BioStacks
Best for
Ingredients (2)
Iron
100%Dose
45 mg
Target
15–45 mg
Form
Budget
Calcium
31 mgTrace amount — not scored
Other Ingredients (17)
Blue 2 LakeColorant
A synthetic coal-tar/petroleum-derived dye used purely for color, linked to behavioral concerns in sensitive children. The lake form adds aluminum. No health benefit — we flag all artificial colors.
TalcAnti-caking
IARC classifies cosmetic-grade talc not containing asbestos as Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans); perineal talc use as Group 2A (probably carcinogenic). Johnson & Johnson voluntarily withdrew talc-based baby powder from US/Canada in 2020 and globally in 2022 after extensive litigation tied to ovarian-cancer and mesothelioma cases. The 2018 FDA contamination survey found asbestos in 9 of 52 cosmetic talc products tested. As a supplement excipient talc is a pure manufacturing convenience — no nutritional or functional benefit to the user — so the asbestos-exposure risk has no offsetting upside. Safer alternatives (silicon dioxide, microcrystalline cellulose, rice hulls) are widely available.
CarboxymethylcelluloseThickener
Carboxymethylcellulose was the second emulsifier (with polysorbate 80) in Chassaing et al. 2015 (Nature, PMID 25731162), which showed mucus-barrier thinning, a microbiota shift toward pro-inflammatory species, low-grade inflammation, and metabolic syndrome in mice. Chassaing 2022 (Gastroenterology, PMID 34774538) tested CMC directly in a randomized controlled human feeding trial and found reduced microbial diversity and bacterial encroachment into the normally sterile mucus layer in a susceptible subset of participants. EFSA's 2018 re-evaluation could not establish a safe level due to data gaps. For a purely textural excipient, the gut-barrier risk profile is unfavorable when safer thickeners are widely available.
Titanium DioxideColorant
Banned in the EU (2022) over concerns that its ultra-fine particles may damage DNA in gut cells. Still allowed in the US. Used only for white coloring — provides no health benefit.
FD&C Yellow No. 6Colorant
May trigger sensitivity in some individuals; behavioral concerns in susceptible children
FD&C Red No. 40Color
Artificial azo dye; ADI-limited; associations with hyperactivity in sensitive children in some studies.
Tapioca DextrinCarrier
A starch hydrolysate from tapioca used as a carrier and flow agent
DextroseSweetener
A simple glucose sugar used as a bulking agent, sweetener, and tablet diluent
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Sources & Scoring
Nutrient data (RDA, UL, and safety thresholds) sourced from: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements and National Academies Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI).
This is not medical advice. Consult a healthcare provider before making changes to your supplement routine.
The score analyzes what's on the label: ingredient doses vs. clinical ranges, chemical forms, evidence levels, and known interactions. It does not verify label accuracy or test for contaminants — for that, look for third-party certifications like USP or NSF.