Guest guest Posted May 12, 2004 Report Share Posted May 12, 2004 i get hypoalergenci multi vitimins.. all the vitimins are buffered too watch out for fillers in supplements > Hi guys, someone in my other group recently posted this about > fillers in supplements. > > I had such a hard time finding a multi-vitamin without soy, iodine, > dairy, rice, eggs, and iron...Whew! I never really thought much > about fillers except on my digestive enzymes. > > I checked my ingredient list, and the only thing I found that's on > the list of additives is magnesium stearate (which is also in all my > other supplements except the digestive enzymes I take). My digestive > enzymes contain NO fillers. They are pretty expensive, but I chose > them over the other brands because they are supposed to the the best > company and also I liked that they didn't contain any fillers. > My Vit. E is okay as well. > > Anyway, I plan on doing some more reading about that magnesium > stearate which is in most of my stuff. > > Here's the link and article about fillers: > > http://www.selene.com/healthlink/hazards.html > > hidden hazards of vitamins and mineral tablets > Article by Dr. Zoltan P. Rona MD MSc > > > A wise practitioner once told me never to purchase parachutes, > contact lenses or pacemakers based solely on bargain basement > prices. The same principle holds true for vitamin and mineral > supplements. You usually get exactly what you pay for. > > Following time honored practices of the drug industry, > many " natural " food supplements contain an awesome list of synthetic > fillers. In general, the more filler, the cheaper the supplement. If > it's in a tablet, the chances are close to 100% that some type of > harmful filler will be found in the tablet. With some exceptions, > pure substances such as vitamin, mineral chelates, herbs or amino > acids do not possess the necessary characteristics which allow them > to be compressed directly without the addition of binders, > lubricants, diluents, disintegrators, colouring and flavouring > agents. > > The larger the tablet, the more it requires the use of binders such > as hydrogenated oils (e.g. calcium or magnesium stearate). Smaller > tablets may be manufactured using the cellulose derivatives (ethyl, > methyl) as binders. Time release tablets are perhaps the most > worrisome. For example, the release of 1000 mg. of Vitamin C over a > period of 6 hours may require the addition of 400 mg. of > hydrogenated oil (plastic butter) to the tablet. The addition of > more oil prolongs the release, while the use of less allows quicker > disintegration. Supplements in a vegetable-based capsule, powder or > liquid form do not have such requirements and are far less likely to > contain toxic additives. If you are a strict vegetarian, beware of > gelatin-encapsulated supplements. Gelatin used in the manufacture of > capsules is derived from collagenous beef (bovine) or pork > (porcine/swine) material. > > Although it is true that most healthy people will have no obvious > side effects from ingesting the small amount of toxins found in > cheap vitamins, the long term consequences of continuous, daily > intakes are potentially dangerous. Over 7% of the population > displays sensitivity to these chemicals which, for the most part, do > not elicit immediate allergic reactions in the average healthy > person. Allergic reactions can affect any organ system in the body > including the brain which often displays symptoms such as fatigue, > memory loss, depression, anxiety, hallucinations and insomnia. > > Today, the most commonly used excipients in drugs, vitamin, mineral > and other tableted items are listed in the table which follows: > (From 1992 Excipient Usage In Marketed Drugs, USA) > > Excipient Incidence > Magnesium Stearate 3109 > Lactose 2450 > Starch (Corn) 2055 > Microcrystalline > Cellulose 1908 > Silicon Dioxide 1316 > Titanium Dioxide 1048 > Stearic Acid 1027 > Sodium Starch Glycolate 884 > Gelatin 792 > Talc 738 > Sucrose 725 > Povidone 703 > Pregelatinized Starch 693 > Hydroxy Propyl Methylcellulose 660 > OPA Products 608 > Croscarmellose 509 > Calcium phosphate (Dibasic) 419 > Hydroxy Propyl Cellulose 293 > Ethylcellulose 263 > Crospovidone 235 > Shellac (+ Glaze) 219 > Calcium Stearate 194 > > > The following is just a partial list of what to watch out for in > purchasing nutritional supplements for you and your family: > > PROPYLENE GLYCOL - is a well known anti-freeze used in products such > as windshield washer fluid. It is also the major ingredient in brake > and hydraulic fluid. It can be a strong skin irritant with frequent > use in cosmetics, shampoos and medicinal lotions. Propylene glycol > has been documented to cause liver abnormalities and kidney damage. > > SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE (SLS) and SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE (SLES) - are > used in shampoos for their detergent and foam-building abilities. > They are found in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers and car > wash soaps. They are one of the most harmful ingredients found in > personal-care products like shampoos. Studies show that these > additives react with the ingredients of food supplements or > cosmetics to form carcinogenic nitrates and dioxins, all of which > may enter the circulation with each shampooing or oral ingestion. > SLS can be retained in the liver, heart, eyes, kidneys and muscles > for periods of several years after use and have been reported to > cause eye irritations, skin rashes, hair loss, dandruff and allergic > reactions. > > Other potentially hazardous substances found as fillers in vitamin > and mineral supplements are SODIUM BENZOATE, BHT, BHA, TARTRAZINE, > LACTOSE, PEANUT OIL, HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, TITANIUM DIOXIDE, > POLYSORBATE 80, MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE, MAGNESIUM STEARATE, RED > DYE NO. 33 and 40, ETHYL CELLULOSE, SORBIC ACID, FRACTIONATED > COCONUT OIL and CORNSTARCH. Well respected researcher, Dr. > Horrobin, describes BHT, BHA, tartrazine and other coloring > materials as " ...inhibitors of the conversion of essential fatty > acids to prostaglandins or are chemically related to such known > inhibitors. " > > Al Czap reports that there may be long term hazardous effects of > taking such chemicals on a regular basis in vitamin and mineral > supplements including coronary artery disease. BHT, BHA, chlorinated > pesticides such as DDT, plasticizers, aromatics, as well as some > alkanes (saturated hydrocarbons such as paraffin or wax) have been > found deposited in the plaque of individuals suffering from coronary > artery disease. People who use large numbers of vitamin and mineral > tablets may actually be contributing to the diseases they are > attempting to prevent. > > Based on all this information, the best advice would be to purchase > supplements in vegetable capsules, naturally compressed tablets, > powders or liquids that contain the fewest possible additives. > Please note that many manufacturers do not disclose all the > ingredients on the label since this is not a legal requirement. > Always check with the manufacturer and demand full disclosure before > purchasing any food supplement, even if it is purchased in a health > food store. > > REFERENCES > > Alade SL ; Brown RE ; Paquet A Jr. Polysorbate 80 and E-Ferol > toxicity. Pediatrics 1986 Apr;77(4):593-7. > > Blecher, Louis. Excipients - The Important Components. > Pharmaceutical