Magnesium stearate instructions for use. Magnesium stearate, effects on the body, properties. NSP company produces stearic acid and magnesium stearate from palm fruits, the additive has a kosher certificate
It is worth emphasizing that the harm of the food emulsifier E572 Magnesium (calcium) stearate does not allow the food additive to participate and be used in the production processes of the food industry. Food emulsifier E572 Magnesium (calcium) stearate belongs to a group of additives that are used as emulsifiers. These compounds, often of synthetic and rarely natural origin, act as shapers as well as thickeners. Often, in the production of a food group of goods according to the recipe, it is necessary to mix immiscible natural compounds, for example, fats and water, to a homogeneous consistency.
Harm of food emulsifier E572 Magnesium stearate (calcium)
Emulsifiers help to combine this kind of substances and get a homogeneous mass in the process of making food. The properties of the food emulsifier E572 Magnesium (calcium) stearate, as well as the possible harmful effects that compounds can have on the human body, give every reason to exclude the additive from the list of permitted and used in both domestic and foreign food industries. Unfortunately, despite the obvious harm, the food emulsifier E572 Magnesium (calcium) stearate is used in the cosmetic industry.
It is noteworthy that both researchers and physicians have repeatedly warned that the characteristic properties of the food emulsifier E572 Magnesium Stearate (calcium) can cause significant damage to the human body. According to its structure, the food emulsifier E572 Magnesium (calcium) stearate is nothing more than a crushed white powder, soapy to the touch. According to its origin and properties, the food emulsifier E572 Magnesium stearate () belongs to the group of magnesium salts, which are obtained as a result of the interaction of stearic acid and magnesium or calcium.
Among the distinctive features of the food emulsifier E572 Magnesium Stearate (calcium) are the following. Food emulsifier E572 Magnesium (calcium) stearate is practically immiscible with water-containing solutions, however, it is perfectly soluble in oils or alcohols. The food emulsifier E572 Melts magnesium (calcium) stearate at a temperature of 88C. The most actively food emulsifier E572 Magnesium (calcium) stearate is used in the manufacturing process of cosmetic products. The chemically active compound magnesium (calcium) stearate, which is part of the E572 emulsifier, can lead to the occurrence and development of severe thyroid diseases.
Lysikov Yury Alexandrovich, Ph.D. ― scientific consultant of NSP company
NSP received a letter from our partners - a text downloaded from the Internet, which is dedicated to food additives (not to be confused with dietary supplements) magnesium stearate (E-470b and E-572) and stearic acid (E-570). The article states that magnesium stearate is an extremely "toxic" and "dangerous" substance. We present this text in full, underlining the words and phrases in it that do not correspond to reality, and which we will talk about later.
In general, commenting on texts taken from the Internet is a pointless and thankless task. No life is enough to refute all the nonsense, mistakes and delusions that circulate there and will circulate forever - they have no number! Let's make an exception for magnesium stearate to show that it's very reckless to blindly trust what you can read on the Internet, even if it looks "solid" and "scientific". However, let's read the text that was sent:
What is magnesium stearate
"Magnesium stearate or stearic acid (Magnesium stearate, Stearic acid) can be found in the composition of so many tablets and supplements. This filler is not at all useful for our body, moreover, it is dangerous for us. This is a magnesium derivative, for which our body There is no use Supplement companies have been deliberately misleading their customers for a long time with the information that this component is completely neutral, and now they are making them believe that the use of this supplement is good for our body. this filler is not neutral, it is much more dangerous for our body than was previously known.
Magnesium Stearate or Stearic Acid is a toxin. This is a combination of hydrogenated oils that, once in your body, begins to kill cells almost immediately. The worst news here is that stearic acid is in over 90% of the supplements currently on the market."
