Vegetable magnesium stearate is a chemical compound that is commonly used in oral pills, lubricants and baby powder. The natural ingredient doesn't cause any side effects for most people. As with any new substance introduced into your body, you may develop an allergic reaction to this additive. Vegetable magnesium stearate is made from vegetable oils that may be found in cosmetics, soaps and medications. The compound is used in medications to make a pill go down your throat easier. This condition can only be clinically diagnosed with allergy testing.
Allergic Reaction
Anytime you introduce a new substance into your body, you are at risk of developing an allergic reaction. An allergic reaction transpires when your immune system accidentally identifies a substance as unsafe. Even though vegetable magnesium stearate is safe for consumption, if your immune system identifies the substance as dangerous, it will attack the substance with immunoglobulin E antibodies, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Antibodies trigger various chemicals to be produced throughout the body, leading to symptoms.
Symptoms
Symptoms of an allergic reaction can vary from person to person in severity and type, but most allergic reactions will cause one or more of the following symptoms. Common symptoms include hives, skin irritation, eczema, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, nasal congestion, sinus headaches, wheezing, chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath, light-headedness and dizziness, according to MedlinePlus. Severe allergic reactions may cause skin flushing, heart palpitations and facial swelling.
Testing
The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology states that the two most common types of allergy testing include skin and blood tests. A basic skin allergy test will place a concentrated liquid form of vegetable magnesium stearate on your skin and wait 20 minutes to see if your skin becomes irritated. Another form of a skin test injects the concentrated substance under the top layer of your skin. Blood tests are commonly used to confirm an allergic reaction by identifying the production of IgE antibodies when the allergen is introduced into your blood.
Avoidance
There is no cure for this type of allergic reaction. You will need to avoid the use of products that contain this substance as an ingredient. Not only do you need to avoid ingesting pills made with vegetable magnesium stearate, but you will need to avoid body washes, lotions and makeup that contains this substance. Inform your pharmacist of your allergy before taking any new medications.
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