Processing Jan 95, page 6. > > Bove KE et al. Vasculopathic hepatotoxicity associated with E-Ferol > syndrome in low-birth-weight infants. JAMA 1985 Nov 1;254(17):2422- > 30. > > Czap, Al. IS YOUR POLYPLASDONE KOLLIDON WITH YOUR SO LKA-FLOC? > Townsend Letter for Doctors, November 1984/Issue No. 21. > > Green, Dr. . Detergent Penetration Into Young and Adult Eyes. > Department of Opthamology, Medical College of GA, Augusta, GA. > > Horrobin, . Journal of Holistic Medicine, vol.3, no.2, > Fall/Winter 1981, p. 132. > > Okhamafe AO ; York P. Thermal characterization of drug/polymer and > excipient/polymer interactions in some film coating formulation. J > Pharm Pharmacol 1989 Jan;41(1):1-6. > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > ----------- > | articles | bookstore | contact | home | e-mail | > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 13, 2004 Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 Very informative!!! Thanks Sheila!!!!! watch out for fillers in supplements Hi guys, someone in my other group recently posted this about fillers in supplements. I had such a hard time finding a multi-vitamin without soy, iodine, dairy, rice, eggs, and iron...Whew! I never really thought much about fillers except on my digestive enzymes. I checked my ingredient list, and the only thing I found that's on the list of additives is magnesium stearate (which is also in all my other supplements except the digestive enzymes I take). My digestive enzymes contain NO fillers. They are pretty expensive, but I chose them over the other brands because they are supposed to the the best company and also I liked that they didn't contain any fillers. My Vit. E is okay as well. Anyway, I plan on doing some more reading about that magnesium stearate which is in most of my stuff. Here's the link and article about fillers: http://www.selene.com/healthlink/hazards.html hidden hazards of vitamins and mineral tablets Article by Dr. Zoltan P. Rona MD MSc A wise practitioner once told me never to purchase parachutes, contact lenses or pacemakers based solely on bargain basement prices. The same principle holds true for vitamin and mineral supplements. You usually get exactly what you pay for. Following time honored practices of the drug industry, many " natural " food supplements contain an awesome list of synthetic fillers. In general, the more filler, the cheaper the supplement. If it's in a tablet, the chances are close to 100% that some type of harmful filler will be found in the tablet. With some exceptions, pure substances such as vitamin, mineral chelates, herbs or amino acids do not possess the necessary characteristics which allow them to be compressed directly without the addition of binders, lubricants, diluents, disintegrators, colouring and flavouring agents. The larger the tablet, the more it requires the use of binders such as hydrogenated oils (e.g. calcium or magnesium stearate). Smaller tablets may be manufactured using the cellulose derivatives (ethyl, methyl) as binders. Time release tablets are perhaps the most worrisome. For example, the release of 1000 mg. of Vitamin C over a period of 6 hours may require the addition of 400 mg. of hydrogenated oil (plastic butter) to the tablet. The addition of more oil prolongs the release, while the use of less allows quicker disintegration. Supplements in a vegetable-based capsule, powder or liquid form do not have such requirements and are far less likely to contain toxic additives. If you are a strict vegetarian, beware of gelatin-encapsulated supplements. Gelatin used in the manufacture of capsules is derived from collagenous beef (bovine) or pork (porcine/swine) material. Although it is true that most healthy people will have no obvious side effects from ingesting the small amount of toxins found in cheap vitamins, the long term consequences of continuous, daily intakes are potentially dangerous. Over 7% of the population displays sensitivity to these chemicals which, for the most part, do not elicit immediate allergic reactions in the average healthy person. Allergic reactions can affect any organ system in the body including the brain which often displays symptoms such as fatigue, memory loss, depression, anxiety, hallucinations and insomnia. Today, the most commonly used excipients in drugs, vitamin, mineral and other tableted items are listed in the table which follows: (From 1992 Excipient Usage In Marketed Drugs, USA) Excipient Incidence Magnesium Stearate 3109 Lactose 2450 Starch (Corn) 2055 Microcrystalline Cellulose 1908 Silicon Dioxide 1316 Titanium Dioxide 1048 Stearic Acid 1027 Sodium Starch Glycolate 884 Gelatin 792 Talc 738 Sucrose 725 Povidone 703 Pregelatinized Starch 693 Hydroxy Propyl Methylcellulose 660 OPA Products 608 Croscarmellose 509 Calcium phosphate (Dibasic) 419 Hydroxy Propyl Cellulose 293 Ethylcellulose 263 Crospovidone 235 Shellac (+ Glaze) 219 Calcium Stearate 194 The following is just a partial list of what to watch out for in purchasing nutritional supplements for you and your family: PROPYLENE GLYCOL - is a well known anti-freeze used in products such as windshield washer fluid. It is also the major ingredient in brake and hydraulic fluid. It can be a strong skin irritant with frequent use in cosmetics, shampoos and medicinal lotions. Propylene glycol has been documented to cause liver abnormalities and kidney damage. SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE (SLS) and SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE (SLES) - are used in shampoos for their detergent and foam-building abilities. They are found in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers and car wash soaps. They are one of the most harmful ingredients found in personal-care products like shampoos. Studies show that these additives react with the ingredients of food supplements or cosmetics to form carcinogenic nitrates and dioxins, all of which may enter the circulation with each shampooing or oral ingestion. SLS can be retained in the liver, heart, eyes, kidneys and muscles for periods of several years after use and have been reported to cause eye irritations, skin rashes, hair loss, dandruff and allergic reactions. Other potentially hazardous substances found as fillers in vitamin and mineral supplements are SODIUM BENZOATE, BHT, BHA, TARTRAZINE, LACTOSE, PEANUT OIL, HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, TITANIUM DIOXIDE, POLYSORBATE 80, MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE, MAGNESIUM STEARATE, RED DYE NO. 33 and 40, ETHYL CELLULOSE, SORBIC ACID, FRACTIONATED COCONUT OIL and CORNSTARCH. Well respected researcher, Dr. Horrobin, describes BHT, BHA, tartrazine and other coloring materials as " ...inhibitors of the conversion of essential fatty acids to prostaglandins or are chemically related to such known inhibitors. " Al Czap reports that there may be long term hazardous effects of taking such chemicals on a regular basis in vitamin and mineral supplements including coronary artery disease. BHT, BHA, chlorinated pesticides such as DDT, plasticizers, aromatics, as well as some alkanes (saturated hydrocarbons such as paraffin or wax) have been found deposited in the plaque of individuals suffering from coronary artery disease. People who use large numbers of vitamin and mineral tablets may actually be contributing to the diseases they are attempting to prevent. Based on all this information, the best advice would be to purchase supplements in vegetable capsules, naturally compressed