Why magnesium stearate is used in supplements and medicines
“Often it is used because of the outdated equipment used by the manufacturer. Companies are trying to squeeze as much profit as possible from the equipment they bought earlier, therefore they are in no hurry to replace it with newer ones. How is it that magnesium stearate ends up in your supplements so often? It's simple a manufacturing tool, it is used to make more tablets.More specifically, stearic acid is a by-product of hydrogenated oils that are used to lubricate equipment that accumulates metals that saturate these very dangerous oils.”
How much magnesium stearate is in supplements
“Because they are used as a lubricant at every step in the production of a tablet, these hydrogenated oils make up as much as 5% of the composition of a 1000 mg capsule. This wastes valuable capsule space of your supplements, but this is how the company can make more tablets and more money. But the problem is not only in this, the presence of this excipient reduces the effectiveness of the pills you are taking."
What else is dangerous magnesium stearate
"In addition, magnesium stearate can be loaded with pesticides that are contained in hydrogenated cottonseed oil. In addition, the chemical structure of fatty acids in stearic acid changes due to close contact with various metal catalysts at extremely high temperatures, the risk of toxicity increases dramatically And all these countless toxic components end up in our body."
Now let's look at this text in more detail and carefully.
Let's start with stearic acid, which may be present in dietary supplements as a food additive (E-570). Stearic acid is one of the most common and important dietary fatty acids (C18 - contains 18 carbon atoms and is among the saturated ones), which is especially abundant in animal fats (sheep fat can contain up to 30% stearic acid!). In the human body, it is ranked third after oleic (C17) and palmitic (C16) fatty acids: 14% in the blood and 4.2% in the composition of fat depots. Therefore, the assertion that stearic acid is "completely not useful" and "it is a toxin" is completely unfounded.
Stearic acid is one of the most refractory fatty acids: its melting point is 69.6°C. Therefore, candles are made from stearic acid. Another area of application of stearic acid is its use as a food additive - E-570, along with oleic, palmitic and other fatty acids, as a stabilizer, defoamer, glazing agent. By the way, when the hostess in the kitchen wants to get gloss on the surface of the pies (glazing effect), they are lubricated with oil, which also contains stearic acid. Therefore, the food supplement E-570, despite the "ominous" name for some, is a combination of absolutely natural food ingredients - fatty acids. Among the food additives you can find ascorbic acid (vitamin C - E-300), α-tocopherol (vitamin E - E-307), which are used as food antioxidants, chlorophyll (E-141), used as a natural food dye, etc.
Let's move on to " hydrogenated oils, which, once in your body, begin to kill cells". Firstly, hydrogenation is a technological process for converting liquid unsaturated fats into more refractory saturated fats. For example, by hydrogenating a monounsaturated C17 oleic fatty acid, you can get C18 saturated - stearic. This produces a safe food product - margarine. Secondly, hydrogenated saturated fatty acids are not toxic and do not kill cells.Thirdly, stearic acid cannot be a "combination of hydrogenated oils" - it is one fatty acid, not a "combination" of different acids.Note that hydrogenated fatty acids and trans fatty acids are it's not the same thing.
Stearic acid is obtained not only by hydrogenation, but also by separating it from the composition of animal fats or palm oil, where it is contained up to 10%.
And now consider magnesium stearate, which is the magnesium salt of stearic fatty acid. This compound consists of absolutely harmless stearic fatty acid and magnesium, which is indispensable and useful for our body. Such a compound can be formed in the body when magnesium salts interact with stearic acid. It should be emphasized that once in the human stomach, magnesium stearate reacts with hydrochloric acid to form magnesium sulfate and stearic acid. When absorbed, magnesium stearate also breaks down and practically does not enter the internal environment in this form. This could put an end to the dispute about the "harm" of magnesium stearate. However, it is worth continuing the conversation about the properties and significance of this compound.
