Beware of Additives in Supplements
Stearates – Hydrogenated Fats Used in the
Production of Most Supplements– Decrease Absorption
and May Be Toxic
and Immunosuppressive
Magnesium
stearate, stearic acid and calcium stearate, made
by hydrogenating cottonseed or palm oil, are used
throughout the supplements industry as lubricants.
They are added to the raw materials in supplements
so that production machinery will run at maximum speeds.
These fatty substances coat every particle of the
nutrients, so the particles will flow rapidly. This
ensures that production schedules will meet profit
targets.
Cottonseed oil has the highest content of pesticide
residues of all commercial oils; cotton crops are heavily
sprayed. In the hydrogenation process, the oil is subjected
to high heat and pressure in the presence of a metal
catalyst for several hours, creating a hydrogenated saturated
fat. Hydrogenated vegetable fats contain altered molecules
derived from fatty acids that may be toxic. The metal
catalyst used in the hydrogenation process may also contaminate
the stearates produced (see Erasmus, Fats and Oils).
While toxicity is one problem, decreased
absorption is another. In a study published in the
journal Pharmaceutical Technology, the percent dissolution
for capsules after 20 minutes in solution went from
90% without stearates to 25% with stearates. This
delays the absorption of nutrients. Individuals with
impaired digestion may have particular difficulty
absorbing nutrients coated with stearates.
Another problem with stearates: concentrated doses of
stearic acid suppress the action of T-cells, a key component
of the immune system. The article “Molecular basis
for the immunosuppressive action of stearic acid on T
cells” appeared in the journal Immumology in 1990.
Up to 5% of the average 1000 mg capsule or tablet is
magnesium stearate. That’s 50 milligrams. Suppose
you take 8 capsules or tablets a day. That’s 250
a month – or 12,500 mg of this hydrogenated oil,
nearly half an ounce. That works out to about 6 ounces
of hydrogenated oils a year, from just 8 pills a day.
Many people take more supplements, and ingest pounds
of this toxic oil we try to avoid in our diets – while
directly inhibiting the utilization of the nutrients
they’re supplementing!
Remember, the sole purpose
of using these oils is to make the machines go faster.
Supplements can be made without them – it just
takes more time, care and attention to detail. Our exclusive
process yields absolutely pure supplements – no
lubricants, binders, flowing agents, fillers, dyes or
additives of any kind – only the pure nutrients.
The raw materials that go into our supplements are independently
analyzed. Here are some typical results:
Other manufacturers cannot provide pure
products because of contamination by stearates.
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