<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Here is the original message I sent to the list:

> > Has anyone else had problems with Citracal? Just took my second pill today
> > and something made me sick. Not gluten. Just yucky sick all day and
> > evening. Then I notice Citracal has that damn antifreeze listed in the
> > ingredients again: polyethylene glycol (I don't think I'll ever again trust
> > anything with that many "Y"s in it :) Just wondering if I'm the only one it
> > bothers.

Then someone convinced me that Polyethylene Glycol (PG) was not antifreeze,
so I sent an apology and correction. Now I must apologize for my apology
and correct my correction (and perhaps footnote the foot in my mouth :)
Polyethylene Glycol is definitely antifreeze. Sierra brand antifreeze is
straight PG because it's not as toxic as the ethylene glycol kind of
antifreeze. It's use as antifreeze is demonstrated by these brief clips out
of two scientific papers:

 From this URL, a primer on osmotic pressure and
osmosis:         http://ww2.lafayette.edu/~hollidac/osmoticprimer.html

"When chemicals are dissolved in water they interact with the water
molecules and change the physical properties of the resulting solution.
Dissolving polyethylene glycol** (antifreeze for your car) in water
decreases the solution's freezing temperature, raises its boiling
temperature, changes the weight of a liter of the solution and increases
the osmotic pressure of the solution. . . ."

 From this URL, a scientific paper on Increased Anion Gap Metabolic
Acidosis: http://gucfm.georgetown.edu/welchjj/netscut/acid_base/
Increased_Anion_Gap_Me tabolic_Acidosis.html

"If the kidneys are not working properly, the body will not be able to
rid itself of its endogenous  inorganic acids such as sulfate and
phosphates.  Finally, ingestion of a number of compounds such as
polyethylene glycol** (antifreeze), any kind of alcohol (methanol,
ethanol), or salicylates will increase the gap."

As to replies about the use of citracal: four said it made them sick; four
said they have no problem with it.

And  yet another wrote: "[I] Don't use Citracal, but have to avoid pg
[polyethylene glycol]. Can't use cosmetics that have it in; it makes my
skin burn. As for eating it, I know it's in a lot of foods, but your common
sense told you right - do not eat antifreeze."

In short, PG is antifreeze (also used as a laxative to cleanse bowels
before surgery or inspection), though not nearly so toxic as the more
common fluorescent yellow-green ethylene glycol version of antifreeze which
kills (deer, pets, and us) with one ingestion of a small amount. I make no
recommendations as to whether each of you should or should not use it. It's
your call. -vance (maybe)