Destitute populations suffer foremost not from protein-calorie privation but from lack of infinitesimal specks critical to immune defense. Truckloads of empty-calorie bulky rations cannot mitigate famine related mortality as compared with results attainable from concentrated delivery of appropriately formulated micronutrients and minimal provision of food energy. Malnutrition impacts upon the economically disadvantaged and advantaged alike; the former by infection, the latter by degeneration. Epidemics like AIDS/tuberculosis are enabled by multi-nutrient deficiency.

As it is more efficient for animal predators to prey on the weakest of the herd, so it is with micro-predation, explaining why deadly communicable disease epidemics are nearly the exclusive province of the immunocompromised. This may be changing, however, as overuse of antibiotics and the resultant emergence of more virulent pathogenic strains may soon threaten even nutritionally well-fortified societies. Under these circumstances the power of nutrition is not only the best defense, but also the only one.

The power of nutrition resides in ratios and interactions. Though it is the logical and natural extension of studying individual nutrients, progression has been retarded by a drug mentality in which single nutrients are identified with discrete disorders and little or no account is taken of the effect of one nutrient on another. A positive ‘power of nutrition’ implies the existence of an equal and opposite power, and weighing the gravity of the negative offers a glimpse of the upside. The negative power of nutrition derives from the fact that faulty supplementation can be worse than no supplementation. This is due to nutrient interaction, specifically, counteraction.

Counteraction refers to competition between nutrients for uptake and utilization – or, one nutrient adversely affecting bioavailabilty of another. For example, in addition to the detrimental effect on physical and mental health of iron excess, it reduces zinc absorption. This is negative power, corresponding with diminished wellness and heightened risk of disease. Vitamin C supplementation, in addition to intrinsic benefits, increases iron absorption and neutralizes free radical generation associated with elevated unbound non-heme iron. This is positive power, corresponding with lower risk of disease and feeling better.

The best way to supplement X is to supplement Y which increases Xs absorption or enhances its action, thereby reducing the supplemental requirement of X. This operates to the advantage of compliance and cost, including metabolic cost of assimilation. Even with gender differentiation informing split formulations, bioindividuality renders it infeasible to map-out nutrient ratios and interactions with uniform precision. But to the degree nutrient synergy can be harnessed it represents a means of deploying Nature’s assets to profoundly greater effect in the assault on needless sickness and suffering, and the quest for optimal mental and physical well-being.