Let's comment on the stupidity posted on the Internet. First, magnesium stearate doesn't work "like a lubricant". As part of pharmaceutical preparations - tablets, powders, it is used as a filler, a consistency stabilizer, and prevents clumping. Due to these physical properties, it does not "impair the effectiveness of the tablets", but, on the contrary, increases. Second, there is no way magnesium stearate can be "pesticide-laden", nor is it derived from "cotton oil". Finally, the expression "the structure of fatty acids in the composition of stearic acid" is absurd. This is about the same as "the structure of sodium salts in the composition of sodium chloride."
Another question arises: "Is magnesium stearate necessary as an auxiliary substance in the composition of pharmacological preparations, dietary supplements and cosmetics?" To answer it, consider the properties of this dietary supplement.
MAGNESIUM STEARATE
Name: magnesium salts of fatty acids E470b
Other names: E470b, E-470b, Eng: E470b, E-470b, Magnesium salts of fatty acids
Group: food additive Type: stabilizers
Effect on the body: not dangerous
Allowed in countries: Russia, Ukraine, EU.
Basic properties: Magnesium salts of fatty acids, including stearic acid, are stabilizing agents used to maintain and improve the viscosity and texture of food products. It is used to prevent clumping and caking of powdered food products, as well as an emulsifier and separator. Additive E470b has the structure of a light white powder, insoluble in water. Magnesium salts are split with the appearance of free fatty acids only when treated with acids, for example, in the acidic environment of the stomach. It is actively used as a separating agent in the process of pressing tablet forms. In the cosmetic and pharmacological fields, magnesium salts of fatty acids also play the role of a thickener.
In the food industry, as a rule, magnesium salts of fatty acids are used in order to improve the flow properties of products in powder form. Basically, these are such food products as flour of various varieties and types, powdered sugar, baking powder, dry broths and soups, and much more.
Get magnesium stearate in the process of interaction of magnesium chloride and sodium stearate. In the process of obtaining, admissible impurities arise: glycerin, monoglycerides and diglycerides, unsaponifiable fats.
The allowable daily intake of magnesium salts of fatty acids has not been determined. Codex Alimentarius: allowed in the standards for powdered glucose, dry broths, powdered sugar as an anti-caking and anti-caking additive, up to 15 g/kg.
The inclusion of E-470b in food products should not exceed 6% of the total mass. In those NSP dietary supplements that contain these additives, the content of magnesium stearate ranges from 0.05% to 2.5%, and stearic acid does not exceed 4.5%.
The harm of the food stabilizer of magnesium salts of fatty acids (E470b) for human health has not been identified to date, therefore the use of this additive is not prohibited in many countries of the world, including Russia. In the EU, it is used without restrictions.
Source of information: "Encyclopedia. Food additives." L.A. Sarafanova
Name: magnesium stearate, E572
Other names: calcium stearate, E 572, E-572, Magnesium stearate, calcium stearate
Group: food additive
Type: foam stabilizer, glazing agent and defoamer
Effect on the body: conditionally safe
Characteristics: E572 magnesium stearate, or magnesium salt of stearic acid, is a substance in the form of a slightly soapy white powder. It is highly soluble in alcohol, in oils, but insoluble in water, magnesium stearate is made from animal and vegetable oils.
Application: Magnesium stearate is mainly applicable in the cosmetic industry and pharmacology. It is used as a filler in the base for decorative cosmetics, applicable in powders as a binder, increases the volume of the product. In mineral cosmetics, it does not allow the formation of lumps, sintering, improves its consistency. In pharmacology, E 572 is used as an excipient for the preparation of drugs. Emulsifiers help to combine this kind of substances and get a homogeneous mass in the process of making food.
It is not dangerous for use in an acceptable daily dose of up to 2500 mg / kg per day. NSP products use magnesium stearate and stearic acid, which are obtained from palm fruits. These ingredients are kosher certified.
The production of the NSP company is annually inspected as a manufacturer of food supplements in the form of tablets, capsules, powder and liquid dosage forms. All manufacturing facilities of Nature`s Sunshine Products, Inc. comply with the standards of GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE for food (Code of Good Manufacturing Practice for food).
