Vitamins Could Clog Your Arteries—and 7 More Secrets Vitamin Manufacturers Don’t Want You to Know

Risky fillers

The same artery-clogging hydrogenated fats and oils (aka trans fats) that we are told to avoid for health reasons are also used as cheap vitamin fillers! Check out other shocking foods that sneak in trans fats. That’s just one filler to watch out for, warns Elissa Goodman, a holistic nutritionist in Los Angeles, CA. Another is magnesium Silicate (aka talc), which is used in supplements as a filler and anti-caking agent, she says. (Anti-caking agents prevent lumps and bumps.) “Magnesium silicate is similar to asbestos in composition and can cause stomach and lung problems when inhaled or ingested,” she says. Avoid these risky fillers by reading label. And “if you see any ingredients you’re unfamiliar with, look them up,” Goodman adds.