Describing Centrum as toxic is not an accusation so much as it is a logical consequence of letting the product ingredients speak for themselves...


   Red ingredients are definitely toxic
   Blue ingredients are probably toxic
   Green ingredients may be toxic



CENTRUM INGREDIENTS: Dibasic Calcium Phosphate, Magnesium Oxide, Potassium Chloride, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Ascorbic Acid (Vit.C), Ferrous Fumarate, Calcium Carbonate, dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit.E), Starch. Contains < 2% of: Acacia, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Beta Carotene, Biotin, BHT, Calcium Pantothenate, Calcium Stearate, Chromic Chloride, Citric Acid, Crospovidone, Cupric Oxide, Cyanocobalamin (Vit.B12), Ergocalciferol (Vit.D), FD&C Yellow 6 Aluminum Lake, Folic Acid, Gelatin, Hypromellose, Lutein, Lycopene, Magnesium Borate, Magnesium Stearate, Manganese Sulfate, Niacinamide, Nickelous Sulfate, Phytonadione (Vit.K), Polysorbate 80, Potassium Iodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vit.B6), Riboflavin (Vit.B2), Silicon Dioxide, Sodium Aluminum Silicate, Sodium Ascorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Borate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Metavanadate, Sodium Molybdate, Sodium Selenate, Sorbic Acid, Stannous Chloride, Sucrose, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vit.B1), Titanium Dioxide, Tribasic Calcium Phosphate, Vitamin A Acetate (Vit.A), Zinc Oxide. May contain: Lactose Monohydrate (milk).

We did a little research at the US National Library of Medicine Toxnet Toxicology Data Network to show you just what these ingredients really are.  This is not our opinion - these are the facts.  Don't take this poison!
 

Magnesium Oxide

Magnesium Oxide is extracted from dolomite, limestone or sea water through chemical and thermal extraction processes.It is biologically inactive, and is not found in this form in foods. Magnesium found in food is complexed with amino acids, and other essential cofactors that facilitate its absorption and subsequent utilization in the tissues.

Magnesium Oxide can cause a pronounced laxative effect in higher amounts, which underscores its "alien" nature vis-a-vis human metabolism. There is evidence for its toxicity in animals, when administered in high amounts. You can search the Hazardous Substance Data Bank for in depth animal toxicity studies.

Potassium Chloride

Potassium chloride is a metal halide composed of potassium and chlorine. It is an inorganic form of potassium that is often used to fertilize soils. It has one of the highest salt index ratings (116) among commercial fertilizers and can cause injury to plants which is known as "burning."

Because supplemental potassium is potentially dangerous, if used inappropriately or in too high a dosage, it is regulated by the FDA and is not sold in quantities above 99 mg per serving.

Potassium toxicity involves the following symptoms: gastrointestinal distress, e.g. nausea, vomiting, abdmoninal discomfort and diarrhea. Intestinal ulceration has been reported after the use of enteric- coated potassium chloride tablets. People with kidney problems should be especially careful when ingesting potassium that is not from a food source.

The key point here is that the potassium found in food is not the same as that which is in inorganic form. Mother nature wraps complex amino acids, cofactors, fiber, and other "checks and balances" into the nutrients she produces. High doses of potassium chloride are used as the active ingredient in lethal injection. Bananas (approximately 450 mg each) or coconut water (approximately 700 mg per 12 oz), however, can be ingested in massive amounts, without causing serious harm.

Microcrystalline cellulose

Microcrystalline cellulose is a by-product of hydrolytic degradation, typically using a strong mineral acid such as hydrogen chloride. It is also bleached with sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide to render it colorless. The safety of ingesting this synthetically produced chemical has not yet been unequivocally determined. We do not yet know if it is a carcinogen, ground water contaminant, has developmental or reproductive toxicity, or is an endocrine disruptor. Nonetheless, evidence exists that it is toxic in mammals.

Ascorbic Acid

Ascorbic Acid is an entirely synthetic substance. It is derived from corn or rice starch which is converted into d-glucose, then d-sorbitol by hydrogenation, then l-sorbose by oxidation, then carboxyl group, resulting in diacetone-2-keto-l-gulonic acid, which when heated with HCL becomes ascorbic acid. (Merck Index, 1989, p.130).

Although not known to be directly toxic, there is growing evidence that ascorbic acid causes a mild physical dependency, whereby removal of this chemical causes vitamin c levels in the blood to drop below baseline. Its use has also been correlated with increased incidence of kidney stones, and may be indicated in other problems caused by calcification of soft tissue.

