(15-01-12) Many common pills are coated with toxic phthalates

by Tara Green

(NaturalNews)The coatings of many common drugs and supplements often contain
phthalates according to a recent study reported in Environmental Health
Perspectives. This family of plasticizer compounds has been linked in previous
studies to hormonal and reproductive problems as well as fetal brain damage.

Plastic-coated pills
Phthalate coatings on capsules and pills are used to help regulate the timed
release of drugs or to deliver active ingredients to specific areas in the
digestive tract where it is most useful for them to be absorbed. Given the
concern over the potential health hazards of phthalates, many people would
prefer not to swallow them. Unfortunately, it may be difficult to know which
drugs have this type of coating. Companies may categorize the use of phthalates
in drug delivery systems as trade secrets, and the FDA does not require
disclosure of the recipe for such secrets.

The research team, including scientists from both Harvard School of Public
Health and Boston University's Slone Epidemiology Center, identified drugs
containing phthalates through several means. They began with a list 450 drugs
categorized as not safe to crush or chew because of their special coatings.
They also reviewed newsletters for information about new drugs, performed
internet searches and even spent time reading labels in drugstore aisles. In
addition, they contacted manufacturers with questions. Their search comprised
between 500 and 1,000 prescription and over-the-counter supplements and drugs.
Of these, they found that more than 100 containing forms of phthalates linked
in previous studies to a variety of health problems.

The research team found phthalates in a wide range of both prescription and
over-the-counter medications. Laxatives, antibiotics, blood pressure
medications, anti-inflammatory medications, muscle relaxers, dietary
supplements and many acid-reducing medications were among the substances coated
with the plasticizer compounds.

Avoiding phthalates
Consumers seeking to avoid phthalates may want to read the list of inactive
ingredients on a drug label, suggest the researchers. Also, look for terms such
as "delayed-release," "controlled-release," "time-release," "targeted-release,"
or "enteric coatings" which can point to the presence of phthalates. Also,
epidemiologists recommend that people receiving a prescription medication,
especially over the long-term for a chronic condition, may want to investigate
whether the drug they receive has this type of coating, and if so, whether
there is phthalate-free alternative version of that medicine.

Phthalates are present in many places -- toys, shampoos, perfumes, deodorants,
wall and floor coverings and even IV tubes. Although early research focused on
the danger of phthalates to infants and children, recent evidence suggests
there is also a link between these compounds and cancer in adults. Minimize
your toxic load as far as possible; being careful about the coatings on any
pills you may take.

Sources:

http://news.discovery.com/human/pill-coatings-chemicals-hormones-111222.html

http://www.sify.com/news/coated-drugs-can-contain-harmful-plasticizing-
chemicals-news-news-lm1lukdcgdi.html

http://www.freepressjournal.in/news/39888-Coated-drugs-can-contain-harmful-
chemicals.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/033525_phthalates_prenatal_exposure.html

News

---

In evidenza

"L'informazione presente nel sito serve a migliorare, e non a sostituire, il rapporto medico-paziente."

Per coloro che hanno problemi di salute si consiglia di consultare sempre il proprio medico curante.