Re: Immune suppressors? -- Magnesium stearate and stearic acid

[Guest guest]

Hello folks.

jrrjim wrote:

<< I just got an email from Mercola.com with a link to a video, where some

German doctor is swearing up and down that stearic acid and magnesium

stearate are POWERFUL immune suppressors. Unfortunately, these substances are

used in many, if not most vitamins as fillers, especially if the vitamins

are in tablet form. I checked my vitamins and yes, about half of them have

the stuff. Is anyone here able to offer any insights on this? >>

I have the same question.

To the best of my understanding:

(1) Stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid.

(2) The term " stearate " is used for the salts and esters of stearic acid.

(3) Magnesium stearate is the magnesium salt of stearic acid.

My Other Questions:

(1) Should the magnesium stearate compounds used by various health

supplement companies have any significant differences from one another?

(2) Is the stearate portion of magnesium stearate (used in many health

supplements) a hydrogenated fat, a partially hydrogenated fat, a trans fat,

an esterified fat, an interesterified fat, or just a plain old saturated fat

(stearic acid) bonded to magnesium, or none of the above?

(3) And is the following medical journal article the *sole* source of

information used as evidence of the immunosuppressive effects of magnesium

stearate?

" Molecular basis for the immunosuppressive action of stearic acid on T

cells "

(in vitro study involving stearic acid [not magnesium stearate, as far as

I can tell] from the medical journal, " Immunology " , 1990)

(http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1384169)

Thanks much!

Glen from Illinois

P.S. I will post a list of related articles and postings in my next

posting in this thread.

[Guest guest]

Hello folks.

I especially appreciated the first two below articles from the Life

Extension Foundation (LEF) and Dr. Ray Sahelian.

Comments?

Thanks much!

Glen from Illinois

===============================================================

MAGNESIUM STEARATE - ARTICLES & POSTINGS

COMMENTS BY THE LIFE EXTENSION FOUNDATION:

Magnesium Stearate [PDF]

(http://forum.lef.org/attach.aspx/189/Magnesium%20stearate.pdf)

COMMENTS BY DR. RAY SAHELIAN, MD:

Magnesium stearate safety, side effects, toxicity, problems and review of

studies by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

(http://www.raysahelian.com/magnesiumstearate.html)

COMMENTS BY NEIL LEVIN, CCN OF NOW FOODS:

Stearic Acid and Magnesium Stearate

(http://www.nowfoods.com/Quality/QualityNotes/M093528.htm)

COMMENTS BY DR. JOSEPH MERCOLA, DO & DR. DIETRICH KLINGHARDT, MD:

Why Taking Supplements Could be Hazardous to Your Health

(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/14/Why-Taking-Supple\

ments-Could-be-Hazardous-to-Your-Health.aspx)

Hidden Dangers of Nutritional Supplements You Should Be Aware Of

(http://blogs.mercola.com/sites/vitalvotes/archive/2009/03/26/The-Hidden-Dangers\

-in-Nutritional-Supplements.aspx)

COMMENTS BY DR. RON SCHMID, ND:

Why additive-free supplements?

(http://www.drrons.com/why-no-additives.htm)

Dietary Supplements: What the Industry Does Not Want You to Know

(http://www.drrons.com/supplements-industry.htm)

[Guest guest]

Hello Zanaglen,

The amount of stearic acid in these supplements is very insignificant

compared to what a lot of people get in their diet. Meat eaters get

way more than others. Even cocoa has stearic acid in it as a natural

component. Just don't lick the scum from around your bathtub. That

is largely magnesium stearate. (Though quite delicious I am told).

Mike

Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 4:09:08 PM, you wrote:

zac> Hello folks.

zac>

zac> jrrjim wrote:

zac>

zac> << I just got an email from Mercola.com with a link to a video, where some

zac> German doctor is swearing up and down that stearic acid and magnesium

zac> stearate are POWERFUL immune suppressors. Unfortunately, these substances

are

zac> used in many, if not most vitamins as fillers, especially if the vitamins

zac> are in tablet form. I checked my vitamins and yes, about half of them have

zac> the stuff. Is anyone here able to offer any insights on this? >>

zac>

zac>

zac> I have the same question.

zac>

zac> To the best of my understanding:

zac>

zac> (1) Stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid.

zac>

zac> (2) The term " stearate " is used for the salts and esters of stearic acid.

zac>

zac> (3) Magnesium stearate is the magnesium salt of stearic acid.

zac>

zac> My Other Questions:

zac>

zac> (1) Should the magnesium stearate compounds used by various health

zac> supplement companies have any significant differences from one another?

zac>

zac> (2) Is the stearate portion of magnesium stearate (used in many health

zac> supplements) a hydrogenated fat, a partially hydrogenated fat, a trans

fat,

zac> an esterified fat, an interesterified fat, or just a plain old saturated

fat

zac> (stearic acid) bonded to magnesium, or none of the above?

zac>

zac> (3) And is the following medical journal article the *sole* source of

zac> information used as evidence of the immunosuppressive effects of magnesium

zac> stearate?

zac>

zac> " Molecular basis for the immunosuppressive action of stearic acid on T

zac> cells "

zac> (in vitro study involving stearic acid [not magnesium stearate, as far as

zac> I can tell] from the medical journal, " Immunology " , 1990)

zac> (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1384169)

zac>

zac> Thanks much!

zac> Glen from Illinois

zac>

zac> P.S. I will post a list of related articles and postings in my next

zac> posting in this thread.

--

Best regards,

Mike mailto:goldenmike@...