The word “natural” assures consumers that the product they are buying must be harmless and has no side effects.

That’s a bit of a myth. For example, in the case of herbs, in their “natural” form, can be harmful because they still be harmful if taken with other drugs or you could have an allergic reaction.

Labels with “synthetic” could make people assume they could cause cancer or they are not as good as the real thing.

Today, we’re here to clear things up: most synthetic vitamins are identical to their natural counterparts. The catch is, when their labels claim to be “better quality”, don’t buy into that, because they are exactly the same.

Some supplement producers do manufacture their vitamins directly from plants and other natural food sources, while many other companies make “pure” supplements through chemical processes.

Either could say they are better than the other, so how do you choose?

Basically, it comes down to chemistry. If the molecular structure of a synthetic vitamin and natural one is the same, there really is no difference on your body.

If one type says it is “better quality”, don’t buy into that unless they have solid scientific evidence or reasoning.

On the other hand, what you should pay attention to is the list of ingredients and their quantity. When you compare a natural supplement to a synthetic one, if the ingredient lists look the same, it only makes sense to purchase the cheaper one.

Generally, synthetic vitamins are cheaper and easier on the wallet in the long run.

But some synthetic supplements have artificial chemical colors, or contain allergens. If this bothers you, then a natural-based version would be more suitable.

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More awareness has been raised recently about the lack of research about the drug interactions with dietary supplements and its possible harmful consequences. There’s a general blanket belief that herbal and natural supplements can do no wrong, simple because, they are not chemical.

Valid points were made but there shouldn’t be a paranoid fear of supplements. As consumers, we should pay more attention and do more research before we pop dozens of pills.

There is some good news — popular herbal supplements ginkgo biloba and ginseng do not have negative side effects if taken with other pharmaceutical drugs.

A 2007 study found that consuming ginseng and ginkgo supplements daily at recommended doses, separately and together, will not change the way most pharmaceutical drugs behave in the body.

What sparked off more queries in this area was the recent finding that St. John’s wort could dramatically change the absorption and metabolism of many prescription drugs on the market. Supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes of Health, the same research group for the ginkgo and ginseng results is still conducting studies on drug interactions with St. John’s wort.

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