Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I recently bought a CoQ10 supplement and of all the ones I saw, they all had either beeswax, or rice bran oil or soy lecithin. Aren't these other ingredients such as soybean oil and other stuff negligible or do we really have to avoid supplements that have them?

flag	asked Dec 20 2011 at 23:30 April S.♦ 11.9k●1●13●47

lol its a tiny amount – Kasra Dec 20 2011 at 23:54

Question: Have you taken one of these pills yet? – conciliator Dec 21 2011 at 0:54

If yes, are you still alive? – conciliator Dec 21 2011 at 0:54

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I don't see how answering that question is helpful. Like the point Todd made: if we avoid these ingredients in food, doesn't that justify that we should avoid them in supplements? But then again, I don't really don't care since I believe the amount is too negligible to be concerned about. But I know some people wouldn't buy them because of that, regardless. – April S.♦ Dec 21 2011 at 1:00

Sorry, just trying to answer your question with humor. 'I believe the amount is too negligible to be concerned about.' I think you answered your own question. There's a dose/response relationship to most things, at small doses you have nothing to worry about. If you were actually allergic (not 'this gluten makes me feel eww' but actually coeliac) then there might be some concern, but as it is, I doubt there's anything to worry about. – conciliator Dec 21 2011 at 1:03

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Todd · Answer 1 · 2011-12-21 00:06:19Z UTC

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I just figure if you try to avoid all the fillers and processed crud in your food supply, why not apply the same prudence to your supplements?

answered Dec 21 2011 at 0:06

Todd
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AndyM · Answer 2 · 2011-12-21 00:03:28Z UTC

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It's more a matter of principle than anything else, as ever depending on the choices in front of you.

answered Dec 21 2011 at 0:03

AndyM
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Brent · Answer 3 · 2011-12-21 01:31:21Z UTC

I'm also concerned about the additives in supplements, many of which contain soybean or canola oil. I stopped taking multivitamins in favor of eating liver once a week, and for CoQ10, heart meat. This requires more effort in the kitchen, but it's way cheaper, and probably healthier.

Chris Antenucci · Answer 4 · 2011-12-21 12:19:16Z UTC

It depends on the extra ingredients in the supplement but I'd say it's negligible amounts, although the best way to find out is try the supplement, and if notice an improvement in some aspect of your health, then whatever was in the supplement is trumping the effects of the fillers, if there are any to begin with. Good question though, it's something to think about in the future as the supplement industry inevitably expands while the drug industry inevitably shrinks.

Namby Pamby · Answer 5 · 2011-12-21 16:03:43Z UTC

I always avoid soybean oil. Soy lechtin, I put up with in tiny doses. Most Swanson vitamins have rice flour, gelatin, and magnesium stearate. Those, I put up with.

Soy is a known allergen, so you should be able to find equivalent vitamins or minerals without soy, dairy, gluten, and GMO ingredients.

Now, I"m on the fence about certain Vitamin C and magnesium products supplements which contain the following:

Sundown Naturals' Vitamin C and Magnesium contain vegetable cellulose, dicalcium phosphate, citric acid, vegetable magnesium sterate, titanium dioxdie color.
21'st Century's Vitamin C which has calcium carbonate, cellulose, stearic acid, silicon dioxide, croscammellose sodium, magnesium sterate.

Why is it that Vit C seems to have so many other ingredients? Would you recommend these?

raydawg · Answer 6 · 2011-12-21 16:30:27Z UTC

It may be a tiny amount, but if you're allergic, it can be enough to be bad. It's best to avoid these nasties as much as possible, but if you can't find alternatives, and you don't react to them, go for it.

I switched to Ubiquinol in liquid form instead of CoQ10 as it's more absorbable and bio-available. While it has a tiny bit of soy lecithin which I don't mind, it unfortunately it has sucralose. :( So win some, lose some.

I think over time, I have to make an effort to remove all of these supplements and narrow down to just a few that aren't bioavailable in food and get the rest from food.

Really, how much do we need to worry about “other ingredients” in supplements?

6 Answers