What is magnesium stearate?

Magnesium stearate is a magnesium salt containing stearic acid. Stearic acid is an 18 carbon long saturated fat that’s common in our food supply. It is readily metabolized to oleic acid (the monounsaturated fat found in olive oil). Stearic acid is unique among all saturated fatty acids because it does not raise LDL cholesterol Low-density lipoprotein (the bad cholesterol).¹

Stearic acid is naturally present in many foods in far greater quantities than in supplements. Stearic acid is also the immediate precursor of oleic acid, an important fatty acid found in healthy olive oil.²
 

Why use magnesium stearate?

Magnesium stearate is used for its natural lubricant properties, something very important to the quality of vitamin production. This is especially true for complex formulas with multiple ingredients which have inherently different chemistry properties (meaning that ingredients could stick together or clump in different ways based on their properties).¹

Once the raw materials of a vitamin product formulation have been mixed up it is very important to maintain the mix consistency, otherwise the nutrients going into the capsule will not be able to meet the label claims of what is in the capsule. By adding a small amount of magnesium stearate the nutrients don’t stick together, thereby allowing a consistently maintained mixture.¹

So the greatest benefit of mag stearate to manufacturing is not speed, but uniformity. Which is all the more important in natural medicines, because we typically utilize a broad range of nutrients to capitalize on the power of synergy (a totally foreign concept to Big Pharma, which is after a single active ingredient they can isolate and patent).³
 

What happens to stearic acid in the body?

In the body, stearic acid is primarily converted into oleic acid (a monounsaturated fatty acid). Oleic acid comprises the majority of olive oil. Oleic acid may also be responsible for the blood pressure-reducing effects of olive oil.⁴

Consequently, even though stearic acid is a saturated fat, studies have suggested it has no negative effect on blood cholesterol levels since such a high proportion is converted to oleic acid.⁴

Magnesium stearate-free products...a marketing scam???

A few companies and some alternative health “professionals” have whipped up pointless concern over the inert flowing agent used in dietary supplements known as magnesium stearate. In each case the motivation appears to be one of promoting their own products – typically products lacking in actual quality of ingredients for the price being charged.¹

Stephen Cherniske, M.S. of UniveraScience said it best in his article, “The Facts re Magnesium Stearate”:

“...This magnesium stearate controversy falls into the category of 'unproven and exaggerated,' and the sheer durability of this non-issue is what is so surprising. I do not know a single organic chemist who feels that magnesium stearate is dangerous, let alone toxic. Nor do I know a manufacturer (other than a few whose marketing strategy is to demonize this common ingredient) who believes it poses a problem with the production of tablets or capsules.”⁵

How does this relate to Jigsaw's Magnesium w/SRT?

Each tablet of Jigsaw Magnesium w/SRT is 840mg in total weight.   Out of 840mg, 4mg (or .5%) is magnesium stearate and 12mg (or 1.5%) is stearic acid.  We list magnesium stearate as "vegetable stearate" because it's a fatty acid from palm oil, and because people are needlessly frightened of "magnesium stearate."

Resources:

1. Richards, r., & CCN. (n.d.). “The Facts on Magnesium Stearate”. Health and Wellness News. April 08, 2009.
2. Levin, N. E., (DANLA), b. c., “Stearic Acid and Magnesium Stearate”. 2006.
3. Burgstiner, J. M. (n.d.). – “Is Magnesium Stearate Dangerous?”. Logos Nutritionals, LLC. 2009.
4. Bruno, Gene (n.d.). “Safety of Stearic Acid, Magnesium Stearate.” Natural Products Marketplace. December 22, 2009.
5. Stephen Cherniske, M.S. “The Facts re Magnesium Stearate”. UniveraScience. 2009.

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