Ferrous Fumarate C4H2FeO4

Hazardous Substance Databank Number: 7348

Ferrous fumarate is the anhydrous salt formed by combining ferrous iron with fumaric acid and used as a hematinic (a preparation used to improve the quality of blood). Unfortunately, inorganic iron is pro-oxidative, stimulating the damaging effects in the body of substances known as free radicals..(1) There is evidence linking high inorganic iron intake to cardiovascular disease and cancer. Excessive iron accumulates in the liver, and may feed bacterial and viral infection.

Iron is found, in a healthy body, in the form of metalloproteins, because in exposed or in free form it causes production of free radicals that are generally toxic to cells. In its "free" form iron binds avidly to virtually all biomolecules so it will adhere nonspecifically to cell membranes, nucleic acids, proteins etc, causing substantial damage. When, for instance, iron binds with LDL, it oxidizes it, resulting in obstruction.

After all, how can something which is the #1 cause of death by poisoning of children under the age of 6, be safe for ingestion, at any dose?

Calcium Carbonate

Growing evidence suggests that Calcium Carbonate, which is chalk or limestone, is not a biologically appropriate form of calcium for human metabolism. The primary justification for ingesting Calcium Carbonate is to "support bones," however, Lancet and the British Medical Journal, recently published the results of two extensive clinical trails which concluded that Calcium plus Vitamin D does nothing to prevent bone loss. Calcium as found in chelated form, e.g. calcium citrate, calcium bisglycinate, calcium asporatate, or in its natural state as Food, is much more readily absorbed and utilized within the body, and does not have the risk factors associated with inorganic calcium ingestion, i.e. calcification of soft tissue, osteoarthritis, constipation, kidney stones, hypertension and various other side effects of poorly utilized calcium.

DL-Alpha-Tocopheryl-Acetate C29H5002

Not found in biologically active systems like food, but produced synthetically from petroleum in a laboratory, dl-alpha tocopheryl-acetate is biologically unprecedented and may have adverse side effects. New research demonstrates that taking only 1 member of the E family, which includes 4 tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta tocopherols) and 4 tocotrienols (alpha, beta, delta, gamma tocotrienols), may cause a deficiency of the other members. It is believed that the ingestion of dl-alpha tocopheryl in isolation may cause a deficiency of the heart-protective form known as gamma tocopheryl, hence iadversely effecting the functioning of the heart.

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Ascorbyl Palmitate is a synthetic ester of ascorbic acid, produced by condensing palmityol chloride with ascorbic acid in the presence of dehydrocholorinating agents like Pyridine. Both Palmityol Chloride and Pyridine are known to be moderately to severely toxic.

Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) 2,6-DI-T-Butyl-P-Cresol

BHT is a synthetic compound patented in 1947. It received approval of the FDA for use as a food additive and preservative in 1954. BHT is suspected to be mutagenic and carcinogenic. BHT has been banned for use in food in Japan (1958), Romania, Sweden and Australia. The US has barred it from being used in infant foods.

Calcium Stearate

Calcium stearate is made by combining calcium with stearic acid (a saturated fat from animal or vegetable sources) with chemically basic metal reactants, at high temperature, in a way similar to the production of hydrogenated oils. It is entirely synthetic, and does not occur in nature. No toxicological studies have been carried out on this substance to date.

Chromic Chloride CrCl3

CAS Registry Number: 10025-73-7

Although trivalent chromium like Chromic Chloride is far less poisonous than the hexavalent form, it is definitely a toxic substance, known to exhibit genotoxic, mutagenic, teratrogenic (reproductive hazard) and is on the Hazardous Substance list.

Its main use is in the metal industries for chromizing; in the manufacture of chromium metal and compounds; as a catalyst for polymerization of olefins and other organic reactions; as a textile mordant; in tanning; in corrosion inhibitors; as a waterproofing agent (Merck 1983, p.316).

Centrum contains 120 mcg (.12 millgrams) of chromic chloride, which according to Federal Drinking Water standards is above the 100 mcg per Liter limit for safe consumption.

Crospivodone N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone

HSDB Number: 205.

A synthetic homopolymer of cross-linked N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, Crospivodone, like many forms of vinyl, are not appropriate for human consumption and have demonstrated mutagenic/carcinogenc effects. Very little research has been done on the toxicity of this biologically unprecedented synthetic, however, animal studies showed this substance was carcinogenic, caused inflammation, pneumonia, and other adverse effects.

