the vitamin industry's dirty little secret,

[Guest guest]

Magnesium Stearate and Stearic Acid are TRANS FATS, and they are

ubiquitous in vitamin supplements! It's extremely difficult to find

supplements that don't contain one or both (although there are some

companies that don't use fillers, binders, lubricants, etc.). I think

this is outrageous! I know many of us here don't use a lot of

supplements, if any, but people who do are actually undermining their

health by using vitamins they're being told are " all natural " and

beneficial. Of course when confronted with this, the vitamin

companies say that the amount of Magnesium Stearate and Stearic Acid

in supplements is minuscule and therefore harmless. But I've been

doing some research, and found the following information:

 

How Much Hydrogenated Lubricant Oils Are You Getting With Your

Supplements?

 

 

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!

 

This is the vitamin industry's " dirty little secret " , and it needs to

be widely exposed.

[Guest guest]

I would suggest you do some google research on this topic.

 

After searching around for less than 5 minutes I came upon this website

http://onibasu.com/archives/nn/40450.html

which talks about Magnesium Stearate.

 

Here is a quote from another website:

" Stearic acid does not raise " bad " (LDL) cholesterol levels, because

the body converts it quickly to monounsaturated oleic acid (the

characteristic fatty acid in olive oil). "

http://www.cspinet.org/transfat/qanda.html

 

If you have sites which counter these points, please let me know.

 

Alobar

 

On 7/28/07, moonphish_65 <moonphish wrote:

> Magnesium Stearate and Stearic Acid are TRANS FATS, and they are

> ubiquitous in vitamin supplements! It's extremely difficult to find

> supplements that don't contain one or both (although there are some

> companies that don't use fillers, binders, lubricants, etc.). I think

> this is outrageous! I know many of us here don't use a lot of

> supplements, if any, but people who do are actually undermining their

> health by using vitamins they're being told are " all natural " and

> beneficial. Of course when confronted with this, the vitamin

> companies say that the amount of Magnesium Stearate and Stearic Acid

> in supplements is minuscule and therefore harmless. But I've been

> doing some research, and found the following information:

>

> How Much Hydrogenated Lubricant Oils Are You Getting With Your

> Supplements?

[Guest guest]

I have doubts about the extent to which Magnesium Stearate and Stearic

Acid actually harm people through their use in supplements. First of

all, Mg Stearate is a salt, not a fat, and Stearic Acid can be derived

through naturally saturated animal fats, although it is sometimes

derived through a hydrogenation process of vegetable oils.

 

Also, the article provided appears to be a marketing pitch from a

company that is promoting its product (Dr. Ron's Ultra-Pure and

Additive Free Supplements). How many people actually take multiple

1000 mg pills every day? From my experience, most supplements in pill

form have a dosage of 300mg or less.

 

And, you have to look at benefit vs. risk, as you would with anything.

If the person is improving on the supplement, can you really say that

it is bad that s/he is taking it?

 

Obviously, it would be ideal to have a clean, perfect supplement,

completely devoid of all pesticides and processed ingredients.

However, that would be called whole, organic FOOD, not a supplement.

All supplements undergo various levels of processing in order to be

put into pill form. There are so many ways to scrutinize the purity of

supplements. I do my best to be diligent about it and would prefer not

to have hydrogenated oils in my supplements, but I would still choose

one that has stearates if I could not find the same supplement

somewhere else--or did not believe the other supplement company did a

thorough job with other ingredients in their products. (For example,

Dr. Ron's is not a pharmacuetical-grade company and does not appear to

be third-party tested from their website, but perhaps I was not

thorough. That was just on first glance.)

[Guest guest]

Moderator's Note: Alobar is not a moderator. Bottom line: we all have to draw

our own line in the sand. Where you draw the line may be different than mine.

Like anything else buy a ticket and take your chances- on supplements, diet or

crossing the steet for that matter. Can we agree to civily disagree?

----------------------

I believe that you have stressed a number of times how you

cannot believe something unless it has many references. Where allopathic

medince alone is concerned, I agree with you, not that one can believe biased

studies that are funded by the drug companies whether they do it through a

university or some other organization getting money from the same sourse.

Though

for alternative products don't have this source of money so there are not a lot

of studies. I am glad that I have not let that stop me however from crediting

natural products with many healing abilties. Of course it is only logical

that synthetic products could not heal nor be beneficial for living organizisms

such as human beings whom are mamals. But you know all this.

But back to why I replied to this -- if you wish accurate info

PLUS piles of references you should check out the Weston Price Foundation

http://www.westonaprice.org/index.html & This page can help you find related

articles of interest.

http://www.westonaprice.org/sitemap.htm

I am surprised you did not come up with it in your google search.

 

Am alao surprised you thought the info here that you posted was worth

your time and energy

Here is a quote from another website:

" Stearic acid does not raise " bad " (LDL) cholesterol levels, because

the body converts it quickly to monounsaturated oleic acid (the

characteristic fatty acid in olive oil). "

http://www.cspinet.org/transfat/qanda.html

 

You have stated so many times how important references are

-not a single one there though.

