Further, soap scum is not biofilm — not even close.


Biofilms are layers of bacteria or yeast embedded in the gel-like substance they secrete. They tend to be highly antibiotic-resistant. As to the claim that stearic acid causes biofilms, this is completely without any scientific evidence. In fact, several studies have shown just the opposite — stea- ric acid actually helps prevent the formation of biofilms.10,11


Focus: Next claim. Magnesium stearate is made from contami- nated oils from genetically engi- neered crops. True?


Myatt: Magnesium stearate is most commonly sourced from cottonseed oil or palm oil and it’s true that cotton can be a GMO crop and is typically high in pes- ticides. But even if the starting cottonseed oil is contaminated, the finished product, stearic acid, is so highly purified that con- tamination really isn’t an issue. Cottonseed-derived stearic acid is so purified and the final mol- ecule so far-removed from the original source, it doesn’t carry any pesticide residue. We might as well worry about the food- grade additive cellulose, which is also obtained either from wood waste (we call that “sawdust” out here in Arizona) or cotton waste (known as “gin trash,” — the waste cotton remaining in the cotton gin).12


Just like taking


dirty water and purifying it into something clean and drinkable, purifying cottonseed oil to obtain stearic acid delivers a pure fin-


24 Focus April 2013


ished product. And by the way, stearic acid can also be derived from palm oil, which many man- ufacturers use as the source of their stearic acid.


Focus: Is magnesium stearate often contaminated during pro- cessing, as one doctor claims?


Myatt: Contamination during the manufacture of supplements or pharmaceuticals can occur anywhere along the entire man- ufacturing process. That is why quality supplement manufactur- ers test raw materials upon pur- chase; during manufacturing, processing, and also test the final product. Raw materials can oc- casionally become cross contam- inated, and that’s why quality manufacturers employ so many tests and inspections all along the process.


Now, is magnesium stearate one of the substances more likely to be contaminated? Absolutely not. There is one reported instance of a raw materials manufacturer notifying the World Health Or- ganization that several batches of magnesium stearate had been cross contaminated with zeolite (sodium aluminum silicate), cal- cium hydroxide, and several oth- er substances. The contamination was determined to be due to in- complete cleaning of air milling equipment. This was traced to a single raw materials manufac- turer and was an isolated event. Moreover, WHO found the con- taminating substances to be pres- ent in such minute amounts that they posed no health risk. And


this was self-reported by the manufacturer of the raw material before it was used in product.13


Focus: Is magnesium stearate going to be removed from sup- plements by the Codex Commit- tee on Food Additives?


Myatt: No. The Codex Commit- tee considered removing magne- sium stearate from the acceptable food list, not because of any dan- ger, but because they didn’t see the use for it in food. They were simply trying to trim up their list of allowed food additives. When food manufacturers pointed out that magnesium stearate is an important and safe anti-caking agent, it was reinstated. Remov- ing magnesium stearate from Co- dex for use in nutritional supple- ments has never been considered as far as I can determine.


Magnesium stearate is currently approved by FDA regulations for use in food and supplements.14


Focus: You’ve done a brilliant job of going back to the actu- al peer review science and dis- mantling every specious claim about magnesium stearate. Any final thoughts?


Myatt: I don’t always agree with my colleagues in the nutri- tional supplement industry. Some ingredients and doses based on the scientific literature are argu- able. With most issues in medi- cine, there is no black and white. There is instead, “ten thousand shades of gray.” In many instanc- es, there is evidence on both sides of the question.


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