tablets, powders or liquids that contain the fewest possible additives. Please note that many manufacturers do not disclose all the ingredients on the label since this is not a legal requirement. Always check with the manufacturer and demand full disclosure before purchasing any food supplement, even if it is purchased in a health food store. REFERENCES Alade SL ; Brown RE ; Paquet A Jr. Polysorbate 80 and E-Ferol toxicity. Pediatrics 1986 Apr;77(4):593-7. Blecher, Louis. Excipients - The Important Components. Pharmaceutical Processing Jan 95, page 6. Bove KE et al. Vasculopathic hepatotoxicity associated with E-Ferol syndrome in low-birth-weight infants. JAMA 1985 Nov 1;254(17):2422- 30. Czap, Al. IS YOUR POLYPLASDONE KOLLIDON WITH YOUR SO LKA-FLOC? Townsend Letter for Doctors, November 1984/Issue No. 21. Green, Dr. . Detergent Penetration Into Young and Adult Eyes. Department of Opthamology, Medical College of GA, Augusta, GA. Horrobin, . Journal of Holistic Medicine, vol.3, no.2, Fall/Winter 1981, p. 132. Okhamafe AO ; York P. Thermal characterization of drug/polymer and excipient/polymer interactions in some film coating formulation. J Pharm Pharmacol 1989 Jan;41(1):1-6. --------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- | articles | bookstore | contact | home | e-mail | Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 13, 2004 Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 Magnesium stearate is a binder that most manufacturers commonly use in the tablation process to bind a tablet together. Something we have never used or will ever consider using. I am not a promotor, but an eductor and advisor to the public on nutritional supplementation. I represent a well renowed lab. I will not try to " sell you " , " convince you " , or even " impress you " , only to impress upon you the facts of what most consumers tend to look right past especially when the facts are right in front of them. Like you, I look for honesty and integrity in anything I buy or buy into. Yes, many supplements contain junk like unnecessary fillers or types or amounts of excipients that the body does not require, or will contain cheap binders like magnesium stearate which are used in the tablation process by many companies across the board. Many do not even dissintegrate so the tablet will go right through the body still in tack. Many will not even do dissolution testing to make sure the tablet even dissolves properly so that the body can utilize the nutrients or will they even bother to do adequate compression-ratio testing to make sure the tablet is not to hard or hard to digest. Even worse, many companies continue to market inferior products that are formulated with the wrong types, amounts and proportions,of nutrients that are of poor quality just to compromise quality for the sake of profit. We spent 6000 dollars/kg on a much more higher grade of chromium picolonate while many other companies will cut corners if they only have to spend 60 dollars/kg. So you can see how this is reflected in in the price of many brands today. Many are incomplete and imbalanced some containing toxic materials. The truth of the matter is that the majority of supplements on the market today are woefully inadequate simply because there is no regulation to meet the same stringent quality control guidelines and standards that the pharmaceutical drug manufacturers are required to meet. Supplement manufacturers do not have to meet the same quality control for potency and purity. This is why the nutritional supplements industry is a trillion dollar industry with every bandwagon-jumping-dollar-driven promotor out to sell whatever they can get their hands on, just for the sake of profit. Fads are simply not facts. Yet most people will pay more attention to fads than they do the facts. They will buy something just because it " looks good " . So many are sold more hype instead of scientific truth without a even a stitch of scientific efficacy to back up the company's claims. Another reason for the Comparitive Guide To Nutritional Supplements " found at www.macwilliams.net This is why most consumers are fooled into thinking a vitamin is a vitamin is a vitamin is a vitamin until they can actually put the supplement under a microscope. " The majority of multi-vitamins are woefully inadequate. In a recent study at Yale New Haven Hospital.many were made with the wrong ratios of nutrients altogether. Of the 257 vitamin products tested, only 49 were judged to be adequate. " - Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 1987, Volume 87, p.341 I don't know about you, but I want more for my body than just adequate, let alone inadequate. If the potency and purity is guaranteed following pharmaceutical G.M.P., it must say right on the label. Vitamin supplement manufacturers are only required to meet FOOD-grade, not PHARMACEUTICAL-grade G.M.P. with regards to manufacturing standards. So I ask, what brand do you trust? Where is it made and what is it made of, and how do you know? Vitamin manufacturers along with the companies that farm them out to them, are only required to meet 10% of what the label says it has. To a pregnant mother relying on the folic acid content for her baby, she has be able to trust the label. I can only recommend what I have found meets the same stringent standards and guidelines of pharmaceuticals which is much higher than food grade. When it comes to your health you want optimum, not just adequate let alone something inferior or junk. Disease starts at the cellular level. If this was 1948, I would say you could " eat right " without supplementation. The nutrient content in the soil was much higher then as I'm sure most of us know by now. Unfortunately to try to " eat right " today as most of our doctors still tell us, you would need 75 bowls of spinach to give you the same mineral content that one bowl would have provided you back in 1948. Soil depletion is only one aspect. Storage is another. Processing is another. Freezing is another. Shipping is another. By the time it gets to your plate, its practically empty. One only has to review the government RDA handbooks for themselves. Studies are ample to show you that " eating right " is just not enough. Most people cannot and will not consume 2 quarts of orange juice or apple juice daily to provide them the optimum RDA of 1.3 grams of vitamin C we need on a daily basis. Even old Dr. Linus ing new that. And that's just vitamin C. The business of vitamins is not just about " taking a multivitamin. " It must be the right kind of vitamin. Vitamins work in synergy with each other. A one-a-day multivitamin is just not going to cut it. Where are you going to get those advanced amounts in a basic run-of-the mill one-a-day multivitamin? The medical journals show only once you get up to advanced RDA levels of 400 IU of vitamin E in the form of d-Alpha-Tocopherol Succinate do you start to see its significant benefits at protecting you from cardiovascular disease for the long term. You can't do it with 9 IU or a multivitamin. I'm sorry. All one needs to review is the Cambridge Heart Antioxidant study to convince themselves of this. Without the right supplementation you would need to consume 2.2 lbs of almonds every day, or a quart of safflower oil, or 33 lbs of spinach everyday to reach 4O0 IU. RDA's were only set by the government to help you avoid acute deficiency diseases like scurvy. Those RDA's are NOT advanced RDA levels designed to protect you from chronic degenerative deficiency