Does Imodium Contain Gluten?

[mle-ii]

Ok, it was mentioned elsewhere that Imodium contains gluten. This was news to me so I thought I'd search. Couldn't find out for certain so I called customer support of the manufacturer McNeil. Here's the website: Open Original Shared Link

According to the very nice customer support person, the products that are designated Gluten Free are the "Imodium A-D Caplets" and the "Imodium Advanced Caplets". I forgot to ask about the "Imodium Advanced Chewable Caplets" though so I'm not certain.

What he couldn't say is whether the newer formula "New Imodium A-D Liquid" was gluten free. And here's why, which I didn't realize. They have an inactive ingredient called "flavor"; so ok, what's in the flavor you ask. Well they don't know, why don't they know? Because the formula is made by another company and that company won't share the ingredients because it is proprietary information. What???

Ok, so how do they know the other products are gluten free? They do a food test on the product to test if it contains gluten. Yikes. I hope that they do this often because how do they know that the company that supplies them hasn't changed their forumla for "flavor"?

How is it that the food industry here in the US is required to list foods that contain gluten but the pharmecutical (sp) industry does not? That seems pretty crazy to me.

Thanks,

Mike

[penguin]

Actually, food manufacturers aren't required to list gluten. They're required to list wheat, which is one of the top 8 allergens. Gluten-free does not have a definition for the FDA, but there will be one by 2008. I don't know if drug companies are required to list allergens or not.

As far as the liquid immodium, they changed the formula so that it would look more like pepto, which is I guess what consumers wanted. The way McNeil works (they also make Tylenol) is that they will not say a product is gluten-free until it has been tested, and they do this for all new products. So we get into a tizzy about something not being gluten-free when it just hasn't been tested yet. Time will tell as to whether or not the new improved immodium liquid is gluten-free.

The old liquid was gluten-free, and it was clear and disgusting. They reformulated for marketing reasons.

Truth is that the vast majority of medications are gluten-free. Most starches are corn, potato, or tapioca based, and the flavor should be ok. We just need to be vigilant as always and keep on our toes. I'd bet $5 that the immodium liquid turns out to be gluten-free once they test it.

McNeil is a good company, not all companies test for gluten, they just tell you based on ingredients and give a CYA response.

[mle-ii]

Actually, food manufacturers aren't required to list gluten. They're required to list wheat, which is one of the top 8 allergens. Gluten-free does not have a definition for the FDA, but there will be one by 2008. I don't know if drug companies are required to list allergens or not.

Doh! I can't believe I said that. Thanks for correcting me.

As far as the liquid immodium, they changed the formula so that it would look more like pepto, which is I guess what consumers wanted. The way McNeil works (they also make Tylenol) is that they will not say a product is gluten-free until it has been tested, and they do this for all new products. So we get into a tizzy about something not being gluten-free when it just hasn't been tested yet. Time will tell as to whether or not the new improved immodium liquid is gluten-free.

The old liquid was gluten-free, and it was clear and disgusting. They reformulated for marketing reasons.

Silly consumers. All I really wanted was the alcohol removed. Good point about the testing. I'm just hoping that they don't just test it once and say that their done. I hope that they continue to test the product for gluten to make sure that the content doesn't change because the don't control the "flavor".

Guess I'll be going back to the caplets until I know for sure. I always felt the liquid worked faster, but I'm guessing that's just psychological and not based on reality.

Thanks again,

Mike

[Lisa]

Love your picture Mikey. Am I the only one old enought to remember?

[jerseyangel]

Love your picture Mikey. Am I the only one old enought to remember?

I've been getting a chuckle out of it too, Lisa You are SO not the only one old enough to remember those commercials!

I almost forgot--I use the Immodium Caplets when I have to be somplace and you-know. They've saved my life many times

[mle-ii]

Yeah, my wife and kids call me Mikey all the time. Used to bug me cause of how it was used back when kids made fun of me. Though it does throw me off when someone besides the wife and kids call me it at times. LOL

[eleep]

Hey -- caplets don't need "flavor" -- steering clear of "flavor" versions seems to work for a lot of OTC products.

[mle-ii]

Hey -- caplets don't need "flavor" -- steering clear of "flavor" versions seems to work for a lot of OTC products.

Excellent point. Those digestive enzymes and bacteria don't seem to care what flavor stuff is and I don't chew the caplets.

[eKatherine]

Isn't the test used for gluten in food products not very sensitive, so the product could have up to 200ppm of gluten and still slip under the radar?

[StrongerToday]

Excellent point. Those digestive enzymes and bacteria don't seem to care what flavor stuff is and I don't chew the caplets.

Try it.... you'll like it...

[Lisa]

Mike, we do hope you have a sence of humor. We certainly do.

[Lisa]

Try it.... you'll like it...

, still!

[Franceen]

According to the Clan Thompson Drug Smartlist, the Advanced Chewable Tablets are gluten-free. But that's the only Imodium product listed by Clan Thompson as gluten-free......

The info was accurate as of 4/2006.