Natural vs Synthetic

What Is Natural?

Today there is much emphasis on natural health and natural health products. However, the words can be deceptive and misleading. As an extreme example, Socrates died from drinking a natural herbal tea. Natural does not mean better. Nor does it mean better absorbed or better utilized.

Minerals

All minerals are natural in that they are never man-made. But eating rocks is not advised. Mineral supplements attempt to provide a mineral in a form that is most usable or absorbable.

The body absorbs minerals in a chelated form. This means bound to an amino acid. Minerals found in plant and particularly animal tissues are already chelated. This is why eating liver is the best way to absorb iron - better even than dark green vegetables.

Less expensive supplements use mineral oxides, phosphates, sulfates or gluconates. These are sometimes called weak chelates. These are not as well absorbed as true chelates. Endo-met Laboratories uses only true chelated minerals. That is, the mineral is 'cooked' and bound to amino acids.

Endo-met products do not contain natural source minerals such as bone meal and rock or sea bed minerals as they are usually contaminated with heavy metals.

Minerals supplements may also be in the form of colloids. Colloids are larger, solid particles that are suspended but not dissolved in a liquid. Contrary to popular literature, colloids are not well absorbed. This is why one can safely take silver, which is toxic, when it is in a colloidal form.

Endo-met sells a colloidal silver, an excellent antibiotic and antiviral agent. However, Endo-met does not sell colloidal minerals from ancient sea beds. We have tested a number of these products, and all are high in toxic metals.

Vitamins

Vitamins vary in their preparation depending upon which vitamin one is considering, and the dosage desired. Endo-met uses only natural source vitamins A, D and E in all products. B vitamins are synthetic, or produced by bacterial fermentation. Natural source B is only available in low doses, and is often derived from yeast to which many people are allergic.

Vitamin C is natural source derived from glucose, which usually comes from corn syrup. Some companies sell vitamin C from green peppers or some other source that is not converted from glucose. It is much more expensive and not available in high doses. Those who are allergic to corn may have to buy vitamin C derived from sugar beets or other sources from another manufacturer.

Glandulars

Endo-met glandular products are from all-natural bovine sources. They are prepared by defatting the gland and freeze-drying. This is considered an excellent method of preparation that produces a pure and biologically active product.

Digestive Aids

Enz-aid and GB-3 are mainly natural source products containing enzymes derived from animal pancreas and liver sources. Several herbs are also present.

Specialty Products

Specialty products sold by Endo-met labs vary as to their source. Inasmuch as natural melatonin, from the pineal gland, may carry some risk of disease, our melatonin is synthetic. SBF Formula contains a natural source glutathione. For more information regarding the sources of our specialty products, please see our product catalog.

Essential Fatty Acids

Endo-met products containing essential fatty acids are Flax Oil and EPA-DHA. These are exclusively natural products.

Binders and Fillers

All tablets use binders and fillers to produce the tablet. Endo-met uses microcrystalline cellulose (plant), croscarmellose sodium (plant cellulose), stearic acid (palm), hypromellose (plant), magnesium sterate (palm), glycerin (vegetable) and hydroxypropyl cellulose (see specific product for more information). All these are natural vegetable and mineral source products.

Endo-met avoids the use of dicalcium phosphate, a cheap filler that binds other minerals and impairs their absorption.

Conclusion

There is exciting research underway in nutrient absorption and transport mechanisms and how to enhance them. However, beware of 'nutritional fundamentalists' who have simplistic notions about which supplements are best. Natural does not mean better. What matters is whether a supplement delivers what the body needs in a form it can readily utilize.