Just to give you a sense of how incredibly alien this stuff must be to the body, here is a description from the Hazardous Substances Data Bank of how it is manufactured: "Polyvinylpryrrolidone is prepared by Reppe's process: 1,4-butanediol obtained in the Reppe butadiene synthesis is dehydrogenated over copper at 200 deg C forming gamma-butyrolactone; reaction with ammonia yields pyrrolidone. Subsequent treatment with acetylene gives the vinyl pyrrolidone monomer." (The Merck Index, 1996., p. 1320). Keep in mind that intermediates in the production of crospovidone like "butadiene" are already known to have deleterious effects.

Cupric Oxide (Copper)

Hazardous Substances Data Bank Number: 266

Cupric oxide is generally considered a toxic substance in its unbound form. Virtually all copper in the body is present as a component of copper proteins. Unbound or inorganic copper produces oxidative stress in the body, catalyzing highly reactive hydroxyl radicals (Toxicology. 2003 Jul 15; 189(1-2):147-63) A study of men residing in eastern Finland, an area with high levels of copper in drinking water, established a positive correlation between serum copper levels and risk of acute myocardial infarction (Salonen et al., 1991).

Cupric oxide is the rock known as malachite. Its major industrial uses include: a pigment for glass, ceramics and porcelain glazes; in the manufacture of rayon; in sweetening petroleum gases; a catalyst in ammonia manufacture; a wood-preserving agent; insecticide; fungicide; miticide; molluscicide.

Centrum contains 2mg of cupric oxide, supposedly 100% of the RDA. And yet, Federal EPA drinking water standards consider anything above 1.3 mg per Liter to be a health risk. According to the EPA short term exposure amounts in excess of this standard can result in gastrointestinal distress, and long term exposure can result in liver and kidney damage.

Cyanocobalamin (Vit. B12)

Cyanocobalamin can be produced from three sources: 1) extracted from mammalian liver 2) as a metabolic product of bacterial fermentation 3) extracted from sewage sludge.

Although generally accepted as safe (GRAS) by the FDA for human consumption, human studies have reported allergic reactions to skin testing, and mice given 1.5-3 mg/kg body weight experienced convulsions, followed by cardiac and respiratory failure.

The minerals are not in chelate form which makes them pretty much unusable when bound with other synthetics. This one contains a chromium picolinate which can toxify the liver over an extended period and will also heat the body.

Cyanocobalamin is not the active form of B12. In order for the body to use this form of B12 it must enzymatically remove the cyanide portion of this molecule, releasing it in the form of thiocyanate which can be safely excreted. The remaining cobalamin portion must then be converted into methylcobalamin or adenosylcobalamin, in order for it to perform useful biological work. Because some people lack the proper enzyme to actively detoxify and convert cyanocobalamin, or are overwhelmed by the ingestion of too much cyanide, it can accumulate in the body resulting in toxicity. (reference: Linnell JC, Matthews DM. Cobalamin metabolism and its clinical aspects. Clin Sci (Lond). 1984 Feb/66(2):113-21.)

FD&C Yellow 6 disodium salt of 6-hydroxy-5-[4-sulfophenyl)azo]-2-naphthalenesulfonic acid

FD&C Yellow 6 is a synthetic coal tar derived colourant that has the capacity for inducing an allergic reaction. Other reactions include gastric upset, vomiting, a rash similar to nettle rash and skin swelling. It is associated with ADD and ADHD. This colourant is prohibited as a food additive in Finland and Norway.

According to Dr. Andrew Weil, "The chemicals used to create colour are energetic molecules, many of which are capable of interacting with and damaging DNA. Anything that damanges DNA can injure the immune system, accelerate aging, and increase the risk of cancer. Indeed, many synthetic food dyes once considered safe have turned out to be carcinogenic."

Hydroxypropryl Methylcellulose

Hydroxylpropryl Methylcellulose is a synthetic polymer that is used in shampoo formulations, paint stripper, cosmetics, eye drops, foods and as an excipient in drugs and supplements like Centrum. There are no long term toxicological studies available on this synthetic substance.

Magnesium Borate

Magnesium Borate is used as an antiseptic, insecticide, and in weatherproofing wood, and may have adverse antibiotic action vis-a-vis intestinal flora.

Magnesium Stearate

Used to make large scale production tableting of supplements and drugs possible, this chemical excipient is produced through reacting sodium stearate with magnesium sulfate, in a way similar to the production of hydrogenated oils. Magnesium sulfate itself is a potentially dangerous substance whose Hazardous Substance Databank Number is: 664. Magnesium stearate is a hydrogenated oil, and like all trans-fatty acids is toxic.

