Supplements without excipients

For the production of tablets and capsules, substances are required that do not themselves have any nutritional value. For the manufacture of tablets, anti-caking agents, stabilisers, and emulsifiers are necessary. Without these excipients, tablet machines would jam, and the composition of the tablets would be irregular. Well-known excipients include glycerine, magnesium stearate, and silicon dioxide.

For the production of standard capsules, gelatine is used (made from bone meal), and for the production of vegetarian capsules, the so-called Vegicaps, a special form of cellulose (HPMC, derived from wood) is employed. Softgels typically use a combination of gelatine and carrageenan. Liquid products generally contain alcohol, sugar, or another preservative.

All the substances mentioned are completely safe and not harmful to health when used as directed on the label. Contrary to what some sources claim (without substantiating this with scientific information), they do not cause diseases, and there is no valid reason to "definitely avoid" them. On the site of The Nutrition Centre, you can look up E-numbers and see which ones are safe.

Nevertheless, in some cases (such as personal sensitivity), it may be necessary to avoid certain excipients; we have gathered these products below. If you click on the product, you can also find a detailed overview of the ingredients under the "ingredients" tab.