Gluten in Medications

Gluten seems to be on the minds of the masses these days. It should be, considering the enormous number of people plagued by the symptoms. It's great that gluten can be avoided by carefully reading ingredient labels when making food selections. Grocery stores are loaded with of gluten-free products. But what happens when you have committed to this lifestyle yet you are still feeling as if you are being plagued with the symptoms? Checking the ingredients in the medications you take might be worth your time.

It's odd that gluten is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration in food and even supplements, but not in medications. Initially, you wouldn't think it would play any role in the composition of any type of medication. Not a lot, but some prescription and non-prescription (over the counter) drugs contain gluten. It is the excipients such as, the binders, colorants, lubricants in medications that are the likely source. The public needs to be aware of the potential of their oral prescriptions causing gluten related issues.

Tim Ryan (OH) and Nita Lowey (NY) spearheaded the Gluten in Medication Disclosure Act in 2013. It was quickly shot down. This bill would require the drug manufacturers to list any ingredient that contains grain or starch on the label of their product.  Wouldn't that be fantastic? The bill was reintroduced in September 2015 and reports say it getting passed is slim to none. This is not acceptable!  If every person plagued with Celiac Disease, gluten sensitivity, or their caregivers/loved ones contacted their state representative, it might stand a fighting chance. Here's a great place to start in finding your representative!

Find Your Local Representative

In the meantime, you still need to know where to find out if your prescriptions contain gluten. You might be able to get a bit of information by contacting sources such as your doctor, your pharmacist, or even the drug manufacturer. Using the Internet will also aid you in the search of gluten related ingredients hiding in your pills, capsules, or tablets.

• Gluten Free Drugs at www.glutenfreedrugs.com has compiled extensive lists of medications safe for those with gluten issues.

These two sites are a great beginning point in discovering if your prescriptions are causing problems for you that they shouldn't be! Maintaining a gluten free diet is difficult enough. You have conquered that and should be proud. Now you need to conquer the gluten hiding in your medicine. With a little bit of information it will be a piece of cake…gluten free, of course!