While some companies say they are raising their standards...
… at Thorne we set them.
Voorafgaande aan de introductie van het Thorne-assortiment in 1984 was er geen enkel waarlijk hypoallergeen product verkrijgbaar op de markt. Producten werden nog steeds geproduceerd als tabletten met bindmiddel, of als capsules die potentiële allergenen als smeer- en verdunningsmiddelen bevatten. Smeermiddelen worden gebruikt om een grotere hoeveelheid capsules binnen een bepaalde tijd te vullen. Thorne Research gebruikt geen smeermiddelen en fabriceert geen tabletten.
Medici deden een merkwaardige bevinding bij het voorschrijven van de supplementen van Thorne Research. Daar de producten zonder onnodige verdunningsmiddelen werden vervaardigd, ondervonden gevoelige patiënten geen symptomen zoals een pafferig gevoel, misselijkheid of diarrhee die zich kunnen voordoen als bijwerking van inname van supplementen met lactose of andere bindmiddelen.
Het aanbieden van een compleet assortiment van Thorne-supplementen (geproduceerd zonder gebruik te maken van magnesium- stearaten, palmitine- of stearinezuur als smeermiddel) bracht een ommekeer teweeg in de waarneming van de werking van supplementen. Hoe? Door niet elk deeltje nutriënt te bedekken met een laag verzadigd vetzuur, zijn voedingsstoffen onmiddelijk voor absorptie door patiënten die ze het meest nodig hebben beschikbaar: de patiënt met digistieve en immunologische klachten. Artsen realiseren zich dat Thorne's producten niet alleen het beste zijn voor hun patiënten, maar eigenlijk uiterst geschikt voor iedere patiënt.
In a classic study published in Pharmaceutical Technology, the results of mixing a nutrient with magnesium stearate were demonstrated. After just 10 minutes mixing time with magnesium stearate, the percent dissolution of the nutrient (after 20 minutes in the solution) decreased from 80-90% dissolution without magnesium stearate. When mixing time of the nutrient with stearate was extended to 28 minutes, less than 20% dissolution was obtained, even after 35 minutes in solution. It is crucial that customers realize that whenever they see magnesium stearate or stearic acid on a label that the supplement contains a mixture of saturated fats used as flowing agents. Stearic acid melts at about 156°F, palmitic acid melts at about 146°F - so imagine your nutrients trapped in a sphere of waxy substances similar to candle wax.
Ascorbyl palmitate, a compound of ascorbic acid and palmitic acid, is a waxy, soapy, slippery substance utilized by some companies as a flowing agent, but labeled as a vitamin C source. Interestingly, a manufacturer using ascorbyl palmitate can claim ascorbyl palmitate is included as a therapeutic vitamin C source, or that it antioxidant actively protects the integrity of the other ingredients in the capsule. The physician's question to such statement should be: "Why isn't the ascorbyl palmitate added to that company's bulk powder with the same ingredient?"
At Thorne, our manufacturing process is considerably more difficult, since no product-compromising flowing agents are utilized. To produce the same number of bottles as the competitor who utilizes magnesium stearate or stearate/palmitic acid, Thorne literally needs to have more than twice the number of comparable encapsulating machines, since most products will only run at a greatly reduced speed without flowing agents. More manufacturing rooms are necessary, more employees, and more support equipment, such as compressors and air removal systems. Manufacturing Thorne products to our rigid standards requires much more effort than any other method. It is Thorne's commitment to our customers.
The addition of any stearic/palmitic acid during the manufacturing process of any dietary supplement product can have an adverse impact on both solubility and bioavailablity of the nutrients in the supplement being manufactured. The result? In patients with compromised digestion or absorption, the presence of stearic/palmitic acid in their dietary supplement can possibly jeopardize utilization by the patient of the intended nutrients. On the other hand, supplements manufactured without these lubricants or additives demonstrate rapid dissolution in the stomach and unimpeded absorption in the intestinal tract, resulting in the most efficient nutrient delivery possible.
Why is stearic/palmitic acid added? Most supplement products are manufactured by "jobbers", who have large production facilities that churn out a multitude of formulas for various companies. Jobbers work on a given profit margin and if a product does not run on specific machinery at optimum speed, then various lubricants, such as stearic/palmitic acid are added to ensure tablet or capsule production meets schedule.
Many companies talk about purity and superior raw materials, but have not managed to solve the problem of flowing agents. Companies have tried to duplicate the Thorne Research manufacturing process, but none have been successful. When Thorne fills additional space in a capsule, only those hypoallergenic ingredients we have utilized for the past 18 yaers are added: magnesium citrate, aspartic acid, leucine or silicon dioxid.