When registering on the territory of the customs union, each product of the company undergoes a safety check, as a result of which a Test Report is issued. It contains all indicators, including those for pesticides and other substances that pose a danger to human health. For our products, these figures are dozens of times lower than the permissible quantities, which once again confirms the highest quality of our products.
These additives are officially permitted by regulatory documents, compliance with which is confirmed by our documents on the state registration of each product presented on the market of the countries of the customs union: Appendix 2 to the technical regulation "Safety requirements for food additives, flavorings and technological aids" (TR CU 029/2012)
It affects the human body as a substance of a sedative effect. E-572 promotes the absorption of calcium, has a beneficial effect on the reproductive system, strengthens the heart and blood vessels, normalizes the functioning of internal organs, stabilizes the endocrine system, increases bone strength, and improves digestion.
Magnesium salt of stearic acid in industrial production has several different names. It is called magnesium stearate and E572, as well as calcium stearate - according to the second active component. This white substance is practically insoluble in water, but it easily interacts with alcohol or oil. PF industrial production of magnesium stearate is used as a stabilizer and defoamer.
Features and characteristics of magnesium stearate
Today, the food additive E572, which can only be conditionally attributed to this category of substances, is indispensable in pharmacology and cosmetology. The main task of magnesium stearate is to create a homogeneous mass from a disparate substance, without lumps and foreign inclusions. To the touch, this powder is slippery and as if soapy, which is explained by its high degree of adhesion. Therefore, magnesium stearate is often used as a substitute for talc or starch. Magnesium stearate is considered a relatively safe product, it is obtained by splitting oils of vegetable or animal origin. However E572 is strictly prohibited in food production, as it is a highly unstable substance. This is especially evident when interacting with various types of oxidizing agents. Therefore, getting into the stomach, E572 turns into magnesium sulfate, which in large quantities can be harmful to health. In addition, magnesium stearate is highly flammable and flammable near open flames.
Where is E572 used?
The main field of application of magnesium stearate is cosmetology and pharmacology. This substance is part of drugs that are designed to strengthen the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Favorably affect bones and muscles, teeth and nail plates. In addition, magnesium stearate is indispensable in the processes of digestion and restoration of the functions of the endocrine system, it contributes to the normalization of the internal organs and is responsible for the process of absorption of calcium by the body.
This additive is simply indispensable in modern cosmetology, as it is part of powder and foundation, eye shadow and lipstick, various types of deodorants, shampoos and gels. This is not surprising, since E572 regulates the formation of foam, is responsible for the uniformity of the final product, and also acts as a natural thickener. In addition, today manufacturers are very willing to use magnesium stearate as a fipper - a relatively safe filler that allows you to increase production volumes several times with a minimum of financial costs.
Why is magnesium stearate harmful?
Scientific studies show that the daily intake of this substance by an adult should not exceed 2500 micrograms per 1 kg of body weight. Otherwise, the substance can cause acute food poisoning with subsequent damage to the digestive system. It is also strictly forbidden to combine the intake of drugs, which include E572, with alcohol and any kind of energy drinks.
It is believed that magnesium stearate is completely harmless in the composition of cosmetics, but this opinion is erroneous. If manufacturers abuse this filler in order to obtain additional profit, then even ordinary compact powder can cause severe dermatitis. For this reason self-respecting companies never add E572 to children's cosmetics. In general, when controlling the quality of various cosmetics, well-known brands pay attention to the percentage of E572 in their products, although they do not advertise such information. Therefore, cheap Asian-made shadows and lipstick of dubious quality, in which magnesium stearate is often used, can cause significant harm to health and appearance.
The substance "Magnesium stearate" has several names: in Latin - Stearic acid or Magnesium stearate, in Russian - E-572. A very toxic substance in nature is included in 90% of medicines.
Manufacturers of drugs from all over the world for a very long time inspired consumers that the substance is neutral, does not harm the body. This is not true. Once in the body, magnesium stearate almost instantly begins to kill cells. Despite this, it continues to be used in medicines, especially in tablets.