diseases such as cancer and heart disease that are plaguing us today. They are only the minimal established RDA's. No one is dying of scurvy anymore. We need advanced nutrition at the molecular level where free radicals start to do their damage. It is so sad so many consumers are yet fooled by dollar driven promotors into gambling their health away to cheap inexpensive inferior products, whatever seems to be the latest fad, as if a vitamin is a vitamin is a vitamin is a vitamin. Just like saying normal is normal is normal as we often talk about on this site regarding thyroid tests among other tests as if something is either black or white. Most consumers do not know the difference from label to label or are simply not informed enough to recognize cheap inferior formulations from a good one when they come across it. If a vitamin is not put together properly, if its junk to the body, if it does not fit the molecular structure of the trillons of cells that compose our body, aside from bogus claims to something thrown into it that has no scientific efficacy behind it, then you are gambling your health away. Most consumers tend to go for price before they go for quality and the market is driven by promotors who only know how to sell you hype instead of truth. Obviously again because the supplements industry is highly market driven. So who do you trust? What brand you do trust? I was recently forwarded an educational training seminar that was just posted online for health professionals as well as consumers. It is presented by Dr. Wood Ph.D, a very estute nutritional scientist who is based out of Utah and one of the chief scientists taken on by Dr. Myron Wentz of a very respect lab called Usana Health Sciences who builds their supplements the way B.M.W. build their cars. He discusses not only the scientific efficacy and benefits of nutritional supplementation, but also why Usana Health Sciences has raised the bar in nutritional science as one of the first companies to voluntarily comply with pharmaceutical-grade G.M.P in building its nutritional formulations. In otherwords, their products were built the same quality and scientific efficacy that drugs are built with for addressing all the cellular nutritional requirements of the human body in order to insure every site in the cell is protected with all the right types, forms, and levels of nutrients put together in the proper balance well above established RDA's without the toxic elements that you were mentioning are in so many products these days that we don't need. It's obvious we need the whole gammet when it comes to our nutritional needs and most people would agree there simply isn't a gold star or magic bullet can be obtained for cellular health. Thus, properly supplying our body's cellular needs is obviously very important. Here is the presentation: Health professionals along with consumers may see the slide presentation entitled " Why Supplements And Why Usana " at http://www.humannutrition.com/usana/whysuppswhyusana_files/frame.htm (especially see slides 56, 57, 63, 64) http://www.humannutrition.com/images/USallChart.gif (comparisonchart) Also see the article on cellular nutrition Re:Advanced RDA's on Dr. Ray Strand's site: http://www.bionutrition.org/cellular-nutrition.asp Usana's Nutritional Supplements Now Registered In Mexico as Drugs The initial nutritional product offering will include: · Essentials (registered as drug products) · Proflavanol · BiOmega · Procosa II · CoQuinone 30 http://www.usana.com.mx/news/essentials.shtml All of Usana's products are listed as " therapeutic only " stating this right on every bottle voluntarily complying with the U.S Pharmacopoeia for drug manufacturing companies Dr. Myron Wentz is the founder of Usana Health Sciences and ran Gull Laboratories in the 70's. Gull Labs developed all the test kits that doctors and hospitals still use to detect infectious disease. Those kits are still the gold standard today in hospitals all over the world. Gull Labs developed all the kits for Epstein Barr virus, herpes kits, etc. Over 30 kits that are still the gold standard around the world because those kits are only as accurate as the cell cultures they come. Wentz was able to understand their nutritional requirements of the human cell because of growing millions of cells and therefore was able to keep them healthy and disease resistant. He still has cells in his lab that are as disease resisant as they were 40 years ago. So that is why those test kits are relied on because when you start off with healthy cells you are able to better detect an infectious disease like Epstein Barr. His next stride was to take what he learned about culturing human cells in the lab and focus his attention on the nutritional requirements of humans from everything he learned from growing human cell cultures and their ability to fight off disease given the right nutrtional building blocks. He still has cell cultures that are 40 years of age and still as disease resistant as they were 40 years ago. Dr. Myron Wentz's understanding of the nutritional requirements of the human cell allowed him to use the same sophisticated technology that he learned for years at Gull Labs and apply it to humans since the nutritional requirements of humans was obviously not being met with so many degenerative diseases prevalent today, so many of us either living too short, or dying too long in pain and suffering. So what he designed and formulated was a specific line of nutritionals for humans that was based on the principle of cellular nutrition from his years and years of experience in keeping human cells in culture healthy and disease resistant. He realized that what was good for the single cell was good for the entire human body (to his own body) and started to focus on using these same formulations not only for himself but also for humans and to market them to the world to people like you and me what he now calls his " Usana family " . His aim and mission was to protecting humans from disease at the cellular level, these kinds of formulations soon became an advancement superior to anything ever developed setting a new standard in disease prevention and is being marketed around the world to people like you and me allowing many of us to experience the benefits of both improved health and wellness for the long term as a good health insurance policy. If you would like to know more, I would be happy to help anyone obtain both a copy of the new Comparitive Guide To Nutritional Supplements " and also to save some money on the purchase of these types of nutritional formulations since they are now available to the marketplace. Chris watch out for fillers in supplements Hi guys, someone in my other group recently posted this about fillers in supplements. I had such a hard time finding a multi-vitamin without soy, iodine, dairy, rice, eggs, and iron...Whew! I never really thought much about fillers except on my digestive enzymes. I checked my ingredient list, and the only thing I found that's on the list of additives is magnesium stearate (which is also in all my other supplements except the digestive enzymes I take). My digestive enzymes contain NO fillers. They are pretty expensive, but I chose them over the other brands because they are supposed to the the best company and also I liked that they didn't contain any fillers. My Vit. E is okay as well. Anyway, I plan on doing some more reading about that magnesium stearate which is in most of my stuff. Here's the link and article