Effects of organic-based vs synthetic-based supplementation on circulatory vitamin and mineral levels in healthy individuals

Most fortified foods use synthetic or non-food sources of vitamins and minerals, as opposed to organic ones from plants, fungi, and algae. Synthetic vitamins are not always identical in shape and structure (1) , and may lack the synergistic compounds present in micronutrients from plant extracts. The fortification of foods with organic micronutrients may offer advantages in consumer preference and sustainability (2) , but adoption has been limited due to a lack of evidence on their absorption and utilisation compared with synthetic ones. This pilot study aims to characterise the acute and moderate-term changes in blood vitamin and mineral concentrations in response to organic or synthetic micronutrient supplementation in healthy individuals. This was a single-blind, randomised interventional trial involving up to 61 healthy volunteers ([Mean ± SD] 34M:27F, 33.2 ± 10.6 years, BMI 25.6 ± 4.5 kg.m-2 ). Participants were split into two arms: one consumed an organic supplement supplied by BIOVIT (ORG), and the other a synthetic one (SYN). The study included a 2-hour ingestion trial and a 28-day ingestion trial. Both supplements contained the equivalent dosing for 12 micronutrients at 60% recommended intake (RI). Venous blood samples were collected at baseline; fasting (TP1) and 2-hour post supplement ingestion (TP2), and a fasting sample was collected post 28 days of supplementation (TP28). Blood samples were centrifuged upon collection and stored as plasma or sera for analysis of Calcium, Iron, Zinc, Vitamin-B7, Vitamin-B9, Vitamin-B12, Vitamin-C, and Vitamin-D. Secondary variables of participant health, such as blood lipids and glucose, anthropometry, and cognition, were taken on both visits. Data was analysed via repeated measures-ANOVA with Bonferroni-corrected pairwise comparisons to assert changes in variables over time against conditions (P<0.05 was deemed statistically significant). There were no significant differences in the change in nutrient levels over time between ORG and SYN supplement groups from either the 2-hour or 28-day ingestion studies. For the 28-day study, both supplement groups saw significant increases in B9 (5.73 vs 7.23 µg/L; F=5.46, p<0.05) and B7 (1.432 vs 1.938 nmol/L; F=5.36, p<0.05) from TP1 to TP28, but no other significant differences were found. There were no significant differences in the change in other health measures over time between ORG and SYN supplement groups. Circulatory levels of key vitamins and minerals are complementary in both organic and synthetic-based supplements in both an acute (2-hour post ingestion) and moderate-term (28-day ingestion) supplementation. Findings indicate that organic vitamin and mineral supplements offer a comparable bioavailability to synthetic ones. This may have great significance for the future utilisation of organic vitamins and minerals in foods, drinks, and supplements.