What is Magnesium Stearate?
Introduction
As health-conscious consumers seek transparency in supplement ingredients, one substance often scrutinized is magnesium stearate. This controversial additive has sparked debates, with some expressing concerns about its potential drawbacks. In this blog post, we’ll delve into what magnesium stearate is, address common misconceptions, and explore reasons why some argue against its use in supplements.
What is Magnesium Stearate?
Magnesium stearate is a white, powdery compound derived from stearic acid. It is a natural fatty acid found in various animal and vegetable fats. It is commonly used in the supplement industry for its lubricating and flow-enhancing properties during manufacturing.
Why is it Used?
It is primarily added to supplements to improve manufacturing efficiency by preventing clumping and ensuring a smooth blend. Factories can pump supplements through their automatic machines more quickly, with fewer jams, than if they weren’t using magnesium stearate.
It is also believed to contribute to stability and shelf life, reducing the risk of ingredient degradation.
Nutrient Absorption Myths
Despite its widespread use, concerns have been raised about magnesium stearate potentially hindering nutrient absorption. However, current scientific evidence supporting these claims is inconclusive.
Ongoing research is being carried out to explore the possibility of reduced bioavailability from supplements using this ingredient.
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Allergies and Reactions
A single study has stated an allergic reaction to magnesium stearate in a 28 year old woman, but further details on the context of the study are not widely known. There are a great many cases of rare allergic reactions to almost every ingredient, but without further proof, it cannot be stated whether this case was an edge case or not. Further research is required to get a definitive answer to whether magnesium in this form could cause allergic reactions.
Should You Use Magnesium Stearate?
The short answer is that it is entirely up to you.
Magnesium stearate has been deemed GRAS (Generally Recognised As Safe) by the FDA and is permitted for use in Europe. While there is no clear evidence that it is harmful, there is also no clear evidence to the contrary. At this point it is very much down to the individual whether to consume supplements containing the controversial excipient, but since we have our own Trufil® method, G&G have no need to use it in our capsule manufacture. As we don’t need it, and the jury is out on the drawbacks, we have made the decision not to use this flow enhancer, or any other, in the supplements that we manufacture.
If you would like to know more about our excipient free supplement manufacture, Contact Us today.
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