6(Pyridoxine)

65% ^15

Orange Juice

30%

USP-Grade Vitamin B6

35% Better

7

Beta Carotene

93% ^16

Spirulina

82.9% to 88.8%

USP-Grade Beta Carotene

4% to 10% Better

8

Zinc

66% ^17

Wholewheat Bread

17% ^18

Soybeans

20% ^19

USP-Grade Zinc

46% to 49% Better

9

Vitamin K (phylloquinone)

27.55 (AUC) ^43

Fresh Spinach

4.79 (AUC)

USP-Grade Vitamin K

22.76 or 575% Better (See Note 2)

Some Food Materials That Can Inhibit Nutrient Absorption: Yeast (Saccharomyces)

One food material that exhibits decreased absorption of an important nutrient it contains is yeast. Folic acid is a nutrient that is critically needed by pregnant mothers because it is proven to reduce birth defects with the reduction of birth defects being greater at higher doses. Early studies (1947, 1952) showed that the folic acid contained in a food-type yeast (Sacchromyces) exhibited very poor absorption compared to pure USP-type folic acid.^{20,8,9,21,22,23} Studies determined that the digestion of folic acid in yeast is compromised in the stomach by a protein bound to the folic acid in yeast called gamma glutamyl peptide.^21,22,25 One study stated, “Yeast folic acid is [absorbed] only one-third as well as [USP-type folic acid].” ²² Because “gastric juice and duodenal fluid are inactive against the gamma glutamyl peptide chain of yeast folic acid digestion of yeast folic acid cannot occur in the stomach, but must take place in the jejunum in the intestine.” ^20,24,25 Yeast is known as a poor source of absorbable folic acid and is stated to be “poorly representative of natural dietary folic acid.” ²³ Therefore, yeast-derived folic acid would be a poor source of the folic acid for pregnant mothers. However, another study stated that folic acid in other foods, in general, “…is not as available as [USP-type folic acid].” ²⁵

Questions About Absorption

By Michael Mooney, April, 2005

Other Foods That Contain Absorption Inhibitors

A binding protein in milk compromises the absorption of folic acid in milk. ²⁶ Foods can also have naturally occurring inhibitors that reduce the effect of the enzyme that frees folic acid from the food-protein. Some beans, like soy beans, red kidney beans, and lima beans contain potent folic acid inhibitors, so folic acid in these beans is generally very poorly absorbed. ²⁷

Many foods contain elements other than proteins that strongly inhibit absorption of a specific vitamin. For instance, Vitamin B1 (thiamine) absorption is compromised in raw fish (sushi), blueberries, black currents, red chicory, brussel sprouts, red cabbage, red beets, coffee and some teas. ^28,29 These foods contain potent anti-thiamine factors, like caffeic acid, salicylic acid (similar to aspirin) and tannic acid, which inhibit the absorption of Vitamin B1 (thiamine).

Probiotics And Nutrient Absorption: Yogurt

Some “whole-food-type” vitamins are processed with probiotics in an effort to increase absorption. Does this work? Probiotic-rich foods, such as yogurt, kefir or the probiotic bacteria they contains, are sometimes assumed to cause an improvement in nutrient digestion because probiotics, like lactobacillus, effectively break down things like lactose, a carbohydrate in milk. However,

no data was located which indicated that fermentation with probiotics has a significant effect on improving the absorption of vitamins and minerals. In fact, published studies show no difference in the absorption of important nutrients like calcium from foods made with probiotics, such as yogurt. As shown below, calcium carbonate and milk calcium absorb equally to calcium in yogurt. ^6,7 (A consideration that is overlooked is that only probiotics that are “live” have been shown to aid in digestion. It is unlikely that any significant amount of live, viable probiotics remain active in vitamins mixed with probiotics in tablets, unless they are kept refrigerated.)

Probiotics Cause Decreases In The Amounts Of Most Nutrients

Additionally, one large study stated that the fermentation that turns milk into yogurt “caused a decrease in the amounts of most vitamins ranging from 2 percent for niacin to 60 percent for biotin.” ^30,31,32,33 Vitamin C also decreased, while other studies showed decreases in Vitamin B5 ³⁴ and Vitamin B12 ³⁵ and manganese and magnesium, ³⁶ with only folic acid increasing because it can be synthesized during the fermentation process. ^31,37 This is because probiotic organisms, like any living thing, use up various nutrients to stay alive, meaning they take nutrients that your body might use for their own activities and for their survival during the fermentation process. Fermentation with probiotics does not improve the absorption of nutrients like calcium while it can even decrease the amounts of many of the vitamins in foods that are created by fermentation.

All Independently Published Studies Through-Out History Use USP-Type Nutrients

All of the over 200,000 independently published studies during the last sixty years that show the effectiveness of vitamins and minerals used USP-type nutrients supplemented at appropriate doses. Examples include:

1. Mothers who took 1200 mg or more of USP-type calcium carbonate who got consumed less than 600 mg of calcium from their daily diets had newborn babies with about 15 percent greater bone density than mothers who took less calcium. ³⁸
2. Senior women who were losing bone gained an average of 3.7 percent in their spine and 3 percent in their hips when they took 1000 mg of USP-type calcium carbonate per day over a two year period of time. They lost 3 percent of the bone density when they only got 683 mg food calcium per day. ³⁹
3. Senior women who took between 1000 mg and 5000 mg of USP-type Vitamin C had five percent greater bone density over a three year period of time than senior women who took 500 mg or less. ⁴⁰
4. 200 mg of USP-type Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) per day reduced PMS symptoms in about 79 percent of the women in a study of 630 women, while no reduction was seen with women who took 40 mg of B6. ⁴¹
5. Pregnant women who took 400 mcg of USP-type folic acid had babies with 40 percent less birth defects than women who only got folic acid from their food. ⁴²

Note: There are no independently published studies in peer-reviewed journals showing similar results with “whole-food-type” nutrients. In fact, there are no independently published studies that look at “whole-food-type” nutrients. The only seven studies that were located were sponsored by manufacturers of these products. These studies did not show significant advantages related to absorption for “whole-food-type” nutrients. To read more, go to: http://www.supernutritionusa.com/food.grwn2001.pdf.

USP Nutrients: Less Tablets And Less Cost

Because of the space taken up by food materials, “whole-food-type” nutrients require 4 to 12 times more tablets than USP-type nutrients. Because of the added cost of synthesis in laboratories, they cost 4 to 14 times more than USP-type nutrients. Considering the consistent absorption of USP-type nutrients, and the fact that they require less tablets while costing less, USP-type nutrients remain the standard for use in dietary supplements. USP-type vitamins and a healthy diet can work together to give you the best potential for your optimal long-term health.

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