Question:
I have heard a lot about magnesium stearate lately. Do I need to be concerned about magnesium stearate and why exactly it is used? -Paul
Answer:
Dear Paul, Magnesium Stearate is a compound of stearic acid (a naturally occurring fatty acid) chemically bound to the element magnesium. It is used in small amounts as a lubricating agent in the manufacture of supplements. Without such lubrication many ingredients would stick to the processing equipment building up and interfering with filling process. Stearic acid is common in the human diet, comprising as much as 25% total fatty acid intake. It occurs naturally in chocolate, Brazil and Macadamia nuts, coconut, dairy products and a variety of meats such as beef, lamb and pork. Stearic acid is very digestible and after it is taken up into the liver it rapidly converts to oleic acid, the highly desired mono-unsaturated fatty acid found abundantly in olive oil. This is most likely why studies have repeatedly shown that stearic acid does not elevate LDL, total cholesterol or triglycerides. One study that many people have used as evidence against magnesium stearate is a 1990 experiment. This study used stearic acid that you find in your food and studied T cells in mice and in this case the results cannot be applied to humans. This study has no relevance to human consumption of magnesium stearate. You shouldn’t be concerned about magnesium stearate unless you get an allergic response which is a very rare occurrence.