What is Titanium Dioxide & Why is it in most supplements?

[HoboHank]

The CDC website has a write-up on Titanium Dioxide.It seems that Titanium Dioxide causes Lung Fibrosis. You can go to their website to confirm.It's in mostly all the supplements we take ( everyday-Animal Pak doesn't have it. I checked. Whew!).
Natural News also has a write up on it. Their site's easy to find also.
For the Over 35 crowd I think it pays for us to do more research into our supplements since we deal with more issues health wise. What troubles me is why it's being put in everything if it's so bad.
Well, buyer beware. Any more info that you might know, that I don't please share.

[ironwill2008]

The CDC website has a write-up on Titanium Dioxide.It seems that Titanium Dioxide causes Lung Fibrosis. You can go to their website to confirm.It's in mostly all the supplements we take ( everyday-Animal Pak doesn't have it. I checked. Whew!).
Natural News also has a write up on it. Their site's easy to find also.
For the Over 35 crowd I think it pays for us to do more research into our supplements since we deal with more issues health wise. What troubles me is why it's being put in everything if it's so bad.
Well, buyer beware. Any more info that you might know, that I don't please share.

Can you post a link to the article you mentioned?

[-=FLEX=-]

Is your Google broken?

Apparently it's used in food colouring...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium_dioxide

[Flounderbout]

It seems that Titanium Dioxide causes Lung Fibrosis.

This is true. If you spend much of your life in an environment where you will be breathing in fine particles of it.

The solution to this problem is not to take supplements by inhalation in some sort of hyperbaric chamber. Instead, try mixing them into a shake and drinking them.

[HoboHank]

I don't have enough posts yet to add the link ironwill2008, but it should not be hard to find. And the google not busted. Wikipedia is not a real credible source of info as far as the safety & efficacy of certain food additives, but debating is not what I've intended here. It's just to start a dialogue on what's in our supplements and why.

[HoustonTXMuscle]

Titanium dioxide in our everyday life; is it safe? Skocaj M, Filipic M, Petkovic J, Novak S. Jožef Stefan Institute, Department for Nanostructured Materials, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Radiol Oncol. 2011 Dec;45(4):227-47. doi: 10.2478/v10019-011-0037-0.

Abstract: Titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) is considered as an inert and safe material and has been used in many applications for decades. However, with the development of nanotechnologies TiO(2) nanoparticles, with numerous novel and useful properties, are increasingly manufactured and used. Therefore increased human and environmental exposure can be expected, which has put TiO(2) nanoparticles under toxicological scrutiny. Mechanistic toxicological studies show that TiO(2) nanoparticles predominantly cause adverse effects via induction of oxidative stress resulting in cell damage, genotoxicity, inflammation, immune response etc. The extent and type of damage strongly depends on physical and chemical characteristics of TiO(2) nanoparticles, which govern their bioavailability and reactivity. Based on the experimental evidence from animal inhalation studies TiO(2) nanoparticles are classified as "possible carcinogenic to humans" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and as occupational carcinogen by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The studies on dermal exposure to TiO(2) nanoparticles, which is in humans substantial through the use of sunscreens, generally indicate negligible transdermal penetration; however data are needed on long-term exposure and potential adverse effects of photo-oxidation products. Although TiO(2) is permitted as an additive (E171) in food and pharmaceutical products we do not have reliable data on its absorption, distribution, excretion and toxicity on oral exposure. TiO(2) may also enter environment, and while it exerts low acute toxicity to aquatic organisms, upon long-term exposure it induces a range of sub-lethal effects.

CONCLUSIONS: Until relevant toxicological and human exposure data that would enable reliable risk assessment are obtained, TiO(2) nanoparticles should be used with great care.

Thousands of articles and a few recent reviews in humans in PubMed. Many deal with toxicity of nanoparticles of TiO(2) in animals and in vitro.

[michail71]

Perhaps to make them look whiter? If that is all it's being used for I'd say they shouldn't be adding it. However, it doesn't seem like there is much evidence it's that harmful either. I'm sure there are plenty of other additives that are far worse.

[drudixon]

The CDC website has a write-up on Titanium Dioxide.It seems that Titanium Dioxide causes Lung Fibrosis. You can go to their website to confirm.It's in mostly all the supplements we take ( everyday-Animal Pak doesn't have it. I checked. Whew!).
Natural News also has a write up on it. Their site's easy to find also.
For the Over 35 crowd I think it pays for us to do more research into our supplements since we deal with more issues health wise. What troubles me is why it's being put in everything if it's so bad.
Well, buyer beware. Any more info that you might know, that I don't please share.

Instead of worrying about the .0005% odds this thing can hurt you, you should worry about what comes out of the tail pipe of your car, or off the dashboard on a 100 degree day...

In other words, there are bigger fish to fry.

[EjnarKolinkar]

I don't have enough posts yet to add the link ironwill2008, but it should not be hard to find. And the google not busted. Wikipedia is not a real credible source of info as far as the safety & efficacy of certain food additives, but debating is not what I've intended here. It's just to start a dialogue on what's in our supplements and why.

You can post a broken link, just type spaces or something.

Micro mineral particle entry through skin is interesting to me. I somehow feel the sun is more carcinogenic than Zinc, Titanium in RE to sunscreens.

I think zinc oxide is still the preferred option from EWG.

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredie...e_%3E_100nm)/#

I use

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/product/...ion%2C_SPF_50/

They seem to prefer straight zinc oxide with as few additives as possible. Everything old is new again, and or still the best evidently. Straight zinc has actually become quite pricy many places.

Not exactly on topic with food, but HoustonTX got me thinks king about the sunscreen angles.

[HoustonTXMuscle]

You can post a broken link, just type spaces or something.

Micro mineral particle entry through skin is interesting to me. I somehow feel the sun is more carcinogenic than Zinc, Titanium in RE to sunscreens.

I think zinc oxide is still the preferred option from EWG.

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredie...e_%3E_100nm)/#

I use

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/product/...ion%2C_SPF_50/

They seem to prefer straight zinc oxide with as few additives as possible. Everything old is new again, and or still the best evidently. Straight zinc has actually become quite pricy many places.

Not exactly on topic with food, but HoustonTX got me thinks king about the sunscreen angles.

Started to mention sunscreens and a couple of citations in my earlier post. Here's an older (2009) one from the American Academy of Dermatology. Bolded the latter half of the concluding sentence of the abstract.

The safety of nanosized particles in titanium dioxide- and zinc oxide-based sunscreens.Newman MD, Stotland M, Ellis JI. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2009 Oct;61(4):685-92. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2009.02.051. Department of Dermatology, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York 11203, USA.
Abstract: Given the increasing incidence and prevalence of skin cancer, dermatologists are more frequently recommending sunscreens to their patients. However, the safety of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanosized particles in the majority of sunscreens has come under scrutiny from governments and the general public. We sought to characterize the use, safety, and regulatory state of nanosized particles in titanium dioxide and zinc oxide in sunscreens based on studies and position statements from 1980 to 2008. Although we found no evidence of significant penetration of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanosized particles beyond the stratum corneum, further studies must be done to simulate real-world conditions particularly in sunburned skin and under ultraviolet exposure.