Myatt: Flow agents help ensure a consistent dose of product in each capsule. Magnesium stea- rate does this by preventing indi- vidual ingredients from sticking to each other and from sticking to the encapsulating machines. It allows manufacturers to create a consistently homogenous mix, so the amount of active ingredi- ents is the same from capsule to capsule or tablet to tablet. In oth- er words, the use of magnesium stearate and other flow agents helps ensure consistency and quality control.
Focus: Some companies claim that they do not use flow agents or other “inert ingredients.” Is that a good thing?
Myatt: This might sound good to consumers who do not un- derstand the nuances of good supplement manufacturing prac- tices. The truth, however, is that companies that don’t use flow agents are more likely to have in- consistent doses of ingredients in each capsule or tablet. Almost all drugs and supplements contain inactive ingredients. These “in- actives” serve multiple purpos- es. Flow agents, as we discussed, help ensure consistent dosing in each tablet or capsule. Some products contain fillers like cel- lulose which acts as a binder in tablets and helps fill out the size
of tablets or capsules. Herbs can be encapsulated and additional herb used as filler, so these prod- ucts may contain only “actives.” So yes, it is possible to make cap- sules or tablets without inactive ingredients, but quality control becomes more difficult.
Focus: We have seen claims on the internet, on videos, that mag- nesium stearate suppresses im- mune T-cell function and causes the collapse of cell membrane in- tegrity in helper T-cells. Is there any scientific support for this?
Myatt: Not unless you’re a mouse.
Focus: Not unless you’re a mouse?
Myatt: This claim about im- mune suppression is based on the gross misrepresentation of a single mouse study. Here’s the “Cliff notes”:
The entire claim is based on a single study — that’s right, one study — performed in 1990, us- ing mouse T-cells in a Petri dish. When mouse T-cells were incu- bated (read that as: “soaked”) with stearic acid — not magne- sium stearate, but stearic acid — there was indeed a collapse of the cell membrane and a loss of T-cell function.3
This study was
never repeated. But here’s the factoid that mag-
Dr. Dana Myatt is a graduate of the National College of Naturopathic Medicine and has been in multi- disciplinary, full-scope family practice for 23 years. She is the founder and CEO of Myatt Nutritionals and is author of “A Physician’s Diary” (A.R.E. Press, 1994) and
22 Focus April 2013
nesium stearate naysayers con- veniently “forget” to mention. Mouse t-cells are known to lack the delta-9 desaturase enzyme that converts stearic acid into the perfectly healthy fat, oleic acid. This was mentioned right in the same mouse-cell study. Mouse T-cells can apparently become toxic from high levels of stearic acid, at least in a Petri dish and at levels far above what could ordinarily be achieved from diet. That has nothing to do with hu- mans. Human T-cells have the delta-9 desaturase enzyme that converts stearic acid to oleic acid, so human T-cells don’t develop any toxic build-up when exposed to stearic acid.4
Bottom line: Mice lack an enzyme in their T-cells that humans have, so stearic acid is toxic to mouse T-cells and not to human T-cells.
Focus: What about the dif- ference between stearic acid and stearate?
Myatt: Stearic acid is one of the most common saturated fat- ty acids found in nature.5
The
term “stearate” is used when stearic acid is part of a salt (as when stearic acid combines with magnesium to form mag- nesium stearate). The terms stearic acid and stearate can be used interchangeably.
the upcoming “Ketone Zone Diet.” She is a member of The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, the Arizona Naturopathic Medical Association, the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine
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