STABILIZERS, PRESERVATIVES, FILLERS AND EXCIPIENTS COMMONLY USED IN PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY MANUFACTURED SUPPLEMENTS

Adipic Acid: is oxidized fat used to produce nylon, used in the production of polyurethane and PVC plastics; used to make calcium carbonate antacids and mass-market calcium products tart. It is a milk skin irritant and is mildly toxic when ingested by rats.

Anhydrous Citric Acid: Preservative and buffering agent; also used to dissolve rust, preparing explosives, to bleach hair (but causes damage to hair), food coloring agent, chelation of minerals, etc. Causes skin and eye irritation, erodes tooth enamel.

Ascorbal Palmitate: Inexpensive source of Vitamin C ester that is difficult for the body to breakdown.

Aspartame: An artificial chemical sweetener that breaks down, in the human body, into aspartic acid, phenylalanine, methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid and diketopiparazine and may lead to multiple sclerosis, ALS, memory loss, hormonal imbalance, hearing loss, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Hypoglycemia, weakened immune system, demenitia, brain lesions, depression, anxiety, headaches, nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, lack of focus, sleep disorders, vision disorders, asthma, chest tightness and certain types of Cancer.

BHT (Butylhydroxytoluene):A commonly used stabilizer for mass-marketed foods, pharmaceuticals, make-up, rubber, jet fuel, petroleum products and embalming fluid, BHT is the synthetic form of Vitamin E in mass-marketed, synthetic supplements. Medical doctors have credited BHT as the cause of hyperactivity in children and also that it is linked to cancer risk.

Carbonyl Iron: An elemental metal iron which may cause constipation and other gastrointestinal disorders, as well as iron toxicity

Carrageenan: A thickening and stabilizing agent derived from red seaweed; not harmful unless heated, at which point it may lead to gastrointestinal disorders, including Crohn's disease and colon cancer.

Chromic Chloride: Synthetic form of chromium touted to stabilize blood sugars; however, this form may be toxic

Crospovidone (Cross-Poe-Vydone): A polymer that is used to bind ingredients in pharmaceutical drugs and mass-marketed, pharmaceutical vitamin supplements; Crospovidone is extremely toxic to aquatic plants and animals and may cause lung dysfunction in the long-term in humans.

Cupric Oxide: A cheap and synthetic form of copper in supplements that is a known endocrine and neurological toxin.

Dextrose, Maltodextrine, Sucrose, Lactose: Sugars (most have 2-3g sugar per tablet)

Ergocalciferol (Vitamin D2): synthetic form of Vitamin D that is cheap and plentifully used in most pharmaceutical multi-vitamins and supplements. It is also used to "fortify" most milk and dairy products. Vitamin D2 is much less absorbable than Vitamin D3, which comes from natural food sources. D2 is believed to cause a deficiency of absorbability of other vitamins and minerals, leading to autoimmune disorders, gastrointestinal dysfunction, headaches, nausea, various cancers, diabetes and bone diseases.

Guar Gum: Binder used in the textile, paper, explosives, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, mining, hydroseeding, oil and gas drilling as a lubricant, increase shelf life, thickener and stabilizer. Also a form of non-soluble fiber which may act as a mild laxative and help improve glucose intolerance.

Hypromellose (Hydroxy-propyl Methyl-cellulose): A semi-synthetic polymer used as an excipient, binder and emulsifier used to slowly release medicinal compounds into the digestive tracts; also used in adhesives, cement, paints and coatings, cosmetics, detergents and cleansers.

Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil: Chemically-altered soybean oil used as an inexpensive preservative for synthetic or mass-marketed supplements.

Phenylalanine as in Phenylketonurics:See Aspartame

Phytonadione (Vit. K): A synthetic form of Vitamin K that is difficult for animal bodies to recognize and process; the natural form is Vitamin K1 or phylloquinone, which the body is better able to breakdown.

Potassium Iodide:Synthetic form of Iodine; may cause swelling of parotid gland, excessive salivation. Acne, loss of appetite, upset stomach, fever, weakness, fatigue, mouth sores, irregular heartbeat, metal toxicity

Propylene Glycol Alginate: Emulsifier, stabilizer, thickener may cause nausea, vomiting diarrhea; may accumulate in the lungs.

Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vit. B₆): Contains aluminum, a known neurotoxin

Silicon Dioxide:Synthetically processed silica which may lead to certain types of cancer.

Sodium Aluminosilicate: anti-caking synthetic salt that may cause neurological disorders.

Sodium Ascorbate:Synthetic Vitamin C

Sodium Benzoate: Sodium salt of benzoic acid used as a preservative and known to cause cancer when coupled with Vitamin C, as it converts to benzene. Also may cause DNA damage, destroying mitochondria, leading to  Parkinson's Disease and other neurological disorders.

Sodium Citrate: Chemical salt buffering agent

Sodium Molybdate: Synthetic mineral molybdenum used in fertilizer; can cause copper deficiencies.

Sorbic Acid: Food preservative salts that aid as an antimicrobial in food sources

Tribasic Calcium Phosphate: Synthetic anti-caking agent that may cause DNA damage.

Vanillin: Chemical synthetic made from vanilla used as a flavoring agent in foods, beverages and pharmaceuticals. Toxicity in humans may include cancer, reproductive and developmental delays, neurotoxicity

Vitamin A Acetate (Vit. A): Synthetic form of Vitamin A that may cause liver or kidney damage, harm to bones and skin, brittle nails, fatigue, vomiting, hair loss, joint stiffness, headaches, jaundice.

Zinc Oxide: Synthetic form of zinc that reacts negatively to aluminum and magnesium; often added to breakfast cereals as an inexpensive source of zinc; also used in plastics, ceramics, glass, cement, rubber, lubricants, dental adhesives and sealants, batteries and fire retardants.

Information obtained from a variety of online sources, including wikipedia.org, nlm.nih.gov, merola.com and drugs.com.

All side-effects you experience from using mass-marketed, pharmaceutically processed multivitamins and supplements should be reported to FDA MedWatch by calling 1-800-FDA-1088 or link: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/HowToReport/ucm053074.htm