about fillers: http://www.selene.com/healthlink/hazards.html hidden hazards of vitamins and mineral tablets Article by Dr. Zoltan P. Rona MD MSc A wise practitioner once told me never to purchase parachutes, contact lenses or pacemakers based solely on bargain basement prices. The same principle holds true for vitamin and mineral supplements. You usually get exactly what you pay for. Following time honored practices of the drug industry, many " natural " food supplements contain an awesome list of synthetic fillers. In general, the more filler, the cheaper the supplement. If it's in a tablet, the chances are close to 100% that some type of harmful filler will be found in the tablet. With some exceptions, pure substances such as vitamin, mineral chelates, herbs or amino acids do not possess the necessary characteristics which allow them to be compressed directly without the addition of binders, lubricants, diluents, disintegrators, colouring and flavouring agents. The larger the tablet, the more it requires the use of binders such as hydrogenated oils (e.g. calcium or magnesium stearate). Smaller tablets may be manufactured using the cellulose derivatives (ethyl, methyl) as binders. Time release tablets are perhaps the most worrisome. For example, the release of 1000 mg. of Vitamin C over a period of 6 hours may require the addition of 400 mg. of hydrogenated oil (plastic butter) to the tablet. The addition of more oil prolongs the release, while the use of less allows quicker disintegration. Supplements in a vegetable-based capsule, powder or liquid form do not have such requirements and are far less likely to contain toxic additives. If you are a strict vegetarian, beware of gelatin-encapsulated supplements. Gelatin used in the manufacture of capsules is derived from collagenous beef (bovine) or pork (porcine/swine) material. Although it is true that most healthy people will have no obvious side effects from ingesting the small amount of toxins found in cheap vitamins, the long term consequences of continuous, daily intakes are potentially dangerous. Over 7% of the population displays sensitivity to these chemicals which, for the most part, do not elicit immediate allergic reactions in the average healthy person. Allergic reactions can affect any organ system in the body including the brain which often displays symptoms such as fatigue, memory loss, depression, anxiety, hallucinations and insomnia. Today, the most commonly used excipients in drugs, vitamin, mineral and other tableted items are listed in the table which follows: (From 1992 Excipient Usage In Marketed Drugs, USA) Excipient Incidence Magnesium Stearate 3109 Lactose 2450 Starch (Corn) 2055 Microcrystalline Cellulose 1908 Silicon Dioxide 1316 Titanium Dioxide 1048 Stearic Acid 1027 Sodium Starch Glycolate 884 Gelatin 792 Talc 738 Sucrose 725 Povidone 703 Pregelatinized Starch 693 Hydroxy Propyl Methylcellulose 660 OPA Products 608 Croscarmellose 509 Calcium phosphate (Dibasic) 419 Hydroxy Propyl Cellulose 293 Ethylcellulose 263 Crospovidone 235 Shellac (+ Glaze) 219 Calcium Stearate 194 The following is just a partial list of what to watch out for in purchasing nutritional supplements for you and your family: PROPYLENE GLYCOL - is a well known anti-freeze used in products such as windshield washer fluid. It is also the major ingredient in brake and hydraulic fluid. It can be a strong skin irritant with frequent use in cosmetics, shampoos and medicinal lotions. Propylene glycol has been documented to cause liver abnormalities and kidney damage. SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE (SLS) and SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE (SLES) - are used in shampoos for their detergent and foam-building abilities. They are found in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers and car wash soaps. They are one of the most harmful ingredients found in personal-care products like shampoos. Studies show that these additives react with the ingredients of food supplements or cosmetics to form carcinogenic nitrates and dioxins, all of which may enter the circulation with each shampooing or oral ingestion. SLS can be retained in the liver, heart, eyes, kidneys and muscles for periods of several years after use and have been reported to cause eye irritations, skin rashes, hair loss, dandruff and allergic reactions. Other potentially hazardous substances found as fillers in vitamin and mineral supplements are SODIUM BENZOATE, BHT, BHA, TARTRAZINE, LACTOSE, PEANUT OIL, HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, TITANIUM DIOXIDE, POLYSORBATE 80, MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE, MAGNESIUM STEARATE, RED DYE NO. 33 and 40, ETHYL CELLULOSE, SORBIC ACID, FRACTIONATED COCONUT OIL and CORNSTARCH. Well respected researcher, Dr. Horrobin, describes BHT, BHA, tartrazine and other coloring materials as " ...inhibitors of the conversion of essential fatty acids to prostaglandins or are chemically related to such known inhibitors. " Al Czap reports that there may be long term hazardous effects of taking such chemicals on a regular basis in vitamin and mineral supplements including coronary artery disease. BHT, BHA, chlorinated pesticides such as DDT, plasticizers, aromatics, as well as some alkanes (saturated hydrocarbons such as paraffin or wax) have been found deposited in the plaque of individuals suffering from coronary artery disease. People who use large numbers of vitamin and mineral tablets may actually be contributing to the diseases they are attempting to prevent. Based on all this information, the best advice would be to purchase supplements in vegetable capsules, naturally compressed tablets, powders or liquids that contain the fewest possible additives. Please note that many manufacturers do not disclose all the ingredients on the label since this is not a legal requirement. Always check with the manufacturer and demand full disclosure before purchasing any food supplement, even if it is purchased in a health food store. REFERENCES Alade SL ; Brown RE ; Paquet A Jr. Polysorbate 80 and E-Ferol toxicity. Pediatrics 1986 Apr;77(4):593-7. Blecher, Louis. Excipients - The Important Components. Pharmaceutical Processing Jan 95, page 6. Bove KE et al. Vasculopathic hepatotoxicity associated with E-Ferol syndrome in low-birth-weight infants. JAMA 1985 Nov 1;254(17):2422- 30. Czap, Al. IS YOUR POLYPLASDONE KOLLIDON WITH YOUR SO LKA-FLOC? Townsend Letter for Doctors, November 1984/Issue No. 21. Green, Dr. . Detergent Penetration Into Young and Adult Eyes. Department of Opthamology, Medical College of GA, Augusta, GA. Horrobin, . Journal of Holistic Medicine, vol.3, no.2, Fall/Winter 1981, p. 132. Okhamafe AO ; York P. Thermal characterization of drug/polymer and excipient/polymer interactions in some film coating formulation. J Pharm Pharmacol 1989 Jan;41(1):1-6. --------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- | articles | bookstore | contact | home | e-mail | Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 13, 2004 Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 Lyle Mac is the author of the new 3rd edition of the Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements.http://www.macwilliam.net/ As many of you know, Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the nation's pharmaceuticals watchdog, last week suspended the manufacturing licence held by Australia's largest contract manufacturer of complementary medicines, including vitamin, mineral and herbal