Follow Us on Social
What is it? Where does it come from? Why and where is it used? And most importantly, is it safe? Let's dive in.
Magnesium Stearate is a simple salt made of two common nutritional substances: magnesium (mineral) and stearic acid (a kind of saturated fat). The two are bound together to create magnesium stearate.
Magnesium is most commonly found in nuts and seeds. Stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid found in many foods such as eggs, chicken, grass-fed beef, coconut oil, walnuts, cheese, salmon, and even human breast milk.
Magnesium Stearate is used as a 'flow agent', lubricant, binder, or anti-caking agent in the production of many nutritional supplements and pharmaceuticals. In supplement and pharmaceutical production, it helps ensure consistency and quality control. Without it, the encapsulation machinery can jam up and potentially cause differences in the amount of active ingredients in each capsule.
Magnesium stearate can also be used to delay breakdown and absorption of medications, so they’re absorbed in the correct area of the bowel.
In foods, it can be found in a variety of products such as milk and cheese products, breakfast cereals, candy, baby formulas, vinegars, prepared foods, and others. In foods, it is an emulsifier, helping ingredients bind to one another.
The short answer is yes, in moderation. We have had customers express concerns that magnesium stearate has been linked to suppressed immune T-cell function - but there is no human data to support this.
Magnesium stearate is an FDA & Health Canada approved product and it is rated “Low Risk” in all categories by the Environmental Working Group.
The National Center for Biotechnology Information considers it safe for consumption at amounts BELOW 2,500 milligrams per kilogram per day (170,000 mg per day for a 150lb adult). Adults in North America typically only consume 7,000mg per day.
How much stearic acid is generally found in supplements? Between 0.25 and 3%. Meaning if you took 20 500mg supplements containing 1% magnesium stearate per day, you would only be consuming around 96mg - WAY under the daily limit!
If too much magnesium stearate is ingested, it can have a laxative effect which can cause bowel spasms. Research shows that pharmaceuticals can contain 0.15 - 5% magnesium stearate, whereas supplements contain 0.25 - 3%. Therefore, some pharmaceutical medications that contain higher percentages of magnesium stearate (especially if they are taken multiple times a day), may cause gastric upset.
Sources:
We have been supporting the wellness of our communities since 1976.
Our highly trained staff are here to help. Our Product Educators have vast knowledge and experience with the products we carry in our stores - whether they take them themselves, have taken brand training, or have received feedback from customers.
Please visit one of our stores to chat with them about we can help support you and get you feeling your best!