Manganese Sulfate MnSO4H2O

The Material Safety Data Sheet classifies this chemical as a hazardous substance. Toxicological data indicates it is tumerigenic, mutagenic and teratogenic (adversely effects reproduction).

Nicotinic Acid (Niacinamide)

Niacinamide is produced synthetically by esterifying nicotinic acid with methanol followed by ammonolysis, or by action of thionyl chloride on nicotinic acid, and treating resulting acid chloride with ammonia. The nicotinic acid is itself produced from chemically transforming the deadly alkaloid nicotine.

Large doses are known to cause liver problems as severe as liver failure.

Nickelous Sulfate

Hazardous Substances Databank Number: 1114

Nickelous Sulfate is classified within the National LIbrary of Medicine's "Hazardous Substances Data Base" (HSDB) as an animal and human carcinogen. It is classified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as "immediately dangerous to Life and Health," and a potential occupational carcinogen. Its primary industrial uses are for nickel plating, as a fungicide, an anti-rusting agent, as a mordant for dyeing and printing textiles; coatings;ceramics.

Nickelous Sulfate is produced by dissolving nickel oxide in sulfuric acid producing nickel sulfate hexahydrate.

How a toxic substance like this made its way into a product like Centrum is beyond my ability to comprehend when the Federal Drinking Water Guidelines allow for no more than 100 ug/l (equivalent to 100 parts per billion!)*, and it is considered a hazardous air pollutant generally known or suspected to cause serious health problems. The Clean Air Act, as amendeed in 1990, directed the EPA to monitor and restrict the emission of this toxic chemical.

*USEPA/Office of Water; Federal-State Toxicology and Risk Analysis Committee (FSTRAC). Summary of State and Federal Drinking Water Standards and Guidelines (11/93), p.**QC REVIEWED**

Polysorbate 80 polyxoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate, (x)-sorbitan mono-9-octadecenoate poly (oxy-1,2-ethanediyl)

Polysorbate 80 is a nonionic detergent which is often used in foods and supplements as an emulsifier. Polysorbate 80 is produced using ethylene oxide (which is known to cause cancer in rats). The industries that use this synthetic substance claim there is little to no research available demonstrating either its safety or toxicity, and yet it was shown to have an oestrogenic effect in rats, and it is known that following its exposure to oxygen it may produce free radicals generating peroxides and formaldehyde

Potassium Iodide

Chronic overexposure can have adverse effects on the thyroid. According to the Material Safety Data Sheet Potassium Iodide indicates that tests on laboratory animals produced adverse mutagenic and reproductive effects.

Pyridoxidine Hydrochloride(B6) 

Hazardous Substance Data Bank Number: 1212

Pyridoxidine Hyrochloride is a synthetically produced chemical, generally produced through the condensation of cyanoacetamide (a cyanide containing chemical) & ethoxyacetalcetone. Because this form of B6 contains hydrochloride, when heated to decomposition it emits very toxic fumes of oxides of nitrogen and hydrogen chloride. Although this toxic decomposition may not occur in the human body after ingestion, it indicates just how synthetically produced vitamins act more like chemicals, and less like nutrients which are generally benign.

Extremely large doses in range of 2 to 6 g/kg produce convulsions & death in rats and mice. Lower doses (50mg injections) have interfered with the endocrine system of rats by suppressing pituitary secretions.

Silicon Dioxide

Silicon Dioxide function as an excipient keeps ingredients from getting too sticky, adds moisture and aids in the formation of tablets. It is found in nature as quartz, and is a major ingredient in the production of semiconductor chips, glass, ceramics & Portland Cement.

Although this chemical is known to have extensive acute, subchronic and chronic toxicities in animal studies, silicon dioxide is considered an acceptable food additive by the FDA.

This is primarily because of a lack of understanding the difference between silica found in food, or mammalian tissues, and inorganic forms. The qualitative difference is profound, and though the elemental silica content may be the same in a chard of glass and a piece of celery, the biological difference is as profound as the difference between life and death.

Sodium Aluminum Silicate Hazardous Substance Data Bank Number: 5027

Aluminum Silicate (talc) is added as a lubricant to help speed the production of tablets. Aluminum has been known to be a neurotoxin for over 100 years, and today it is known to be a major causative factor in diseases like Alzheimers.

Sodium Ascorbate

The Material Safety Data Sheet states that sodium ascorbate may affect genetic material (mutagenic) based on animal tests. It is believed that chronic effects in humans include damage to the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, and upper respiratory tract.

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium benzoate is a synthetic preservative which has been shown to have an antibiotic effect on the essential friendly gut flora. Possibly the largest use of sodium benzoate is as an anticorrosive, and antifreeze additive, and in the production of plastics and as a stabilizer in photographic baths/processing.