Magnesium stearate tablets. What is it for?
Stearic acid is an emulsifier, a mixture. The compound is necessary for shaping tablets and helps to mix substances that do not combine well with each other (for example, water and fats). E-572 helps thicken the mixture, making it a homogeneous mass. Stearic acid is used not only in pharmacology, but also in the food and cosmetic industries. This magnesium salt looks like a white, slightly soapy powder. For a long time, magnesium stearate was considered harmless, added to medicines to give the desired shape to capsules and tablets. Perfectly soluble in oils and alcohols, it does not mix with water and water-based solutions. The emulsifier melts at 88 ° C. It was under these characteristics of the substance that all the equipment involved in the production of tablets was set up. Today, when the harm of stearic acid has been proven, most manufacturers simply do not change equipment so as not to incur additional costs.
magnesium stearate. Harm or benefit?
The question does not have a clear answer. On the one hand, of course, harm. Combining in the stomach with the substance turns into sulfate magnesium
niya. He, in turn, reacting with energy drinks, alcohol and drugs, becomes a poison. Preparations, cosmetics and food containing E-572 cause:
- increased risk of cancer;
- disorders in the thyroid gland;
- necrosis at the cellular level.
On the other hand, many doctors claim that magnesium stearate has a calming effect.
If it is not mixed with products containing acids, it does not cause much harm to the body. It is believed that if no more than 2500 mg / kg of a substance per day enters the body per day, then this is permissible. in Russia is recognized as a conditionally safe product.
What to do?
Different experts offer their ways out of the situation. Public figures suggest abandoning products containing stearic acid so that bankrupt manufacturers take care of installing new equipment. Representatives of alternative medicine urge to stop taking pills and replace them with herbal preparations. To date, neither one nor the other output can be used. It remains only to choose products more carefully, not to abuse pills, buy high-quality cosmetics and monitor your diet. This is the only way to take care of your own health.
Calcium stearate (food additive E470, calcium stearate)- a chemical compound, calcium salt and stearic acid
Physiochemical properties.
Formula Ca (C 17 H 35 COO) 2, colorless (white) substance. Density 1035 kg/m 3 . Does not dissolve in water. Soluble in benzene, toluene, ethanol and other organic solvents. Non-toxic. Melting temperature within 130÷150°C. Flash point 196°C. Ignition temperature 395°C. Shows synergy with lead stabilizers. It is a heat stabilizer for polyvinyl chloride. Approved for stabilizing PVC packaging films.
Application.
Calcium stearate is used as a plasticizer, stabilizer, and surfactant. This salt is used as an effective stabilizer in the production of PVC polystyrene, polyolefins, polyamide. Used in the production of building and finishing materials based on cement mixtures and limestone, cable and pipe thermoplastics. It is an anti-agglomerating additive for synthetic rubbers. It is used as an additional desiccant in the production of paints and varnishes. Calcium stearate is used as a stabilizer for plastics. It is also used as a plasticizer in the plastics industry as well as in cosmetics. Acts as a catalyst in chemical synthesis. It is used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries for tableting medicinal substances and vitamins, as a gelling agent. Due to the fact that calcium stearate is a non-toxic substance, it is used in the manufacture of products intended for contact with food. In the textile and construction industries, it is widely used as an effective hydrophobic additive. Also, the scope of calcium stearate includes the following areas: the perfume industry, as an emulsifier for cosmetic preparations, the production of foundry molding sands - as a lubricant (lubricant), the production of pencils - as a plasticizer, in the food industry, calcium stearate is most often used for the manufacture of confectionery products, dietary supplements, etc. Calcium stearate is the main component in some types of defoamers.
Receipt.
Calcium stearate is obtained by heating a mixture of stearic acid, fatty acids and calcium oxide: 2C 17 H 35 COOH + CaO> (C 17 H 35 COO) 2 Ca + H 2 O
