Nutrition Center

Supplements
By Dr. Erik J. Rosseland, D.C.

Potency is an important concept to understand when choosing a nutritional supplement. Potency or strength is now equated with Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) that measures the quantity of a substance rather than the quality of the nutrient. Clinical effectiveness is also related to nutrient quality and nutrient quality depends heavily upon the completeness of the product. When nutrients remain intact and are not split from their natural associated synergists ‑ known and unknown, bioactivity is markedly enhanced. Following this hypothesis then, even a small amount of a whole food concentrate will offer superior nutritional support than a synthetic or fractionated vitamin, whose physiological activity may be reduced (The Vitamins in Medicine, 3rd Ed. p. 627. 1953).

When nutrients are processed to remain in their complete form, they are not isolated from their natural synergists. For example, vitamin C contains ascorbic acid, but ascorbic acid is only one part of vitamin C. Furthermore, it was known over a half‑century ago that attempting to separate nutrients greatly decreases their strength. "Natural forms of vitamins may lose up to ninety‑nine percent of their potency when separated from their natural synergists" (Annual Review of Biochemistry, p. 381. 1943).

These principles are utilized in this practice to give to those interested, supplements that will benefit the individual.