Croscarmellose Sodium | What Is It? Why Avoid It?

Finding the right pharmaceutical and supplement solutions to your needs requires knowing the right ingredients. Here is a guide on croscarmellose sodium in our Additives to Avoid Series.

• Know Your Ingredients
• What Is Croscarmellose Sodium?
• Why Is It Added to Some Supplements?
• Is Croscarmellose Sodium Safe?
• Does It Have Any Side Effects?
• Could I Be Allergic To Croscarmellose Sodium?
• Does Croscarmellose Sodium Raise Blood Pressure?
• Why You Should Avoid Supplements With Croscarmellose Sodium?
• Why Remedy's Nutrition® Never Uses Croscarmellose Sodium?
• What Makes Remedy's Nutrition® Different?
• Learn More About High-Quality (Additive-Free) Dietary Supplements

Know Your Ingredients

Nothing is worse than starting a new supplement routine, then finding out that it contains harmful ingredients. Unfortunately, this is more common than you would think. Many medications and supplements contain hidden ingredients such as croscarmellose sodium, which can do more harm than good.

According to a recent study, croscarmellose sodium has caused many allergic reactions, and the Food and Drug Administration still has it approved as an "inactive ingredient." These reactions may include high blood pressure, swollen intestines, heart failure, and pulmonary edema. 

The problem is...

• How can we be safe from the croscarmellose side effects?
• How do we know if croscarmellose is inside our medications and supplements?
• How does croscarmellose sodium work, exactly?

Keep reading to learn more. This article can help you avoid croscarmellose sodium, stay safe & healthy, and make the most out of your supplement routine. 

Thankfully, we know how crucial it is to have clean and unambiguous answers, so we have created this guide to teach you everything you need to know about croscarmellose sodium and how to avoid it.

What is Croscarmellose Sodium?

Croscarmellose sodium, or sodium croscarmellose, is a cross-linked polymer of carboxymethylcellulose sodium. It is a white, fibrous powder and is an ingredient used as a super disintegrant in pharmaceutical formulas.

It comes from wood pulp or cotton fibers and contains no sugar or starch content. 

A super disintegrating agent is a unique formula designed to help the body break down complex substances such as tablets or capsules.

WOW! This stuff sounds amazing...

They are used for low levels in the solid dosage, usually between 1-10% solid, much lower than regular disintegrating agents.

Typically, these disintegrating agents are created to break up the tablet in the intestinal tract after oral dosing.

This helps the drug or supplement to be delivered effectively; however, the formulations are still relatively new and understudied for safety.

Croscarmellose sodium has been used widely in multiple pharmaceuticals and supplements because of its ability to expand up to 20 times its original size. 

Because Croscarmellose sodium is hydrophilic, which means "water-loving", it intends to extract fluids from the environment and pull it into the structure. 

Croscarmellose sodium is also widely used in cosmetic and beauty products as well as food products.

Sounds great, right? Then why is there so much confusion around this additive?

Why is Croscarmellose Sodium Added to Some Supplements?

Our bodies are designed to break down molecules and eliminate foreign compounds. This means that it can be hard to absorb certain medications. Therefore, pharmaceutical companies created a compound to help your body absorb the benefits of the medications. 

Unfortunately, this is not the whole truth. Croscarmellose Sodium as an ingredient is also used as a filler, to reduce costs for big pharma, which is an unintegral decision to preserve the bottom line. 

Companies can choose how much Croscarmellose sodium they want to add to their products. Depending on where in the intestinal tract the manufacturer wants the formula to be absorbed, it will determine how much Croscarmellose sodium they use.

Additionally, Croscarmellose sodium and other disintegrant agents are used to help the tablet break down effectively. Without them, the active ingredients may not be absorbed effectively which would lower the effectiveness.

In certain circumstances where the tablet is an essential medication, the inclusion of disintegrants could make a difference in someone's health and well-being. 

Some of the most common medications and types of drugs and supplements with croscarmellose sodium are:

• Acetaminophen 
• Acetaminophen and Oxycodone
• Acetaminophen and Hydrocodone
• Acetaminophen and Codeine Phosphate 
• Cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride
• Clonazepam
• Naproxen
• Ibuprofen
• Percocet
• Mass Produced Supplements

This is not a medical disclaimer; however, we highly suggest that you become more aware of the ingredients in your medications.

Some drug and supplement manufacturers may focus more on production and add disintegrants like croscarmellose sodium to help with the timely breakdown in a cheap manner, ignoring any potential side effects for the end user.

So now down to the question you have been wanting to know...

Is Croscarmellose Sodium Safe?

Because croscarmellose sodium is a commonly used disintegrating agent, it means that it should be safe, right?

Wrong!

The Food and Drug Administration has only approved croscarmellose sodium in small amounts for medication and supplement usage.

If used in too high of quantities, it can cause harmful side effects.

In 2010, one woman was taken to the hospital for pulmonary edema, congestive heart failure, and extremely high blood pressure. Upon investigation, doctors discovered that she was experiencing an allergic reaction to croscarmellose sodium. She also experienced an enlarged left ventricle, rashes all over the body, and multiple other health concerns.  

Does Croscarmellose Sodium Have Any Side Effects?

Croscarmellose sodium does not have any official "side effects" unless you react to the additive directly. 

It is also suggested that anyone with any intestinal conditions should avoid croscarmellose sodium altogether.

This additive may make it risky for those who are on the verge of a relapse of Crohn's and other conditions.

