| (NaturalNews) Because I take a large number of | | | | formula: |
| nutritional supplements, I've become increasingly | | | | Notice, too, that this formula contains titanium |
| concerned over the years about supplement | | | | dioxide. It's also found in numerous products from |
| excipients, binders and fillers. One ingredient | | | | GNC, including this probiotic formula: |
| frequently used in vitamin manufacturing is titanium | | | | Vitacost bans titanium dioxide from in-house brands |
| dioxide, a nanoparticle powder made of fine titanium | | | | Titanium dioxide is considered extremely unsafe by |
| bits. It's best known as an ingredient in sunscreen, | | | | Vitacost, which banned the ingredient from its |
| but it's also used in thousands of cosmetic products | | | | in-house supplements label (NSI). Soon, products from |
| as well as nutritional products. | | | | Vitacost ( may even be labeled with a "titanium |
| Yep, if you take certain vitamins made by GNC or | | | | dioxide free" claim to better educate |
| Centrum (as well as hundreds of other companies), | | | | consumers. |
| you are eating titanium dioxide. And this is an | | | | The high-quality nutritional supplement manufacturers |
| ingredient for which no long-term safety testing on | | | | recommended on NaturalNews, of course, don't use |
| humans has ever been conducted. In fact, according | | | | titanium dioxide. You'll never find it in products from |
| to the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and | | | | New Chapter ( or Pure Synergy ( for example. It's |
| Safety, titanium dioxide may be a human carcinogen. | | | | not in Dragon Herbs ( Mushroom Science ( or Global |
| As explained on the CCOHS website: ( | | | | Healing Center ( These are quality product companies |
| Titanium dioxide has recently been classified by the | | | | that wouldn't even think of using titanium dioxide in |
| International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) | | | | dietary supplements intended for consumption. |
| as an IARC Group 2B carcinogen ''possibly carcinogen | | | | In fact, Dr. Ed Group's GHC website offers this |
| to humans''... This evidence showed that high | | | | excellent overview of the dangers of titanium dioxide: |
| concentrations of pigment-grade (powdered) and | | | | |
| ultrafine titanium dioxide dust caused respiratory tract | | | | Most of the current debate about titanium dioxide |
| cancer in rats exposed by inhalation and intratracheal | | | | concerns its topical use and deals with the particle |
| instillation*. | | | | size of the titanium. Coarse particles are believed to |
| lists titanium dioxide as being linked to cancer, | | | | be relatively safe for topical use because they |
| allergies, immunotoxicity and organ system toxicity, | | | | cannot be absorbed by the skin. But nano particles |
| among other problems. Here's a list of some of the | | | | may pose a greater risk because there is concern |
| many thousands of cosmetic products containing | | | | they can be readily absorbed through the skin and |
| titanium dioxide: | | | | enter the bloodstream. As explained by the |
| That list, by the way, includes products from many | | | | Environmental Working Group, "Relative to |
| well-known brands. | | | | larger particles, nano-scale materials can be more |
| Titanium Dioxide in Supplements | | | | chemically reactive and more easily absorbed into the |
| Centrum vitamins are the No. 1 selling brand of | | | | body. A number of studies raise concerns about |
| vitamins in the U.S. It is made with synthetic vitamins. | | | | potential health risks when these particles are inhaled |
| The ingredients label reads like a mish-mash of | | | | or are absorbed through the skin or gut. |
| synthetic chemicals and low-cost ingredients with | | | | Nevertheless, they are already widely used in |
| marginal absorption capability: (I'm bolding some of | | | | products, including sunscreens, with no requirement |
| the more concerning ingredients below...) | | | | that their presence be disclosed." |
| Ingredients for Centrum Silver Ultra Women's Tablets: | | | | That same page, however, ( admits there are few |
| Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Pregelatinized | | | | studies that have really looked at the titanium dioxide |
| Corn Starch, Ascorbic Acid (Vit. C), Dibasic Calcium | | | | nano particle absorption issue in regards to cosmetics. |
| Phosphate, Magnesium Oxide, Crospovidone. Contains | | | | EWG concludes titanium dioxide is unlikely to be |
| < 2% of: Acacia, Ascorbyl Palmitate, | | | | absorbed by the skin, but it calls for more studies to |
| Beta-Carotene, BHT, Biotin, Boric Acid, Calcium | | | | be sure. |
| Pantothenate, Calcium Stearate, Cholecalciferol (Vit. | | | | There are even fewer studies that look at whether |
| D3), Chromium Picolinate, Citric Acid, Corn Starch, | | | | titanium dioxide is safe for human ingestion, and |
| Cupric Sulfate, Cyanocobalamin (Vit. B12), dl-Alpha | | | | that's potentially a far more serious issue. Although |
| Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit. E), FD&C Blue No. 2 | | | | vitamin manufacturers will of course claim |
| Aluminum Lake, FD&C Red No. 40 Aluminum | | | | "there's no evidence of harm" from |
| Lake, Ferrous Fumarate, Folic Acid, Gelatin, | | | | titanium dioxide in nutritional supplements, the reason |
| Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Hypromellose, Lecithin, Lutein, | | | | there's no evidence is because they haven't done |
| Magnesium Stearate, Manganese Sulfate, | | | | any long-term safety tests on titanium dioxide. |
| Medium-Chain Triglycerides, Microcrystalline Cellulose, | | | | The "common sense test" asks the |
| Modified Food Starch, Niacinamide, Nickelous Sulfate, | | | | question: Does titanium dioxide occur naturally in the |
| Phytonadione (Vit. K), Polyethylene Glycol, Polyvinyl | | | | indigenous human food supply? The answer to that |
| Alcohol, Potassium Iodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride | | | | is, of course, absolutely not. That's why holistic |
| (Vit. B6), Riboflavin (Vit. B2), Silicon Dioxide, Sodium | | | | nutritionists and nutritionally-aware consumers are |
| Ascorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Borate, Sodium | | | | increasingly seeking to avoid this ingredient in anything |
| Citrate, Sodium Metavanadate, Sodium Molybdate, | | | | they eat or swallow. If it's not part of the food |
| Sodium Selenate, Sorbic Acid, Sucrose, Talc, Thiamine | | | | supply in nature, and if it hasn't been proven safe for |
| Mononitrate (Vit. B1), Titanium Dioxide, Tocopherols, | | | | human consumption, why would you want to |
| Vitamin A Acetate (Vit. A), Zinc Oxide. May also | | | | introduce an unnatural chemical into your diet in the |
| contain < 2% of: Maltodextrin, Sodium | | | | first place? |
| Aluminosilicate, Sunflower Oil, Tribasic Calcium | | | | The jury is still out on titanium dioxide, but until it's |
| Phosphate. Contains: Soy. | | | | proven safe, NaturalNews recommends readers avoid |
| Did you notice the artificial coloring chemicals, | | | | this ingredient and only purchase nutritional |
| hydrogenated palm oil and the low-grade form of | | | | supplements made without it. Fortunately, there are a |
| vitamin B12? Did you see that these vitamins contain | | | | great many supplement brands available today |
| talc and sodium benzoate? Check out this wiki page | | | | without titanium dioxide (and other bizarre excipients). |
| on Crospovidone, which is also found in the Centrum | | | | Just read the ingredients labels before you buy. |