The information in this section of MoreLife resulted from a personal project following our experience with Magnesium Powder labeling related in a post to 5 relevant newsgroups and transmitted in parallel to Bill Faloon, President of Life Extension Foundation (LEF). The thread is available through the Google Groups Archive. As a result of this action, letters were sent by LEF to purchasers of the last 2 lots of Magnesium Powder (the two for which we found the density on the label was in error).
The measured weights for a stated volume, typically 1 teaspoon, of the supplement powders used in the pre-breakfast "potion", "meal cocktail", at breakfast (including smoothie), and before bed - all part of our personal supplement regimens, Kitty's or Tom's are shown in an Excel spreadsheet (updated rev b). The data in the table was generated by the use of an electronic scale accurate to 0.01 grams (10 mg) and a 10 ml professional grade, graduated cylinder. For the powders examined, measured weights have been found to be as low as 44% and as high as 210% of that specified on the product label. At this time, all of of our regimen powders have been accurately measured and weighed to complete the data that we generated for this spreadsheet in January 2002. The data is being provided in a read-only spreadsheet format so that the reader can view and verify the calculations. The drawback to this is that if the information is viewed apart from this website, it is possible that the data has been altered and saved to another file. (For those unable to view Excel spreadsheets, we have provided the data in simple table form.)
All the findings generated up to January 23, 2002 (Excel) were communicated to the two suppliers of our supplement powders, LEF (Bill Faloon) and Beyond a Century (Erik Cochrane), at that time. (Table Version of original data.) Since the manufacturing process of a powder can introduce a number of variables affecting its appearance and density, we suggested to them that the density of a powder should be either reported on the container on a lot by lot basis, or as a narrow range based on lot history if this range is not too large and the dosage range for effectiveness versus toxicity is not too small. Even then, if a new lot density is radically different from that of a previous lot, the label on the container should be changed to reflect the new value and repurchase customers should be informed so that the new value is noted and used.
Responses from both Erik Cochrane of BAC and Bill Faloon of LEF can be seen on the Supplement Powders Densities thread on sci.life-extension at groups.google dated 2/4/02 and 2/5/02.
The copy of a letter now being sent by LEF to their powder purchasers with new orders is available for viewing.