Can I suggest that you check out the dangers and side effects

of processed foods as well as synthetic chemicals?

Are you now a moderator in this group too?

 

blessings

Shan

Re: the vitamin industry's " dirty little secret " ,

Posted by: " Alobar " Alobar   wm_alobar

 

Sun Jul 29, 2007 9:16 am (PST)

I would suggest you do some google research on this topic.

After searching around for less than 5 minutes I came upon this website

http://onibasu.com/archives/nn/40450.html

which talks about Magnesium Stearate.

[Guest guest]

Hello Leah. It is truly conscientious of you to check out

your supplements so well so that you also know what you are telling people?

However I don't know what websites/companies/stores you are

looking at when you say **How many people actually take multiple 1000 mg

pills every day? From my experience, most supplements in pill form have a dosage

of 300mg or less.**

You have been very badly advised. Just for one example - I take 5600

mg of Magnesium Glycinate a day [Like many other poeple I am magnesium

deficient - in fact off the bat can name 2 groups even especially for those whom

are

magnesium deficient ] And need everyday at least 6 to 8 grams or 6000 to

8000 gm of vitamin C just to help with allergic + chemical reactions -- the

vitamin C minimizes intensity of the reactions as well as length. This is

actually combined though with large doses of natural unprocessed mineral salts

--

processed synthetic salts just don't cut it and a waste of money. But those

are only for Magnesium Deficiency and allergy/chemical reactions. I have

adrenal issues too - not unusual with those whom have reactions to synthetic

chemicals. I also however need high does of magnesium, unprocessed salt,

vitamin

C and B vitamins to supp0rt the adrenals for as you most likely know, the

thyroid can't work correctly without adequate support from the adrenals - - even

kidney problems would develope too.

 

And you might want to check out

http://www.westonaprice.org/healthissues/supplements.html at the Weston Price

Foundation - they are nonprofit and so have no conflict of interest, among

other things

Dietary Supplments: What the Industry does NOT want you to know

 

 

Additives

 

Nearly all supplements contain stearates, manufacturing agents used as

lubricants to speed up production. Most capsules and tablets are made by

" jobbers "

in mass production plants, which churn out a multitude of formulas for various

companies. Magnesium stearate and stearic acid are lubricants added to raw

materials in supplements so that production machinery will run at maximum

speeds.

This ensures that production schedules will meet profit targets.

 

These additives have a number of effects, including decreased absorption. In

a study published in Pharmaceutical Technology, the percent dissolution for

capsules after 20 minutes in solution went from 90 percent without stearates to

25 percent with stearates. These substances clearly affect the dissolution and

rapid absorption of nutrients. Another problem is allergenic reaction, for

even small amounts of additives may cause reactions in sensitive individuals.

Fillers may contain hidden lactose or other allergenic ingredients. This is a

major reason why so many people have adverse reactions to supplements, or fail

to receive the significant benefits pure supplements will offer. For these

reasons, I recommend that, when possible, people use additive-free supplements.

 

 

I believe you also seem to think **And, you have to look at

benefit vs. risk, as you would with anything. If the person is improving on the

supplement, can you really say that it is bad that s/he is taking it? **

 

**These additives have a number of effects, including decreased absorption.

In a study published in Pharmaceutical Technology, the percent dissolution for

capsules after 20 minutes in solution went from 90 percent without stearates

to 25 percent with stearates. These substances clearly affect the dissolution

and rapid absorption of nutrients. Another problem is allergenic reaction, for

even small amounts of additives may cause reactions in sensitive individuals.

Fillers may contain hidden lactose or other allergenic ingredients. This is a

major reason why so many people have adverse reactions to supplements, or fail

to receive the significant benefits pure supplements will offer. For these

reasons, I recommend that, when possible, people use additive-free

supplements.**

 

There are many more articles out there - this is only

one and it covers most if not all your c0ncerns.

blessings

Shan

Re: the vitamin industry's " dirty little secret " ,

Posted by: " Leah Monahan " leahmonahan2006   leahmonahan2006

Sun Jul 29, 2007 10:58 am (PST) I have doubts about the extent to which

Magnesium Stearate and Stearic Acid actually harm people through their use in

supplements.

 

How many people actually take multiple1000 mg pills every day? From my

experience, most supplements in pill form have a dosage of 300mg or less.

 

And, you have to look at benefit vs. risk, as you would with

[Guest guest]

Thanks for sharing this. Do you know of any particular brands that don’t

have these? I’m blind, so it’s harder to read ingredient labels. Just

curious if you knew of some. I do have a Calmag liquid supplement I take,

but I can switch if there is something better.

 

--Katherine

 

 

 

 

On Behalf Of

moonphish_65

Saturday, July 28, 2007 4:35 AM

 

the vitamin industry's " dirty little

secret " ,