Natural or Synthetic?
Natural or synthetic? Can you tell? And, more important, does it matter?
A definition by the FDA:
From a food science perspective, it is difficult to define a food product that is ‘natural’ because the food has probably been processed and is no longer the product of the earth. That said, FDAhas not developed a definition for use of the term natural or its derivatives. However, the agency has not objected to the use of the term if the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances.
We have discussed this subject many times, but it keeps re-appearing in emails and questions. Probably as a result of social media and advertising, there is the misconception that natural is better than synthetic.
Is it?
One aspect of the question is “can you tell the difference?”
In fact, when the chemical structure is identical, our body and cells can’t recognize the between natural and synthetic. BUT the chemical structure must be identical. Identical in molecular weight, identical in number of atoms of each “class” (N, C, O, H, etc.), and identical distribution in space.
The details are easier to understand if you are a biochemistry student. If you are not, just remember that it is not only the number of atoms of each class that matter, but how they are linked and arranged in space. The letter D and L, alpha and beta, the numbers (see above for propylene glycol) are used to describe this arrangement of atoms. How the atoms got there, whether the chemicals were made by a plant, a bacteria or a very human chemist, does not matter.
When there is more than one “version”
Arbutin, Hydroquinone β-D
Besides the form of arbutin shown in the figure, which is the one we use in SAS products, there is an isomer with the glucose bound in a different position (alpha-D), that can be made in the laboratory, and the different structure gives them different properties. Again, it is not how they were made but the structure that determines the properties.Alpha tocopherol
Figure: the alpha tocopherol form of vitamin E
This molecule contains several asymmetric carbons, and natural tocopherols occur in one configuration only. The synthetic form contains eight different stereoisomers and is called ‘all-rac’-α-tocopherol (rac for racemic); some of these streoisomers may be allergenic; at SAS we use the natural form of Vitamin E, to avoid this risk.
Idebenone and CoQ10
These two chemicals have different structures, idebenone is a shorter version of CoQ10. Although both molecules can function in the electron transport chain, the difference in structure may affect movement within the body and allergenicity.
Conclusions: from the point of view of activity, as long as the structure is the same the production method of the chemical does not matter. There may be other considerations (like energy and environmental costs of production) that are more complex to calculate.