Sodium Borate (Borax) Hazardous Substance Data Bank Number: 328

Borax is widely used in detergents, softeners, soaps, disinfectants, and pesticides. Although Borax is banned as a food additive in the United States, it somehow made it into Centrum.

Sodium Citrate

Hazardous Substances Databank Number: 5201.

Usually made by adding sodium carbonate to a solution of citric acid until effervescence ceases, evaporating and granulating the product, there is no conclusive evidence disproving or proving its safety in humans. Sodium citrate is used to prevent blood coagulation during blood collection. The liver under normal circumstances can rapidly metabolize sodium citrate; however an unhealthy liver may have difficulty with this substance potentially resulting in an accumulation of bicarbonate (the metabolic derivative of citrate) which can cause metabolic alkalosis.

Metavanadate

Metavanadate is a form of vanadium with known toxicity when ingested or inhaled. It is a skin, eye and respiratory irritant. Although the toxicity for vanadium is considered low when administered orally, long term effects have not been studied. It affects lungs, kidneys, immune system, cardiovascular system and nervous system.

Sodium Molybdate

According to the Material Safety Data Sheet this substance should not be inhaled or ingested. Chronic use is believed to cause reproductive effects and birth defects based on animal data.

Sodium Selenite

"Highly Toxic. May be fatal if inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin. Expiremental carcinogen. May cause reproductive effects..."

Medical Safety Data Sheet for Sodium Selenite

An inorganic form of selenium with known toxicity. Studies have shown it may cause tumors, genetic mutations, interfere with reproduction, and cause birth defects. Although it is an essential antioxidant when found in food as biologically active selenium, inorganic selenium as selenite has a pro-oxidative effect.

Sorbic Acid

Sorbic acid is a polyunsaturated fat first isolated from the oil of the unripened rowan berry in 1959 by A.W. Hoffman. Sorbic acid is mainly used in industry as a mold and yeast inhibitor, fungistatic agent for foods, especially cheeses. It is a synthetic substance that can cause contact dermatitis, as has been frequently reported with the use of topical medicaments such as corticosteroid creams that contain this preservative.

Sorbic acid has caused reduced growth rates in rats, and caused liver problems, including hepatoma and reduced glutathione levels. (Mutat Res. 1984 Aug;130(4):267-72). In one study large amounts fed to rats caused liver tumors. (Cancer Lett. 1980 Jun; 9(4):299-304).

Stannous Chloride

According to the Medical Safety Data Sheet Stannous Chloride is a serious poison, which upon ingestion or inhalation can cause severe damage to the following organs: blood, kidneys, lungs, liver, upper respiratory tract, skin. It may be mutagenic, and may cause adverse reproductive effects and birth defects.

Thiamine Mononitrate

Thiamine Monohydrate is a synthetically produced form of B1. It is produced by the reaction of 5-(Beta-Hydroxyethyl)-4-Methylthiazole with 2-Methyl-4-Amino-5-Bromomethylpyrimidine, hydrogen bromide salt, followed by neutralization and reaction with hydrochloric acid.

Thiamine Mononitrate must be converted in the mucosa of the jejunum into its active, coenzymated form: Thiamine Pyrophosphate. Those suffering from intestinal inflammation such as wheat or milk allergies can not make the conversion.  

Titanium Dioxide

According to the Material Safety Data Sheet Titanium Dioxide is mutagenic for mammalian somatic cells,and may cause damage to the following organs: lungs and upper respiratory tract. Its chronic ingestion is considered possibly carcinogenic based on animal data.

Vitamin A Acetate

Vitamin A acetate is a synthetically produced form of vitamin A that can accumulate in the body resulting in adverse effects. It may lead to birth defects in pregnant women, osteoporosis, liver damage and increased risk for certain cancers. Unlike the provitamin beta-carotene (two retinol molecules attached to one another) which is split in the gut and converted into vitamin A proper, as the body needs, vitamin A acetate poses far greater risks.

Zinc Oxide

Zinc oxide is not the same kind of zinc you get from oysters, or other foods. It is entirely inorganic, and has demonstrated mutagenic and teratrogenic effects in animal studies. It is produced through vaporization of metallic zinc and oxidation of vapors with preheated air (French Process). (Merck Index, 1996, p. 1734). Its main uses are for pigments in paints, reflective agent in sunscreen, manufacture of glass, automobile tires, white glue, matches, porcelains, flame retardant, plastics, rayon, lubricants, fabrics, etc.