# "active ingredients"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/active-ingredients/106189>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 29, 2002, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/active-ingredients/106189 "2002-04-29T01:00:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Rmat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@Rmat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rmat)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2002, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/active-ingredients/106189/1 "2002-04-29T01:00:42Z")

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What does this mean anyway? And are “other ingredients” INactive? Are they inert? Does “active” mean “the stuff that does the thing you want the whole product to do,” such as get rid of your headache, whereas the rest of the crap in there just holds the thing together, makes it pretty, or otherwise provides a vehicle for introducing the substance into your body?

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**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2002, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/active-ingredients/106189/2 "2002-04-29T01:05:45Z")

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The other ingredients are _inert_\*. They are used for binding, flavor, coloring, substance, what have you.

\*3. Deficient in _active_ properties, especially lacking a usual anticipated chemical or biological action. - from Merriam Webster

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**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2002, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/active-ingredients/106189/3 "2002-04-29T01:07:01Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Rmat \*  
> \*\*What does this mean anyway? And are “other ingredients” INactive? Are they inert? Does “active” mean “the stuff that does the thing you want the whole product to do,” such as get rid of your headache, whereas the rest of the crap in there just holds the thing together, makes it pretty, or otherwise provides a vehicle for introducing the substance into your body? \*\*

You’ve pretty much got it. The active ingredients are the ones that provide the health benefits, while the inactive ingredients are there to hold it together, make it pretty, etc.

Some products list both active and inactive ingredients. For instance, I have a bottle of Bactine here, and it lists two active ingredients, along with five inactive ingredients, two of which are “fragrances” and “purified water”.

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**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2002, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/active-ingredients/106189/4 "2002-04-29T01:07:24Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Does “active” mean “the stuff that does the thing you want the whole product to do,” such as get rid of your headache, whereas the rest of the crap in there just holds the thing together, makes it pretty, or otherwise provides a vehicle for introducing the substance into your body?

Question asked and answered all in one post!

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**Author:** ![Rmat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@Rmat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rmat)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2002, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/active-ingredients/106189/5 "2002-04-29T01:21:27Z")

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You mean I was actually right (for a change)? Thanks for the confirmation.