The cellulose we use in our products is not cellulose gum (CMC E466) but HPMC E464. Both substances (HPMC and CMC) are based on cellulose, but with different molecular structures. They are not chemically similar and therefore behave differently in the gut.
Cellulose gum is a cheap raw material that is mainly used as a consistency and bulking agent, often in large quantities. However, cellulose gum is not used as a capsule shell. Instead, HPMC is used, which is a 100% pure, pharmaceutical and safe product.
HPMC is used daily in millions of capsules worldwide and despite its widespread use, there is not a single report indicating that it has any negative effects. On the contrary, HPMC is used in e.g. probiotic capsules precisely to reduce intestinal problems. An effect that has been substantiated in hundreds of studies.
These studies, together with the wide use - clearly show that HPMC is absolutely safe.
HPMC is also approved by ÄKTA VARA and is also the only cellulose approved for use in organic products. This is because it is pharmaceutically pure and 100% inert - meaning it is not absorbed in the gut and is completely neutral.
Cellulose gum, on the other hand, is known to irritate the gut in exceptional cases and in high doses.
Conclusion: HPMC has a completely different molecular structure compared to cellulose gum and therefore does not behave in the same way but has completely different properties. This, together with the widespread use, the large number of studies and the absence of any negative reports, shows with certainty that HPMC is absolutely safe to use. It is therefore nothing more than pure speculation that HPMC has the same negative effects on the gut as cellulose gum.
