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I advise my customers to take organic sulfur first, then wait approximately 30 minutes before ingesting their dietary supplements and prescription medicines.
This waiting period allows sufficient time for sulfur to enter their lymphatic system without being blocked by anti-caking or flow agents that are commonly added to pills, capsules, and powders during the manufacturing process.
Three common additives used by supplement manufacturers are silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate, and calcium stearate that may be individually listed on the product label or included in a group category called other ingredients:
Silicon Dioxide
Silicon dioxide works as an anti-caking agent. The FDA considers silicon dioxide in food to be generally safe for human consumption, as long as it’s consumed in small amounts.
By Jillian Levy, CHHC, “What Is Silicon Dioxide and Is It Safe?”, DrAxe.com, Nov 3, 2019.
Magnesium Stearate
Magnesium stearate is an additive that’s primarily used in medication capsules. It’s considered a “flow agent.” It prevents the individual ingredients in a capsule from sticking to each other and the machine that creates the capsules. It helps improve the consistency and quality control of medication capsules. It’s possible to create medication capsules without magnesium stearate, but it’s more difficult to guarantee the consistency and quality of those capsules. Magnesium stearate is used to delay breakdown and absorption of medications, so they’re absorbed in the correct area of the bowel.
By Kelli Hansen, RN, CMCN, CSA, CDP (Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT), “Everything You Should Know About Magnesium Stearate”, healthline, Updated Nov 22, 2019.
Calcium Stearate
Calcium stearate (is) the calcium salt of stearic acid derived from animal fats & oils or vegetable oils, with the chemical formula Ca(C18H35O2)2. It is a synthetic ingredient that can be used as an anti-caking agent, release agent, lubricant, binder, emulsifier, and thickener in food with the European food additive number E470a. It also can be used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, plastics and other applications.
James Han, What is Calcium Stearate (E470a) in Food and its common Uses?, Food Additives, Aug 6, 2020.