Many people are careful consumers, especially with regard to supplements and foods. A July 2006 news story run by "Fox News" reported that 80 percent of Americans read the ingredients on food and other labels. So it's no surprise that you may question the inclusion of soy in your fish oil capsules. The explanation for the presence of soy is that it's used as an additive to accomplish a variety of manufacturing objectives. Federal law requires that its presence in fish oil capsules be listed to warn people with soy allergies.
Soy Allergies
MayoClinic.com reports that soy allergies are common in infants and children and that they are becoming increasingly common in adults. One of the reasons for the increase in adult cases may be the fact soy has become widely used in many foodstuffs ranging from supplements to infant formulas to approximately 50 percent of processed foods. Soy allergy symptoms include swelling, tingling of the mouth, hives, dizziness and abdominal discomfort. Rarely, anaphylaxis can occur, which is a severe allergic reaction that includes constriction of airways, shock and loss of consciousness.
Soy Preservatives
Nutrition for Optimal Wellness is a supplement manufacturer, and its website explains that all vitamin E is derived from vegetable oils and that soybeans are the most popular source because soybeans are abundant and inexpensive. D-alpha tocopherol is the name of the vitamin E class usually sourced from soy. This form of vitamin E is often used as a preservative, which explains a major reason for its presence in fish oil capsules. The shelf life of fish oil can be extended for seven years by adding soy-derived vitamin E to the ingredients.
Soy Binders
An April 2002 issue of the "Journal of Food Composition and Analysis" discusses the use of soy derivatives used in thousands of soy-based supplements. Although the objective of the study was to evaluate the health benefits of such supplements, the authors noted a variety of allergic reactions from soy-derived additives. A common use of soy in supplements is to act as a binding agent. The researchers discussed the case of a woman who had a serious allergic reaction from taking fish oil capsules containing a soy-derived binding agent.
Soy Lecithin
Soy lecithin is recovered from the waste products of soybean processing. The Lecithin Guide website explains that the soy waste is purified through a process called hexane extraction. Soy lecithin is commonly used as an emulsifier in fish oil capsules. As an emulsifier, it enables the water- and oil-soluble supplement ingredients to remain mixed rather than separate. Another of its properties is to act as a solidifying agent. Soy lecithin is often used in the gelatin-based outer layer of fish oil capsules to help retain the shape of the capsule.
References
- "Fox News"; Poll: Many Americans Read Food Labels, Check Nutrition Facts; Associated Press; July 2006
- MayoClinic.com: Soy Allergy
- Nutrition for Optimal Wellness: NOW: Vitamin E FAQ
- "Journal of Food Composition and Analysis"; Isoflavone Content of Soy Based Supplements; Tashini Nurmi et al.; April 2002
- Lecithin Guide: Soy Lecithin
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