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At Healthfully, we strive to deliver objective content that is accurate and up-to-date. Our team periodically reviews articles in order to ensure content quality. The sources cited below consist of evidence from peer-reviewed journals, prominent medical organizations, academic associations, and government data.
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Magnesium
- International Journal of Pharmaceutics: Lubrication Properties of Potential Alternative Lubricants, Glycerin Fatty Acid Esters, to Magnesium Stearate
- International Journal of Pharmaceutics: Lubrication Properties of Potential Alternative Lubricants, Glycerin Fatty Acid Esters, to Magnesium Stearate
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What Are the Benefits of Magnesium Stearate to Humans?
Magnesium stearate is a white powder that combines the essential mineral magnesium and the saturated fat stearic acid 3. It provides a small amount of magnesium, but it's primarily used as an inactive ingredient in the pharmaceutical and supplement industries to produce pills with more consistent dosing.
Magnesium Importance
Magnesium stearate provides a small amount of magnesium, as it consists of about 4 percent magnesium 3. You need magnesium for keeping your blood sugar and blood pressure at healthy levels, forming DNA and protein and keeping your muscles and nerves working properly. Women need at least 320 milligrams per day, and men need at least 420 milligrams per day for good health.
Use in Supplements
Vitamins That Do Not Contain Magnesium Stearate
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Manufacturers use magnesium stearate in some supplements and medications as an inactive ingredient to help keep the active ingredients flowing smoothly through the machinery used to produce the supplements 13. This is beneficial because it makes it more likely that each pill has a consistent dose of the active ingredients so each pill will have the same effect in your body.
Potential Considerations
Magnesium stearate is generally regarded as safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 3. There are some rumors online that this inactive ingredient isn't safe, stating that it may suppress immune function and that it can form a biofilm and prevent the absorption of nutrients, based on preliminary animal studies.
An article published in Nutrition Review in November 2013 notes that these claims aren't valid, stating that magnesium stearate affected the immune function of mice because they lack an enzyme that converts stearic acid to oleic acid 3. That isn't a problem for people because we do have this enzyme. As for blocking the absorption of nutrients, the author notes that enzymes in your body break down stearic acid so it won't limit absorption.
- Magnesium stearate is generally regarded as safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 3.
- An article published in Nutrition Review in November 2013 notes that these claims aren't valid, stating that magnesium stearate affected the immune function of mice because they lack an enzyme that converts stearic acid to oleic acid 3.
Potential Alternatives
Side Effects of Esbelcaps
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If you want to avoid magnesium stearate, choose supplements in liquid or gummy form instead of tablet or capsule form 13. Although magnesium stearate is the most common lubricant used to make tablets, you can also find tablets made with alternative ingredients that serve the same purpose 3. These include substances called glycerine fatty acid esters, sodium behenate, sodium stearyl fumarate or stearic acid.
Related Articles
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Magnesium
- Nutrition Review: Magnesium Stearate: A Safe and Effective Filler – Setting the Record Straight
- Drugs.com: Magnesium Stearate
- International Journal of Pharmaceutics: Lubrication Properties of Potential Alternative Lubricants, Glycerin Fatty Acid Esters, to Magnesium Stearate
- World Health Organization: Pharmaceutical Excipients – An Overview Including Considerations for Paediatric Dosing
- Rodríguez-Morán M, Guerrero-Romero F. Oral Magnesium Supplementation Improves Insulin Sensitivity and Metabolic Control in Type 2 Diabetic Subjects: A randomized double-blind controlled trial. Diabetes Care.2003 Apr;26(4):1147-52. doi:10.2337/diacare.26.4.1147
- Office of Dietary Supplements/National Institutes of Health. Magnesium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Bethesda, Maryland; updated July 11, 2019.
- Kass LS, Poeira F. The effect of acute vs chronic magnesium supplementation on exercise and recovery on resistance exercise, blood pressure and total peripheral resistance on normotensive adults. J Int Soc Sports Nut. 2015;12:19. doi:10.1186/s12970-015-0081-z
- Morais JBS, Severo JS, de Alencar GRR, et al. Effect of magnesium supplementation on insulin resistance in humans: A systematic review. Nutrition. 2017 Jun;38:54-60. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2017.01.009
- Rosanoff A, Weaver CM, Rude RK. Suboptimal magnesium status in the United States: are the health consequences underestimated? Nutr Rev. 2012 Mar;70(3):153-64. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00465.x
- Zhang X, Li Y, Del Gobbo LC, et al. Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Blood Pressure: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trials. Hypertension. 2016;68:324-33. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.116.07664
Writer Bio
Based in Massachusetts, Jessica Bruso has been writing since 2008. She holds a master of science degree in food policy and applied nutrition and a bachelor of arts degree in international relations, both from Tufts University.