Can Synthetic Forms Of Vitamins C, A & E Be Potentially Dangerous?

Vitamins A, C and E are antioxidant vitamins that fight free radicals and protect your body from toxins and foreign invaders. Ironically, these same antioxidants can be dangerous to your health if you are taking the synthetic form of these vitamins. Manufacturers of synthetic vitamins commonly use dangerous ingredients in their products and some of these ingredients are well-known carcinogens -- the same toxins found in cigarettes, according to the Organic Consumers Association.

Significance

The term "synthetic antioxidants" is an oxymoron, since synthetic vitamins might actually provide your body with toxins, instead of providing useful nutrients that keep toxins from harming your body. Just as bad, your body only absorbs about 20 percent of the vitamins in synthetic supplements, according to Earl Mindell, author of "Earl Mindell's New Vitamin Bible." Eighty percent pass through the digestive system unabsorbed.

Identifying Synthetic Vitamins

Look for vitamins A, C and E on your vitamin label and identify synthetic forms of these vitamins. For instance, if your label says "Vitamin A" without listing its whole food source, then it is a synthetic vitamin. Vitamin A should also have parenthesis identifying the vitamin A source. For example, your label might read, "Vitamin A (100 percent beta carotene from Dunaliella)." Your label might not say "100 percent" from any source. It might just list the source. For instance, your label might read "Vitamin C (from acerola cherry powder)." In either case, the vitamin comes from natural plant or animal-based sources, which is what you want. Additionally, identify synthetic forms of vitamin E by looking for the "d" or "dl" prefix. If your label reads "dl-alpha tocopherol acetate" or "dl-alpha tocopherol," then the product contains synthetic sources for this vitamin.

Avoid Dangerous Vitamins

Look for vitamins that have "100 percent natural" on the vitamin label, often highlighted on the front of the product label because of its significance. Some vitamin labels claim that a vitamin is natural, but this can be deceiving. Mindell indicates that a manufacturer only needs 10 percent of its product formula to come from natural sources in order to carry the prestigious word "natural" on the label. This means that your vitamin supplement could come from 90 percent harmful ingredients and still carry the label "natural."

Considerations

The vitamins A, C and E might come from natural sources in your vitamin formula, but still could potentially harm your health. Some people are allergic to or cannot consume certain ingredients. For example, people with digestive conditions might not be able to take products containing yeast, eggs, milk and nuts. Smokers might not be able to take supplements that contain beta-carotene, a form of vitamin A.