Are these ingredients contributing to your health issues?
06-21-2024
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The supplement and food industries today are a mess. The overwhelming majority of what is available to us is low quality. Low quality ingredients are used, the processes in which things are made cut corner to save on production costs, there's rarely third party testing, regulatory agencies are asleep at the wheel... Don't get me wrong, there certainly are good options out there. It's just few and far between requiring you to look at things closely and do some due diligence. One of the biggest issues is the ingredients that are used in these products. We're told that everything is safe and led to believe that if something was harmful it wouldn't be allowed in products. But often time the "studies" that these claims are based off of are biased or funded by companies that sell products with the ingredients. Many of these ingredients have negative effects on our health. Especially if we're already dealing with health issues. What makes the issue worse is that most of us don't even know what these ingredients are. We see them on labels all the time but have no idea what they are, if they're safe, what they're used for, etc. The effects of some of these ingredients can range from serious negative effects to some that cause minor irritations in some people. What's important is that we at least know what we're consuming and the effects it has so we can make an educated decision on whether or no WE think it's safe to consume. I’ve seen many situations where people using tons of supplements are experiencing irritations from something that they can’t trace. This could be just an upset stomach or even something like a severe histamine reaction. Many times it's traced back to an ingredient from their supplements. I’ll go through and discuss some of the ingredients I’ve found to be problematic. Some of which I believe are best to avoid entirely and others are worth just being aware of to determine if they’re having unintended effects for you. Silicon Dioxide This is a naturally occurring compound, but is also synthetically made. It's used to so many products today, which is almost always the synthetic form. It's used in most products as an anti-caking agent in dry or powdered substances to prevent them from clumping and maintain their quality. It is regarded as safe by the FDA, which I always take with a grain of salt. Especially since there are many studies raising concerns from the effects it can have. Silicon dioxide nanoparticles are linked to serious issues. Due to the size, they’re believed to penetrate membranes & cause cell damage. They can inflammation in tissues. They can also reduce neurogenesis & synaptogenesis during pregnancy. Silicon dioxide particles have been found in human tissues in the liver, spleen, kidneys, jejunum and ileum. Given the unknown long-term effects of these particles in human tissues, this raises concerns of chronic exposure through food & supplements. One study showed the following effects:
This is an ingredient I always look out for and avoid. Titanium Dioxide Titanium dioxide is widely used today, but there is growing concern about its effects. It’s linked to many serious health complications. The European Food Safety Authority stated that “titanium dioxide can no longer be considered safe as a food additive”. 70+ studies showed it caused increased ROS & oxidative damage in organs. Dozens of studies have showed it leads to DNA damage, carcinogenic effects, increased pro-inflammatory cytokines and systemic distribution due to penetration of the gut barrier. Chronic exposure to titanium dioxide is also believed to:
Oral exposure to nanoparticles is believed to have effects on mitochondria & the gut microbiome. One study found pathological changes in the colon & mitochondrial disruptions. Changes in the structure and composition of gut microbiota were found too. Titanium dioxide is not something I think is not safe or worth the risk of consuming in any amount. Hydrogenated Oil These are oils produced by adding hydrogen to unsaturated fats. Hydrogenated oils are derived from various vegetable oils, such as soybean, palm, cottonseed, and canola oil. They’re used as a filler typically or to improve shelf life. The negative effects of these oils are well known at this point. Chronic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, calcification of arterial cells, disrupted blood flow, dysfunctional cell membranes, lower HDL, increase risk of heart disease & much more. This is an ingredient I would avoid completely. Carrageenan This is sulfated polysaccharides derived from marine algae. It’s known to cause damage in the body, affect immune function, disrupt microbiome composition, induce inflammatory diseases and increase intestinal permeability. When carrageenan is degraded in the gut, it forms a substance that is linked to colorectal cancer. Oral consumption is believed to be capable of inducing colitis and disrupting the balance of the gut microbiome by lowering beneficial microbe levels. Carrageenan weakens the gut barrier by redistributing tight junction proteins and promotes intestinal inflammation. This increases distribution of carrageenan & toxins throughout the body while increasing susceptibility to chronic inflammation & disease. This is something that I would always avoid. Citric Acid It’s important to know what the ingredients on food labels actually mean. Most people see citric acid and think it’s natural coming from citrus fruits. Citric acid is far from a “natural” ingredient. It’s typically derived from corn & black mold. Citric acid was originally derived from lemon juice. But now 99% comes from this process with mold. Also, ~70% of global citric acid supply comes from China. One study (involving just 4 people) linked citric acid to inflammation and symptoms like abdominal cramping, swelling, joint pain & mental fatigue. Aside from this, there aren’t many studies showing direct links between citric acid and major health issues. That said, there does seem to be growing anecdotal reports of issues associated with it, including people highly sensitive to mold. The potential mechanisms behind this could be (pure speculation) residual mold metabolites or microbial contamination from poor processing. While there isn't strong evidence of this one causing major issues in humans like some of the other ingredients, given the sourcing, the process in which it's made and growing anecdotal evidence of negative effects, it's an ingredient I always avoid. Xanthan Gum This is a lab-made additive found in many foods & supplements. It’s used as a thickening agent, stabilizer & emulsifier for mixing things together. While there are not any major health issues associated with it, there are some effects that are worth being aware of. Xanthan gum can act as a laxative. It can increase weight & water content of stool while changing motility speed. For most people, these aren’t a big deal. For people dealing with irregular bowel movements, it could complicate things & potentially contribute to malabsorption. Xanthan gum can also decrease the pH in the digestive tract (shown in study linked above as well). If regularly consumed (i.e. in a food or supplement used daily), this could lead to some issues. Like gut microbiome imbalances, pathogen overgrowth, mucosal lining irritation & impaired digestive enzyme function. Given how common supplement usage is today, it’s important to be aware of the effects ingredients can have. They're also used in foods too. Most of the time these go unnoticed because they’re listed as “other ingredients”. As a result, many people struggle to trace them to the symptoms they cause. Personally, I stay away from all of these ingredients. Sticking to quality supplement brands and food producers that don’t use low quality ingredients, do third party testing and are transparent about their products helps. But always checking labels is a good habit to get into. - Nick |