The Behind The Scenes Scoop On Excipients

ex·cip·i·ent /ikˈsipēənt/

An excipient is defined as an inactive substance that serves as the vehicle or medium for a drug or other active substance.

It is first important to understand that excipients are designated by the FDA as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) and when used correctly are harmless and an essential part of creating a supPlement.

Excipients are most commonly used in formulas that require additional flowability such as pre-workouts and most capsule and tablet formulas BUT SOME are not the best for you and should be avoided if possible.

HERE’S A FEW EXCIPIENTS WE HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO USE AND WHY:

ARTIFICIAL COLORANTS

Various FD&C Blue, Green, Red, and Yellow are approved by the FDA and are particularly notable in children’s vitamins. However, there is no reason that anyone really needs to be consuming these substances, especially given the fact that some have been linked to ADHD and immune system problems.

TITANIUM DIOXIDE

Titanium dioxide is often used as a colorant to give supplements and cosmetics a clean, white appearance. But studies have linked it to immune system problems, inflammation, DNA damage and kidney toxicity.

BHT

Butylated Hydroxytoluene is a preservative used in a range of products (including petroleum, cosmetics and even embalming fluid) to improve the shelf-life of fat-based products. It is an antioxidant which prevents the breakdown of fats. Though it’s use is controversial, it has been linked to liver toxicity and some forms of cancer. 

As stated before, excipients have a designated use in all supplements and when the RIGHT ONE is used they are completely harmless. Here at ATH we have made a promise to deliver the cleanest products using only natural ingredients in every batch.

HERE’S A FEW EXAMPLES OF CLEAN EXCIPIENTS USED IN OUR GOODS:

L-LEUCINE

Widely used as an excipient to enhance the dispersion performance of powders for inhalation and to battle moisture. L-Leucine is also one of the three branch chain aminos and sometimes referred to as the 'main' amino acid due to the most popular benefit of BCAAs - building lean muscle and aiding in recovery. 

RICE POWDER

Unnatural fillers are often used for products that need a consistent weight and fill line, Rice Powder is a natural and much healthier alternative that is used in a number of our products.

BOTTOM LINE

Now that you have a little more info on excipients, you can take the time to read the labels the next time you’re looking at a product.

The great news is that with us, you can trust that we provide the highest quality products possible using only the cleanest, natural ingredients.