When we talk about being ‘Gluten Free’ or ‘Dairy Free’ we often just think of it in terms of food.
- Which foods contain gluten?
- Does it say ‘gluten free’ or ‘dairy free’ on the label?
But we don’t often consider that the medications or supplements we take on a regular basis could contain gluten or dairy products as well. Especially with prescription medication. Very few people question their doctor on this because they trust that this is taken into consideration when a prescription is written.
But people may be shocked to know that this is often not the case. Most doctors are not aware of the gluten or dairy content in any medications.
Most medications contain some kind of potential allergen with gluten, lactose, corn and soy being common ones.
In fact, Dr. Izabella Wentz talks about this very concept in her article, Is Your Medication Gluten Free?, and how even thyroid medications contain gluten. This in itself seems very counterproductive since Hashimoto’s thyroid disease has been linked to gluten sensitivities.
If you are someone who needs to be vigilant in knowing what ingredients may be ‘hidden’ in your regular prescription medications, check out the link below which is managed by a clinical pharmacist for a list of common medications and what they may contain. It is by no means complete due to the thousands of drugs available, and you may still have to research further into your own medicine, but it certainly serves its purpose as a bit of an eye opener.
SO NOW WHAT?
Well, all is not lost. It is within your power to change this.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for alternate brands of the same medication that are free from the allergen in question. There are also many good compound chemists available that will compound your medicine without using any ingredients on your ‘banned’ list.
It may cost a bit more, but there is no point in taking something with the aim of getting or staying healthy if you are continually ingesting something that may be contributing to chronic inflammation and the development of auto-immune disease later on.
You just have to ask.
