tablet filler magnesium stearate

Posted , 13 users are following.

I have a lot of allergies including hay fever but now I have found out I am allergic to magnesium stearate used as a filler in tablets and capsules. This causies reduced breathing.

As I have had a kidney trans plant and have trouble with my bones I am taking a lot of tablets and because of this I am having trouble breathing.

I am using steroid and ventilin spray but am still struggling has anyone any suggestions to help?

2 likes, 16 replies

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  • Posted

    oh dear chris, so sorry.

    can you obtain fully natural vitamins and minerals....with no fillers...which are of no benefit...so why are they put in? your independent health food store will stock high quality solutions x

    • Posted

      Hi April

      Unfortuantly its not viamins and minerals I need but blood pressure tablets, steroids, and immunosuppressants but thanks for the reply.

  • Posted

    Magnesium stearate powder and fumes, if inhaled can cause an inflammation of the respiratory system and even asphyxia (a lack of oxygen or excess of carbon dioxide in the body that results in unconsciousness and often death). It can particularly impact people who are allergic or hypersensitive. Magnesium stearate may induce an allergic reaction in some people who are sensitive to food additives.

    Because of its lubricating properties, magnesium stearate is especially useful in manufacturing because it keeps ingredients from sticking to equipment during compression and mixing. However, as magnesium stearate is used in very less concentration in pharmaceutical (about 1%), it is unlikely to impact. Please consult with your doctor.

    • Posted

      Hi Bethany

      I have allergies to pesticides and the manesium stearate is made from the cotton plant which is sprayed with a lot of peticides and the doctor is unable to help.

  • Posted

    You say you are allergic to many things. Which tests have you had done? allergies themselves may cause breathing problems. You may get medicines in capsules rather than tablets and almost all medicines has alternative presentations for people who cannot swallow. In despite that, I think the hay fever is more likely to cause you the breathing problem than any additive. 

    If you are allergies are out of control you may ask which medication is compatible with your immunosuppressants. Because you are not elegible for any kind of immunotherapy. In this case as far as I know Omalizumab is the last resource. It is an anti igE shot that would control the allergy for a while. Although it is not a cure yet it works. Of course only a doctor can tell if these medication are mixable. 

    • Posted

      I have had tests on my arms which revealed pollen, animals, dust, trees fungi and blood tests which revealed citric acid  I was told by my respiriatory consultant that Omalizumab whould not help me. I take most of my tablets in capsule form or liquid where possible. I found out about the magessium stearate after I was given a very large tablet as an antibiotic and could hardly breathe I was swapped to the liquid and I had no bother. I was having a lot of trouble with other tablets and the common denominator was magnessium stearate. I have made adjustments where possible but I'm still having a lot of problems.

      I didn't know that there was alternate medicine for people who cannot swallow tablets I will ask my doctor about this. Thank you

    • Posted

      Chris I cannot agree with you, you are more likely to be allergic to the antibiotic itself than the stearate. An allergyc clinic is able to test medical allergies in the same way; I mean they may use the content of tablets on your skin to see if your are allergic to it, I have been told even of cases of people who are allergic to cosmetic components, a changhe of shampoo changed their life. In plane vocabulary,  if you have not got a prick test showing that you are allergic to stearate you cannot be sure. Finally I cannot agree with your doctor either and I recomend you to consult another one. Allergies are IgE mediated reactions, Omalizumab is an igE blocker and the most effective medicine for allergies, just it is expensive and reserved for the last. I am able to understand that it might not be compatible with your medication but a plane "it would not help you" when you say to have positive prick (skin) tests makes that opinion not to be trusted for me. 
  • Posted

    I have a similar problem with lactose in tablets. I have IgE mediated (blood test) to milk. Even though the lactose is of a high quality, I still react with asthma attacks. Changed to liquid version of medication where ever I can.
  • Posted

    Chris,

    I, too, have found I have an allergy to msg separate. My throat gets tight and I feel like there is a lump of mucus I cannot swallow. I can not take pain meds, vitamins or diet drugs because of this. I am also allergic to iodine, which is in a lot of multivitamins. I am at a loss for what to do. I hope I can find a liquid pain killer for when I need it. The capsules contain msg stearate, too. Any suggestions? Thanks, Kris

    P.s. yes, I have confirmed both allergies with my physician, but he does not have many alternatives for me.

  • Posted

    my doctor and I think im allergic to this filler aswell ive had tablets with this in the the doctor used to think it was the drug but a antibiotic that ive had before has started to cause icthy sore eyes and my asthma gets set off so now ive been given the expensive liquid form and I'm fine so after alot of research most tablets ive been given in the past have magnesium stearate in them and now I'm waiting to have an allergy test for it.

    so yes you can be allergy to it and its a nightmare to have meds when that crap is in them

  • Posted

    I am allergic too to magnesium stearate used widely as a "Flow agent " in all tablets. All I have found you can do is trawl around testing different manufacturers of the same tablets until you find one that uses a much lower percentage of the stuff. This I find works for me. But the other problem is that as so many take overs in the drug industry take place, just as you have settled into a brilliant routine, your particular make of drug disappears off the market. I have high blood pressure and have been through all the tablets prescribed by G.P.'S but have now come on to ones that really work, and have low or little magnesium stearate. If you want to know them please let me know.

    • Posted

      I've experienced this as well. I was taking a tiny tablet that had cornstarch and mag stearate listed as ingredients. I've had problems with mag stearate but did fine with this tablet. It used to be super crumbly. I've taken it for years without a problem. When I picked up my refill of meds earlier this month, the texture was different--less starchy and more silt-like with a bitter taste. It is causing horrific headaches, chapped lips, a burning sensation in my throat, stomach, everywhere. It is very clear that the composition changed but my doctors are acting like I'm crazy. it's a controlled medication and I can't come off it suddenly but it burns so much. I'm trying to get a compounding pharmacy to help me.

  • Posted

    Hi have spent 4 years trying to identify the toxic substance in various pills that have been prescribed for blood pressure and parkinson's. The common denominator that I have found is magnesium stearate.My symptoms are somewhat different though, I get severe muscle aches, back and joint pain, and a severe lack of stamina. When I go off the pill in question the symptoms subside in about a week. I finally became certain this substance was responsible when I ate five breath mints (Ice Breakers) containing MS and experienced identical symptoms.To be absolutely certain I ordered pure MS in powdered form from Amazon. I'll ingest 0.025 grams per day for 2-3 days. That should be proof positive. Then I'll investigate alternatives and liquid forms of the medicines I need. I'll let you know what I find.

  • Posted

    Hi have spent 4 years trying to identify the toxic substance in various pills that have been prescribed for blood pressure and parkinson's. The common denominator that I have found is magnesium stearate.My symptoms are somewhat different though, I get severe muscle aches, back and joint pain, and a severe lack of stamina. When I go off the pill in question the symptoms subside in about a week. I finally became certain this substance was responsible when I ate five breath mints (Ice Breakers) containing MS and experienced identical symptoms.To be absolutely certain I ordered pure MS in powdered form from Amazon. I'll ingest 0.025 grams per day for 2-3 days. That should be proof positive. Then I'll investigate alternatives and liquid forms of the medicines I need. I'll let you know what I find.

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