products. Pan Pharmaceuticals was found to have committed a series of serious safety violations and quality breaches, including the substitution of ingredients, deliberate manipulation of test results and substandard manufacturing processes. This activity almost cost the lives of several Australian citizens, including 19 who were hospitalized, and 68 others who experienced potentially life-threatening adverse reactions. The TGA has now announced a " condition red " health emergency and recalled over 1800 products with ingredients manufactured or supplied by Pan Pharmaceuticals, leaving many store shelves empty of nutritional supplements. It goes without saying that the fallout from this debacle is unprecedented. Pan Pharmaceuticals manufactures products for hundreds of companies throughout Australia and overseas. It is debatable whether any corporate entity can survive such a public relations nightmare (remember Enron and WorldCom) - let alone whether it deserves to do so. The public has become extremely cynical of any company who has the audacity to wilfully disregard regulatory authority and will broach no exceptions when it comes to personal health and safety. The Australian Therapeutic Goods Authority is to be lauded for taking decisive action in the face of a healthcare crisis precipitated by, it appears, corporate malfeasance. Pan Pharmaceutical's systematic and deliberate manipulation of quality-control test data is highly unconscionable and utterly indefensible. Conversely, the TGA's quick action in averting public harm is a shining example that regulatory authority, judiciously applied, actually works and can play a pivotal role in protecting the public interest. This incident is also a prime example of two other facts: While government regulations provide for a measure of public oversight and an assurance of public safety, they do not necessarily act as an effective deterrent for the unscrupulous " that's why the practise of " due diligence " in the selection of a nutritional product remains paramount. While vitamin and herbal products are inherently safe, it is in their manufacturing where the real issues of consumer safety lie. Contamination and adulteration of a nutritional or herbal product, intentional or otherwise, can have serious consequences for the unsuspecting consumer. Herein lay the " acres of diamonds " for Australian Distributors of USANA Health Sciences - go out there now and demonstrate USANA's worth to a public confused, dismayed and frightened by what has just transpired. You'll be richly rewarded for your efforts as an entire nation now casts about for safe nutritional alternatives. I would urge all of you who have business interests in the Australian market to " seize the day. " There has never been a better time to show that USANA nutritionals are products that can be trusted - products that meet and exceed the stringent U.S. Pharmacopoeia (USP) requirements for pharmaceutical products (because U.S nutritional products are regulated as foods, this requirement is entirely voluntary). USANA's products are regulated as over-the-counter drugs in Canada, Australia, and Hong Kong, where the company is required to follow pharmaceutical GMPs and is subject to regular audits. In fact, the company has received commendation from the Australian TGA for its unsurpassed manufacturing and product quality. The TGA audit report of November 3, 2000, noted USANA's commitment to following GMPs and stated, " The company's level of GMP compliance continues to be impressive and the company is congratulated on maintaining this standard. " Here is the biggest selling point of all - unlike those hundreds of nutritional companies in Australia who contracted out to Pan Pharmaceuticals for their products, USANA manufactures its own products " in-house, " in its state-of-the-art facilities in Salt lake City, Utah. Right from the raw materials to the finished product, USANA nutritionals are subjected to unrelenting scrutiny and quality control, using pharmaceutical-grade Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) that eclipse most other manufacturers. USANA knows what goes into its nutritional products because the company's technical staff oversees the manufacture of every product, every step of the way. It's a quality guarantee that is underwritten by Dr. Wentz himself - on every bottle sold. I'll bet you that all those Australian companies with products manufactured by Pan - and who are now left holding the empty bag - are wishing right now that they could say that about their products. Carpe diem! Chris watch out for fillers in supplements Hi guys, someone in my other group recently posted this about fillers in supplements. I had such a hard time finding a multi-vitamin without soy, iodine, dairy, rice, eggs, and iron...Whew! I never really thought much about fillers except on my digestive enzymes. I checked my ingredient list, and the only thing I found that's on the list of additives is magnesium stearate (which is also in all my other supplements except the digestive enzymes I take). My digestive enzymes contain NO fillers. They are pretty expensive, but I chose them over the other brands because they are supposed to the the best company and also I liked that they didn't contain any fillers. My Vit. E is okay as well. Anyway, I plan on doing some more reading about that magnesium stearate which is in most of my stuff. Here's the link and article about fillers: http://www.selene.com/healthlink/hazards.html hidden hazards of vitamins and mineral tablets Article by Dr. Zoltan P. Rona MD MSc A wise practitioner once told me never to purchase parachutes, contact lenses or pacemakers based solely on bargain basement prices. The same principle holds true for vitamin and mineral supplements. You usually get exactly what you pay for. Following time honored practices of the drug industry, many " natural " food supplements contain an awesome list of synthetic fillers. In general, the more filler, the cheaper the supplement. If it's in a tablet, the chances are close to 100% that some type of harmful filler will be found in the tablet. With some exceptions, pure substances such as vitamin, mineral chelates, herbs or amino acids do not possess the necessary characteristics which allow them to be compressed directly without the addition of binders, lubricants, diluents, disintegrators, colouring and flavouring agents. The larger the tablet, the more it requires the use of binders such as hydrogenated oils (e.g. calcium or magnesium stearate). Smaller tablets may be manufactured using the cellulose derivatives (ethyl, methyl) as binders. Time release tablets are perhaps the most worrisome. For example, the release of 1000 mg. of Vitamin C over a period of 6 hours may require the addition of 400 mg. of hydrogenated oil (plastic butter) to the tablet. The addition of more oil prolongs the release, while the use of less allows quicker disintegration. Supplements in a vegetable-based capsule, powder or liquid form do not have such requirements and are far less likely to contain toxic additives. If you are a strict vegetarian, beware of gelatin-encapsulated supplements. Gelatin used in the manufacture of capsules is derived from collagenous beef (bovine) or pork (porcine/swine) material. Although it is true that most healthy people will have no obvious side effects from ingesting the small amount of toxins found in cheap vitamins, the long term consequences of continuous, daily intakes are potentially dangerous. Over 