Nutritional supplement compact @diepfeifferin

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They come as small, large, colorful pills and you can even run into them in the drugstore dressed as a gummy bear. Manufacturers of dietary supplements are doing better than ever before and consumers are happy to buy them without stopping. In a brief statistic from 2021, 1,041 Germans were asked about their vitamin intake, and around 53 percent admitted to taking regular supplements (Statista Global Consumer Survey).

Dangerous fillers in nutritional supplements

Fillers, release agents and carriers (also called excipients) are needed to produce tablets, capsules, dragees and the like to perfection. The product itself, e.g. vitamin, only contains a few milligrams. Some of these excipients are needed for perfect distribution within the tablet, for binding, etc. The product has to be pressed into the right shape somehow, logo.

However, some materials are only used for economic reasons, to simplify processes in some way, to protect the expensive machines and to minimize overall production costs.

Some are considered harmless, many put unnecessary strain on the gastrointestinal tract, especially in sensitive people (irritable bowel syndrome patients and the like). These include sugar substitutes such as sorbitol (E 420), erythritol (E 968) and maltitol/maltitol (E 965). They can really upset your stomach, causing diarrhea and bloated stomach attacks.

The really “uncool” fillers, release agents and carriers that I personally have concerns about include:

Magnesium stearate or silicate:

The area of application of the salt: food, cosmetics, medicines, nutritional supplements as a flow and release agent. Ingredients don't stick together unnecessarily, the production machines don't need to be cleaned as much, and wear and tear on the machines is minimized, all the better for business. Magnesium stearate is said to weaken the immune system and even make it more difficult for nutrients to be absorbed. Double stupid, right? At least for those who swallow it.

Microcrystalline cellulose (E 460):

This filler enables more cost-effective production and the fully automatic industrial devices no longer become clogged as quickly. Microcrystalline cellulose contributes to liquefaction and is described as very necessary by many manufacturers - beneficiaries - of nutritional supplements. The Wikipedia article is rather positive, unfortunately not sufficiently substantiated and will soon be deleted.

Fact check: These substances are approved and used, but are subject to ongoing criticism. This is the case with many E additives that are used in the food industry. It usually takes forever until a substance is finally banned by the authorities, see the example of titanium dioxide (E171). From the wall paint, to the toothpaste, to the ibuprofen tablet and of course the chewing gum. It is and was everywhere until the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) finally decided to put an end to it in 2021.

How do I recognize good nutritional supplements?

While you certainly don't always have a choice when it comes to prescribed medication, you can pay attention to a few details when it comes to over-the-counter products. However, anyone who follows my diary blog knows that I also reduced the remaining medications as much as possible in order to minimize the intake of titanium dioxide (E171). The dye makes the tablets “white”, but also coats all chewing gum and sweets that “need” a shiny white coating. In my opinion, this is an unnecessary cancer risk, but one that the EU put an end to on August 1, 2022 - far too late. A success!

Important for me:

• No ingredients such as: magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, Titanium dioxide (E171), iron oxide, iron hydroxide (E172), aluminum (E173), aspartame (E951), sorbitol or sorbitol (E420), silicon dioxide (E551), talc (E553b), calcium silicate (E552), magnesium silicate, magnesium trisilicate (E553a), sodium aluminum silicate (E554 ), potassium aluminum silicates (E555).
• Prefer Made in Germany and take a closer look at the manufacturer! I prefer to stay away from unknown disposable flies and, if necessary, also from well-known money printing machines at the drugstore. Only the content check helps. Dietary supplements manufactured in Germany or the EU are safer than, for example, those from the USA. Although we don't test them for effectiveness, we do at least test them for harmful substances and with regard to hygiene standards.
• As a trained quality manager, I am in favor of independent test seals and at least refer to the HACCP seal (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) or the well-known TÜV seal. I read every nutritional supplement test from Stiftung Warentest myself. Constant information is important!
• You can also get information from consumer advice centers, for example at klartext-futterrgaenzung.de, a service funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Current warnings and information can be found there. A look at Codecheck or Toxfox can also help to track down certain substances. This also applies to your cosmetics.
• It's best to buy the correct dose per unit (tablet, etc.) directly, so you save unnecessary income. In other words, don't swallow too many individual tablets. Example vitamin D: You need 5000 iU? Then take this dose and not 5x 1000 iU tablets.
• Maybe talk to a nutritional doctor if the problem is extensive? Interactions with medications must be taken into account and should at least be discussed with the pharmacist. Otherwise, your family doctor will be available to give you advice and support so that you can protect yourself.




Tip: Stay away from strange comparison sites that show self-made quality seals and pretend to have tested quality that doesn't exist. Here everything mostly just revolves around the dietary supplement price comparison and the associated Amazon links.




Which other additives are critical?