Could I Be Allergic to Croscarmellose Sodium?

There is a very slight chance that you could be allergic to croscarmellose sodium, and unfortunately, when you notice symptoms, you could already be suffering from severe complications.

Anaphylactic Reactions

Patients who have a slight sensitivity to croscarmellose sodium can go into anaphylactic shock if they receive an injection with the additive.

The problem is, not many people know that they have a sensitivity until it is too late.

One study found that two patients who received a cortisone injection with croscarmellose sodium as the additive immediately went into anaphylactic shock.

The best way to avoid any allergic reactions is to pay attention to how your body is responding to medications with the croscarmellose sodium additive in them. If you are noticing any abdominal or intestinal pain, notify your doctor immediately.

Intestinal Obstructions

Because of its ability to absorb surrounding fluids and expand up to 20 times its size for better drug solubility, croscarmellose sodium can put you at risk for intestinal blockages. If you experience abdominal pain while taking any medications with croscarmellose sodium, speak to your doctor immediately. 

Overgrowth of Intestinal Flora

While we may be taught to fear all bacteria, this is not entirely true, as intestinal bacteria is a crucial element of good health.

Intestinal, or gut microflora, are microorganisms and good bacteria that grow in your gut. 

Our gut is like an ecosystem; it needs a proper balance of good and bad bacteria to function efficiently.

Therefore taking probiotics is an essential part of any health routine. 

Unfortunately, some things can send our gut bacteria out of balance, causing a significant overgrowth and unbalance of harmful bacteria.

This overgrowth causes Crohn's disease, celiac disease, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Many health researchers have found a correlation between croscarmellose sodium and intestinal flora overgrowth.

Inefficient Supplement Delivery

Croscarmellose sodium is popularly used among pharmaceutical manufacturers because of its ability to extract water from its environment. However, this same benefit can also make it dangerous.

If someone leaves the medication out without the lid, this additive will absorb moisture out of the air.

This premature absorption causes the medication to be broken down and released into the stomach instead of the intestines. This could either make the drug stronger or weaker, depending on the drug or the rate of absorption.

If this drug is essential for your health, this could lead to severe implications.

Does Croscarmellose Sodium Raise Blood Pressure?

Sodium is an essential mineral for proper nerve and muscle function. Yet, too much sodium (also known as hypernatremia) can negatively impact blood pressure levels.

Because croscarmellose sodium does not contain much sodium, it does not officially raise blood pressure levels.

That being said, if you react to it, your blood pressure will elevate to help pump more blood to remove the compounds, which inadvertently raises your blood pressure. 

Why Should I Avoid Supplements With Croscarmellose Sodium?

Many low-grade, mass-produced supplements contain croscarmellose sodium in their synthetic vitamins and minerals.

These synthetic compounds can prevent the body from absorbing any of the ingredients.

This is because every cell within our bodies has receptor sites that detect which combination it recognizes and approves or rejects accordingly.

If it does not recognize it, you may be putting your health at risk, especially if you are deficient in that vitamin or mineral.

This also leads to a waste of money because you are purchasing low-grade supplements that are not doing their job.

Why Remedy's Nutrition® Never Uses Croscarmellose Sodium in our Supplements

Remedy's Nutrition® will never use additives such as croscarmellose sodium because we use only the purest ingredients in our supplement formulations.

Other supplement brands may source from low-grade or inferior ingredients because it is cheaper and easier to produce. However, there is always the possibility of risk when choosing this production method. Not our M.O.

Please remember this simple fact: Keeping your digestive system in balance can help you better utilize the nutrients you take in from food and supplements.

This can help maintain your health and improve your life.

Avoiding additives like croscarmellose sodium can only help to improve your overall health. That is why we never use these cheap fillers and additives in our amazing supplements and personal care products.

To help maintain your gut health, we recommend you take Superzymes™ and 35 Billion Probiotic for one month at least once a year.

What Makes Remedy's Nutrition® Different?

What separates Remedy's Nutrition® from other supplement brands is the integrity behind our products. 'Quality, Purity, Pride' is not just our slogan, it's our way of life.

There is much investigation behind each source of our supplements and personal care products. Our goal is for your body to recognize and utilize our supplements to make you feel better and live and stronger, healthier life. 

All our products have been tested by a third party for Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, and Arsenic to ensure they are safe for consumption.

One more added step for your safety and protection.

Some of our top sellers include:

• Superzymes™ Capsules
• 35 Billion Probiotic Capsules
• Ultimate Detox™ Capsules
• Super Diabe Caps™
• Calm Surfer™ Capsules and Tincture
• Happy Surfer™ Capsules and Tincture
• Mega Sleep™ Capsules
• Mega VMT™ | High Dose Daily Multivitamin
• Deeper Sleep™ Capsules, Tincture, and Tea

We also have essential oils, daily essential vitamins, and herbal blends.

Learn More About High-Quality (Additive-Free) Dietary Supplements

Now that you know more about sneaky additives in most supplements and medications, you probably wonder where to find supplements that are safe and free of croscarmellose sodium and other additives.

Thankfully, Remedy's Nutrition® produces the highest-quality supplements on the market at surprisingly affordable prices.

All of our all-natural products are third-party tested for the purity and integrity of each ingredient.

You can feel good, shopping at Remedy's Nutrition®, Guaranteed thanks to our 100% Risk-Free, Satisfaction Guarantee and our commitment to Quality, Purity, and Pride.