7% of the population displays sensitivity to these chemicals which, for the most part, do not elicit immediate allergic reactions in the average healthy person. Allergic reactions can affect any organ system in the body including the brain which often displays symptoms such as fatigue, memory loss, depression, anxiety, hallucinations and insomnia. Today, the most commonly used excipients in drugs, vitamin, mineral and other tableted items are listed in the table which follows: (From 1992 Excipient Usage In Marketed Drugs, USA) Excipient Incidence Magnesium Stearate 3109 Lactose 2450 Starch (Corn) 2055 Microcrystalline Cellulose 1908 Silicon Dioxide 1316 Titanium Dioxide 1048 Stearic Acid 1027 Sodium Starch Glycolate 884 Gelatin 792 Talc 738 Sucrose 725 Povidone 703 Pregelatinized Starch 693 Hydroxy Propyl Methylcellulose 660 OPA Products 608 Croscarmellose 509 Calcium phosphate (Dibasic) 419 Hydroxy Propyl Cellulose 293 Ethylcellulose 263 Crospovidone 235 Shellac (+ Glaze) 219 Calcium Stearate 194 The following is just a partial list of what to watch out for in purchasing nutritional supplements for you and your family: PROPYLENE GLYCOL - is a well known anti-freeze used in products such as windshield washer fluid. It is also the major ingredient in brake and hydraulic fluid. It can be a strong skin irritant with frequent use in cosmetics, shampoos and medicinal lotions. Propylene glycol has been documented to cause liver abnormalities and kidney damage. SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE (SLS) and SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE (SLES) - are used in shampoos for their detergent and foam-building abilities. They are found in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers and car wash soaps. They are one of the most harmful ingredients found in personal-care products like shampoos. Studies show that these additives react with the ingredients of food supplements or cosmetics to form carcinogenic nitrates and dioxins, all of which may enter the circulation with each shampooing or oral ingestion. SLS can be retained in the liver, heart, eyes, kidneys and muscles for periods of several years after use and have been reported to cause eye irritations, skin rashes, hair loss, dandruff and allergic reactions. Other potentially hazardous substances found as fillers in vitamin and mineral supplements are SODIUM BENZOATE, BHT, BHA, TARTRAZINE, LACTOSE, PEANUT OIL, HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, TITANIUM DIOXIDE, POLYSORBATE 80, MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE, MAGNESIUM STEARATE, RED DYE NO. 33 and 40, ETHYL CELLULOSE, SORBIC ACID, FRACTIONATED COCONUT OIL and CORNSTARCH. Well respected researcher, Dr. Horrobin, describes BHT, BHA, tartrazine and other coloring materials as " ...inhibitors of the conversion of essential fatty acids to prostaglandins or are chemically related to such known inhibitors. " Al Czap reports that there may be long term hazardous effects of taking such chemicals on a regular basis in vitamin and mineral supplements including coronary artery disease. BHT, BHA, chlorinated pesticides such as DDT, plasticizers, aromatics, as well as some alkanes (saturated hydrocarbons such as paraffin or wax) have been found deposited in the plaque of individuals suffering from coronary artery disease. People who use large numbers of vitamin and mineral tablets may actually be contributing to the diseases they are attempting to prevent. Based on all this information, the best advice would be to purchase supplements in vegetable capsules, naturally compressed tablets, powders or liquids that contain the fewest possible additives. Please note that many manufacturers do not disclose all the ingredients on the label since this is not a legal requirement. Always check with the manufacturer and demand full disclosure before purchasing any food supplement, even if it is purchased in a health food store. REFERENCES Alade SL ; Brown RE ; Paquet A Jr. Polysorbate 80 and E-Ferol toxicity. Pediatrics 1986 Apr;77(4):593-7. Blecher, Louis. Excipients - The Important Components. Pharmaceutical Processing Jan 95, page 6. Bove KE et al. Vasculopathic hepatotoxicity associated with E-Ferol syndrome in low-birth-weight infants. JAMA 1985 Nov 1;254(17):2422- 30. Czap, Al. IS YOUR POLYPLASDONE KOLLIDON WITH YOUR SO LKA-FLOC? Townsend Letter for Doctors, November 1984/Issue No. 21. Green, Dr. . Detergent Penetration Into Young and Adult Eyes. Department of Opthamology, Medical College of GA, Augusta, GA. Horrobin, . Journal of Holistic Medicine, vol.3, no.2, Fall/Winter 1981, p. 132. Okhamafe AO ; York P. Thermal characterization of drug/polymer and excipient/polymer interactions in some film coating formulation. J Pharm Pharmacol 1989 Jan;41(1):1-6. --------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- | articles | bookstore | contact | home | e-mail | Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 13, 2004 Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 Excipients (non-actives) are the additives used to convert active compounds into dosage forms suitable for administration. Interest in the physical effects and properties of the excipients used in pharmaceutical formulations has increased in recent years as pharmaceutical scientists have become increasingly aware of the fundamental effects that excipients can exert on the bioavailibility, stability and overall performance of the product. Relatively small variations in the physical properties of an excipient can produce significant differences in the behavior of the formulated product. In other words, using top quality excipients is as important as using the best quality raw materials for the active ingredients. Pharmaceutical manufacturing is a science and at Usana we approach excipients with the same scientific scrutiny that we do with all of our products. Safety, quality and effectiveness are all paramount in both our active ingredients and " other ingredients. " All pharmaceutical or nutritional products, whether they are tablets, capsules, or liquids contain excipients (whether they are labeled or not). The excipients that are used in Usana formulations are selected for their non-toxicity and contribution to the overall integrity and performance of the product. Since we use the best ingredients, minimal amounts can be added to achieve the desired effects. USANA will continue to monitor the research concerning all of its raw materials and will be governed by credible science in order to provide you the best products for your health. Please visit the following Health Resources link regarding tablet excipients which I hope will be helpful for you: http://www.usana.com/USNUSUPPINGREDIE_18918.html Many of the tablet excipients listed in the Health Resource are no longer included in the USANA products. However, a summarized description of most of the excipients currently used in the products should be included. If you have a question about a particular excipient not listed in the health resource, let us know. Best regards, Chris watch out for fillers in supplements Hi guys, someone in my other group recently posted this about fillers in supplements. I had such a hard time finding a multi-vitamin without soy, iodine, dairy, rice, eggs, and iron...Whew! I never really thought much about fillers except on my digestive enzymes. I checked my ingredient list, and the only thing I found that's on the list of additives is magnesium stearate (which is also in all my