Celiacs not only have to worry about what kind of food they eat, but they also have to make sure that the medicines and other supplements they consume are gluten-free.
I have found this out the hard way when it came to checking for gluten in my medicine. It seems that pharmacists are not as well educated when it comes to being able to identify a gluten containing ingredients in medicine. Many manufacturers will use a starch that contains gluten as an inactive ingredient. I discovered that the generic brand of medicine that I take does contain gluten, but the name brand does not. Needless to say, I was mortified and disappointed. I feel that the Gluten Free Drug site http://www.glutenfreedrugs.com/ is a beginning to finding out if the medicine you might be taking is gluten - free. It is always best to call the drug manufactuer to make sure. The book, The Gluten Free Bible by Jax Peters Lowell, lists the top GF drugs and the manufacturer's phone numbers. Please educate your pharmacist on your findings.
As for vitamin supplements, which are not regulated by the FDA, I would suggest that you call the manufacturer and request a note stating that the product is gluten-free. If they will not provide one, don't use it!
Many people living with celiac disease choose to take over -the- counter supplements to help support their immune system. I take Juice PLUS, which is tested regularly using the Tepnel ELISA methodology for the presence of gluten. The results show that Juice PLUS is less than 20 parts per million gluten. (The company will supply you with a statement at your request. ) Juice PLUS is also recommended by a lot of doctors, including renowned pediatrcian, Dr. William Sears. It was also featured in Oprah's magazine as being one of the best supplements.
Testing at 20 parts per million will soon be the new American standard in order for a product to be labeled gluten-free. I highly recommend this gluten-free whole-food supplement. It is the only product I trust and recommend for people with or without celiac disease. It is fruits and vegetables in a capsule or chewable! How cool is that?! For more information on Juice PLUS visit http://www.addsomejuice.com/