• E102 Tartrazine: Allergen for people who are sensitive to benzoic acid and for people with pseudoallergies, asthma or neurodermatitis. Possibly causes skin rashes, breathing problems, may cause vision problems and may affect attention in children.
• E104 Quinoline yellow: The dye has long been banned in the USA, Japan and Norway. It is suspected of causing cancer, can impair attention in children and is known to cause allergies.
• E110 Yellow-orange S: The dye is considered allergenic and can impair attention in children, particularly allergenic in people who are sensitive to aspirin or benzoic acid (E 210). E110 is considered to trigger the skin disease neurodermatitis and asthma.
• E122 azorubine and E129 allura red dyes: People who are sensitive to benzoic acid are at risk. Atopic dermatitis or even asthma can be triggered. In children, attention and activity may be impaired.
• E425 Konjac: The fiber increases the contents in the intestines, which can hinder nutrient absorption. Banned in Europe for the confectionery production of jelly products due to choking attacks in children.




(Source: CodeCheck: Questionable ingredients in dietary supplements from August 2, 2021)




L-lysine after Epstein-Barr virus




Can Pfeiffer's glandular fever heal faster with L-lysine?




The dietary supplement L-lysine has become established as an alternative to treat the common Epstein-Barr virus. Ultimately, EBV or Pfeiffer's glandular fever is only treated medically in the acute situation with fever-reducing agents and physical rest. Which is necessary first of all. So why this ominous L-lysine? It is known as an accelerator in pain medications such as ibuprofen L-lysine. But what does L-lysine have to do with herpes?




Understanding L-lysine effects




As an antagonist of arginine (also an amino acid), the amino acid L-lysine has antiviral properties. A good supply of L-lysine also has a positive effect on our immune functions, can help with healing and also prevent herpes, is also relevant for collagen and bone metabolism and is important for L-carnitine synthesis. There is also evidence of a blood sugar regulating effect when consuming 1000 mg daily. The study results are not clear here.




L-lysine for herpes




An increased presence of arginine can be problematic, whereas an increased intake of L-lysine inhibits the production of arginine in the body, thereby reducing the viral load. As a result, L-lysine works against herpes and ideally alleviates the herpes symptoms or long-term effects of EBV. Here too, there are still no clear studies available.




How does an L-lysine deficiency manifest itself?




If there is an L-lysine deficiency, important body functions can only be partially or no longer maintained. The essential amino acid L-lysine is considered the basic building block of our body's proteins. If there is a shortage of the important substance, this can manifest itself as follows:




• Growth difficulties in childhood
• Red eyes
• Increased susceptibility to infections
• Decreased ability to concentrate
• Constant fatigue and impaired performance
• Restricted protein synthesis
• Dizziness, nausea




How much L-lysine for Epstein-Barr virus?




It can take a long time to find a fixed standard solution, although the daily amount of L-lysine required may also depend on body weight. Taking up to 3000 mg as part of a dietary supplement is considered safe. Older people have greater needs. The lysine requirement per kilogram of body weight is around 38 mg for adults (children from 1 to 5 - 58 mg, from 6 to 12 - 44 mg). So heavier people need more substance. However, in my opinion, you should not exceed the maximum intake that is considered safe.




At high doses, for example, there is said to be evidence of inhibition of blood clotting. Pregnant women and people undergoing surgery may want to avoid taking L-lysine or consult their doctor. Incidentally, most L-lysine preparations contain a dose of 0.5 or 0.75 mg per serving (per capsule).




Note L-Lysine experience: I divide my maximum dose and take it throughout the day. No more than 1000 mg per administration before a meal.




Interesting study on schizophrenia from Gothenburg University: Patients were given high doses of L-lysine (6g daily) as part of additional treatment for four weeks. According to the information, the high dose was well tolerated and the patients' cognitive abilities were demonstrably, but also subjectively felt, improved.




Which foods contain L-lysine?




In fact, it is difficult to get enough of the special amino acid through food, especially for vegans and vegetarians, since L-lysine is increasingly found in animal foods. For example in tuna, chicken, pork or even salmon. As far as plant-based foods are concerned, we recommend eating soybeans or processing dried peas, as well as high-quality oatmeal. Some sources claim that it is no problem to get enough of the amino acid with a mixed diet.




As someone with a chronic illness, I can only report constant phases of exhaustion that make cooking and self-care difficult or, on some days, almost impossible. Often people don't eat or only eat “junk” that is immediately available. Unfortunately, there isn't much nutrient supply overall, which is why supplementation is absolutely necessary for me.




Handbook of nutrients and vital substances Dieter Henrichs 4th edition Constantia-Verlag

https://www.netdoktor.de/medizine/lysin/

https://ichgcp.net/de/clinical-trials-registry/NCT00996242