other supplements except the digestive enzymes I take). My digestive enzymes contain NO fillers. They are pretty expensive, but I chose them over the other brands because they are supposed to the the best company and also I liked that they didn't contain any fillers. My Vit. E is okay as well. Anyway, I plan on doing some more reading about that magnesium stearate which is in most of my stuff. Here's the link and article about fillers: http://www.selene.com/healthlink/hazards.html hidden hazards of vitamins and mineral tablets Article by Dr. Zoltan P. Rona MD MSc A wise practitioner once told me never to purchase parachutes, contact lenses or pacemakers based solely on bargain basement prices. The same principle holds true for vitamin and mineral supplements. You usually get exactly what you pay for. Following time honored practices of the drug industry, many " natural " food supplements contain an awesome list of synthetic fillers. In general, the more filler, the cheaper the supplement. If it's in a tablet, the chances are close to 100% that some type of harmful filler will be found in the tablet. With some exceptions, pure substances such as vitamin, mineral chelates, herbs or amino acids do not possess the necessary characteristics which allow them to be compressed directly without the addition of binders, lubricants, diluents, disintegrators, colouring and flavouring agents. The larger the tablet, the more it requires the use of binders such as hydrogenated oils (e.g. calcium or magnesium stearate). Smaller tablets may be manufactured using the cellulose derivatives (ethyl, methyl) as binders. Time release tablets are perhaps the most worrisome. For example, the release of 1000 mg. of Vitamin C over a period of 6 hours may require the addition of 400 mg. of hydrogenated oil (plastic butter) to the tablet. The addition of more oil prolongs the release, while the use of less allows quicker disintegration. Supplements in a vegetable-based capsule, powder or liquid form do not have such requirements and are far less likely to contain toxic additives. If you are a strict vegetarian, beware of gelatin-encapsulated supplements. Gelatin used in the manufacture of capsules is derived from collagenous beef (bovine) or pork (porcine/swine) material. Although it is true that most healthy people will have no obvious side effects from ingesting the small amount of toxins found in cheap vitamins, the long term consequences of continuous, daily intakes are potentially dangerous. Over 7% of the population displays sensitivity to these chemicals which, for the most part, do not elicit immediate allergic reactions in the average healthy person. Allergic reactions can affect any organ system in the body including the brain which often displays symptoms such as fatigue, memory loss, depression, anxiety, hallucinations and insomnia. Today, the most commonly used excipients in drugs, vitamin, mineral and other tableted items are listed in the table which follows: (From 1992 Excipient Usage In Marketed Drugs, USA) Excipient Incidence Magnesium Stearate 3109 Lactose 2450 Starch (Corn) 2055 Microcrystalline Cellulose 1908 Silicon Dioxide 1316 Titanium Dioxide 1048 Stearic Acid 1027 Sodium Starch Glycolate 884 Gelatin 792 Talc 738 Sucrose 725 Povidone 703 Pregelatinized Starch 693 Hydroxy Propyl Methylcellulose 660 OPA Products 608 Croscarmellose 509 Calcium phosphate (Dibasic) 419 Hydroxy Propyl Cellulose 293 Ethylcellulose 263 Crospovidone 235 Shellac (+ Glaze) 219 Calcium Stearate 194 The following is just a partial list of what to watch out for in purchasing nutritional supplements for you and your family: PROPYLENE GLYCOL - is a well known anti-freeze used in products such as windshield washer fluid. It is also the major ingredient in brake and hydraulic fluid. It can be a strong skin irritant with frequent use in cosmetics, shampoos and medicinal lotions. Propylene glycol has been documented to cause liver abnormalities and kidney damage. SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE (SLS) and SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE (SLES) - are used in shampoos for their detergent and foam-building abilities. They are found in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers and car wash soaps. They are one of the most harmful ingredients found in personal-care products like shampoos. Studies show that these additives react with the ingredients of food supplements or cosmetics to form carcinogenic nitrates and dioxins, all of which may enter the circulation with each shampooing or oral ingestion. SLS can be retained in the liver, heart, eyes, kidneys and muscles for periods of several years after use and have been reported to cause eye irritations, skin rashes, hair loss, dandruff and allergic reactions. Other potentially hazardous substances found as fillers in vitamin and mineral supplements are SODIUM BENZOATE, BHT, BHA, TARTRAZINE, LACTOSE, PEANUT OIL, HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, TITANIUM DIOXIDE, POLYSORBATE 80, MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE, MAGNESIUM STEARATE, RED DYE NO. 33 and 40, ETHYL CELLULOSE, SORBIC ACID, FRACTIONATED COCONUT OIL and CORNSTARCH. Well respected researcher, Dr. Horrobin, describes BHT, BHA, tartrazine and other coloring materials as " ...inhibitors of the conversion of essential fatty acids to prostaglandins or are chemically related to such known inhibitors. " Al Czap reports that there may be long term hazardous effects of taking such chemicals on a regular basis in vitamin and mineral supplements including coronary artery disease. BHT, BHA, chlorinated pesticides such as DDT, plasticizers, aromatics, as well as some alkanes (saturated hydrocarbons such as paraffin or wax) have been found deposited in the plaque of individuals suffering from coronary artery disease. People who use large numbers of vitamin and mineral tablets may actually be contributing to the diseases they are attempting to prevent. Based on all this information, the best advice would be to purchase supplements in vegetable capsules, naturally compressed tablets, powders or liquids that contain the fewest possible additives. Please note that many manufacturers do not disclose all the ingredients on the label since this is not a legal requirement. Always check with the manufacturer and demand full disclosure before purchasing any food supplement, even if it is purchased in a health food store. REFERENCES Alade SL ; Brown RE ; Paquet A Jr. Polysorbate 80 and E-Ferol toxicity. Pediatrics 1986 Apr;77(4):593-7. Blecher, Louis. Excipients - The Important Components. Pharmaceutical Processing Jan 95, page 6. Bove KE et al. Vasculopathic hepatotoxicity associated with E-Ferol syndrome in low-birth-weight infants. JAMA 1985 Nov 1;254(17):2422- 30. Czap, Al. IS YOUR POLYPLASDONE KOLLIDON WITH YOUR SO LKA-FLOC? Townsend Letter for Doctors, November 1984/Issue No. 21. Green, Dr. . Detergent Penetration Into Young and Adult Eyes. Department of Opthamology, Medical College of GA, Augusta, GA. Horrobin, . Journal of Holistic Medicine, vol.3, no.2, Fall/Winter 1981, p. 132. Okhamafe AO ; York P. Thermal characterization of drug/polymer and excipient/polymer interactions in some film coating formulation. J Pharm Pharmacol 1989 Jan;41(1):1-6. --------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- | articles | bookstore | contact | home | e-mail | Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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