We’re Ditching Supplement “Dust”. Here’s Why.
Here’s a number that’s sure to spark some controversy: 90%. That’s the percentage of supplements and vitamins on the market that contain manufacturing additives and excipients. Ninety. Percent.
They’re not in there for a health boost—rather, these additives are meant to keep mass-market products shelf-stable over a long period of time. Sounds fine, right? We’ll explain why we think otherwise:
Common excipients include fillers, binders, anti-caking agents, lubricants, disintegrants, dispersants, coating agents, sweeteners, colouring agents, flavouring agents, and more. They’re added for a range of reasons: to correct inconsistent colour and make the product look more appealing; to enhance flavour; to bind ingredients for tableting; or to help powder dispense into water.
Convenient? Sure—but with no added benefits to our health. Zero. And that’s why we call it dust.
The Awde Alchemy Way
We believe these excipients are entirely unnecessary when creating products with the end user in mind. High-quality ingredients should take the place of these cost-minimizers or aesthetic additions.
At Awde Alchemy, we have consciously decided not to add any excipients to our products. This means we have excluded tablets from our product line, as they require caking agents. Instead, we’ve opted for smooth, bioavailability-boosting gel caps, vegetable capsules, and finely milled powders.
Our capsules are clear, meaning you can see all the ingredients inside: all that goodness, no artificial colours. You might see colour variation based on the farm and soil the ingredients come from, affected by the season, light the plant received, and raw material. Not to worry—this variation is entirely natural and is a testament to our home-grown purity. All active ingredients remain identical and consistent across products.
Our powders are additive-free with no artificial colours, no artificial flavours, no manufacturing lubricants, no dispersants, and—of course—no dust.
For humans, not machines
Many companies choose to add stearates to their vitamins and supplements, including magnesium stearate, stearic acid and calcium stearate. These stearates are used as a manufacturing lubricant, allowing machines to run at the highest speed possible—though research reports that magnesium stearate is known to reduce the supplement’s original absorption capabilities to 25-30%, leaving you with a fraction of its potential nutrients and active ingredients.
Put simply: it’s designed for the machine, not for you.
These additives are often made from hydrogenated cottonseed, known to have high pesticide use which leeches into the plant, or from palm oil, which kills the palm tree once harvested. Neither option is particularly environmentally friendly—yet another reason for us to ditch the dust.
We’ve turned this philosophy on its head with our small-batch, excipient-free products, designed only for the human who receives it.
How do we do it?
To create our dust-free vitamins and supplements, we run our compounding machines (instead of manufacturing machines) at less than half their speed. This ensures all capsules are filled with consistent dosages, and nothing will impair the bioavailability and absorbability of our high-quality products.
We run small batches to maximize freshness, ensuring the dosage does not decrease between compounding and arriving at your door. We do not use preservatives to extend shelf life—our fresh-made supplements are made to be consumed according to your customized wellness plan, so you’re always reaping the benefits of peak potency.
Small batch, dust-free
Most supplements and vitamins have a shelf life of two years or more, as companies manufacture in high volumes and store until distribution. As active ingredients deteriorate, large-scale companies add up to 12 times the active ingredients required, so that the minimum may still apply by the time you receive your product. Alternatively, some simply do not contain the stated amount of active ingredient after a few months on the shelf.
We think this method of prolonging shelf life as long as possible is inconsistent and lacks transparency—that’s why we compound our supplements frequently in small batches. This enables us to control the active ingredients in our products, ensuring you get exactly what you expect—no excessive doses, no dust, just high-quality ingredients that make you feel better.
How to Store Your Awde Alchemy Supplements
Our supplements land on your doorstep at peak freshness, designed for immediate consumption according to your wellness plan. Because of this, we recommend storing them in a cool, dry place. For liquid capsules (such as Omega 3), they should be kept in your refrigerator. All products should be consumed within 3 months.
Everything you need. Nothing you don’t.