Gluten free aspirin?
I bought a small plastic container of aspirin at the drug store today. No problem, I do this a couple of times a year.
But for the first time, I noticed (in fairly large letters) the words “Gluten Free”. Which made me wonder – would aspirin normally have gluten in it as an ingredient? Why are the making such a big thing of this?
Or is the drug store (it was their house brand) capitalizing on the “gluten free” craze and making a big think out of something that the aspirin never had in it, in the first place?
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6 Answers
In addition to whatever the active ingredient is, most drugs contain added inactive ingredients as fillers which aid in the formation of the tablets or capsules.
Some of these filler ingredients could contain gluten in whatever minor amt.
People with celiac disease have to be careful to avoid gluten in ANY AMOUNT because the damage is CUMULATIVE over time. So, a single amount of gluten (such as might be found in a pill) wouldn’t necessarily produce any immediate reaction. But, over time, they would be much better off with as little as possible.
But this pertains primarily to those with celiac disease not just those going gluten free as a fad diet. Celiac can eventually develop into life threatening whereas for others, its not that critical.
Plus, for those purchasing generic OTC meds, there is no requirement at all to list the filler ingredients. The law merely requires that the active ingredient is identical to the original. If they claim XXXX mgs of something then that’s what it must contain.
But I’m sure that marketing is also a consideration but I would think that those with celiac would appreciate it.
Could be both. Marketing definitely will capitalize on things that are not unique, so that is a good guess that it is just hitching onto a craze. Like when potato chips are labeled “cholesterol free.” I don’t think I have ever heard of or seen a potato chip that has cholesterol,
Agree, probably some stupid marketing to appeal to the “gluten free” fad bs/
Gluten free labeling is on products to let people with celiacs disease know there is less than 1 part per million of gluten.
The gluten free craze isn’t really a craze. It may seem like one but it’s only because we’ve just recently discovered that gluten allergies exist and only recently have gluten labeling laws been put in place.
@Buttonstc has it nailed pretty well. My old girlfriend has a gluten sensitivity, and found it popping up in the oddest places. For instance, a probiotic juice that I like and offered to her contains gluten.
For this show have a demonstrated sensitivity, it requires diligence to avoid it.
@Silence04 It most certainly is a craze right now, but it also is a real problem for people who seem to have sensitivities to gluten and of course for people with celiacs. There is no law requiring a manufacturer to label a product gluten free. The laws make it illegal to say it is gluten free when it isn’t.
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