Polyvinyl Propylene

Why is it used in Supplements?

Since the body cannot digest plastic, it offers zero nutritional value. However, manufacturers use it in pill casings (vegetable capsules) for specific reasons:

• Stability: It protects sensitive ingredients like vitamins from air and moisture.
• Vegetarian Friendly: Unlike gelatin (made from animals), this plastic casing is suitable for vegetarians.
• Easy Swallowing: It creates a smooth surface that helps the pill go down easily.

Deep Dive

Polyvinyl propylene is the same material used in medical tubing, food containers, and carpet fibers. When taken orally as a capsule casing, it passes through your digestive system completely unchanged. It acts as an inert container—it holds the nutrients, but it is not a nutrient itself.

Natural Food Sources

There are no natural food sources of Polyvinyl propylene. It is a man-made material created through chemical synthesis (polymerization).

If you are looking for the nutrients often confused with this name:

• Proline: Found in bone broth, cheese, and soy.
• Propylene Glycol: Found in food colorings, soda, and salad dressings (Generally Recognized As Safe by FDA).

Supplementation

If you are taking a supplement that contains this ingredient, it is almost certainly the capsule casing.

• Dosage: Not applicable. You do not dose this chemical; you consume it inadvertently as part of the pill.
• Usage: Look for "Vegetable Capsule" or "HPMC" on the label. These are often made from cellulose or propylene derivatives.