Boost

[Tigercat17]

Hi everyone,

I recently called the company that makes Boost to ask if their product was ever tested for gluten or if there's a chance for cross contamination. I was surprised by their response. The phone representative told me they are made in the presence of gluten, they always clean their lines & they do test for gluten periodically.

The results are 200 pot per million of gluten in each bottle. Isn't that a lot of gluten? Too much for a person that has celiac? I heard that Europe has a 20 ppm limit for their gluten products. Is that true?

I've been drinking these everyday for the last ten months thinking they where helping me & I never once thought their would be any gluten in them at all. I never thought to call on this product since my dietitian told me to drink these. I'm wondering if this is why my antibodies are still between 45 -60 for my blood work.

Any thoughts? help! I'm confused...

Thanks in advance for any information!

[ravenwoodglass]

Yes 200 ppm is too much in my opinion. I wouldn't touch them. The FDA is considering the 20ppm limit for gluten free food but the laws are not in place yet but when and if they are these items would not be allowed to be labeled gluten free.

[Tigercat17]

Yes 200 ppm is too much in my opinion. I wouldn't touch them. The FDA is considering the 20ppm limit for gluten free food but the laws are not in place yet but when and if they are these items would not be allowed to be labeled gluten free.

Thanks so much Ravenwood glass! You are a Blessing!!!

I think this is what's been bothering me all this time! It really makes me mad. I've been trying to figure it out for months. This was the last item I Ever thought it would be. I did stop drinking them a couple of weeks ago & I was starting to feel really good & my sore throat was almost completely gone. Then three days ago I drank two each day just to see if my sore throat would come back & of course, it did. These companies are ridiculous! I can't believe they are allowed to mark it gluten free! I stopped eating so many processed foods & I stopped drinking regular milk. That seemed to help some but I knew there had to be something else. Anyway, I'm just so frustrated.

Sorry - just venting....

[tarnalberry]

Did they say it HAD 200ppm or was tested to 200ppm? It could easily have gotten confused. If the test goes down to 200ppm, they might have 10ppm, but the test wouldn't detect anything other than "no gluten here".

[ravenwoodglass]

Thanks so much Ravenwood glass! You are a Blessing!!!

I think this is what's been bothering me all this time! It really makes me mad. I've been trying to figure it out for months. This was the last item I Ever thought it would be. I did stop drinking them a couple of weeks ago & I was starting to feel really good & my sore throat was almost completely gone. Then three days ago I drank two each day just to see if my sore throat would come back & of course, it did. These companies are ridiculous! I can't believe they are allowed to mark it gluten free! I stopped eating so many processed foods & I stopped drinking regular milk. That seemed to help some but I knew there had to be something else. Anyway, I'm just so frustrated.

Sorry - just venting....

Glad you figured out they were what was bothering you. Some of us might be able to get away with drinking them but your body has told you that for you they are out. I hope you get back to feeling better soon.

[ravenwoodglass]

Did they say it HAD 200ppm or was tested to 200ppm? It could easily have gotten confused. If the test goes down to 200ppm, they might have 10ppm, but the test wouldn't detect anything other than "no gluten here".

Good point.

[tarnalberry]

but then I read your quote of her saying she felt better not drinking them! sounds like something to avoid! (of course, I would blame the dairy, but that's me. )

[Tigercat17]

Did they say it HAD 200ppm or was tested to 200ppm? It could easily have gotten confused. If the test goes down to 200ppm, they might have 10ppm, but the test wouldn't detect anything other than "no gluten here".

Good point Tarnalbarry! I'll give them a call back tomorrow to make sure there wasn't any misunderstandings. I hate to keep calling but I really want to get to the bottom of this. Not just for me, but for all of us. I know a lot of people here drink the Boost. If it's 200 ppm than that's really not gluten free (to me anyway).

Also, I've been hyperthyroid for most of this year & my doctors keep lowering my dosage to get me to the normal range. I had a stomach emptying study done & it was emptying extremely fast. I was wondering if this could make me more sensitive to the gluten??? Just a thought...

Or maybe I'm casein intolerant? I did cut down on the milk, but can't let go of my cheese & once a week Edy's ice cream. My plan now is to drop the Boost & try regular milk when my sore throat is gone & see what happens. Thanks for the input!

I'll post back when I call again.

[ravenwoodglass]

but then I read your quote of her saying she felt better not drinking them! sounds like something to avoid! (of course, I would blame the dairy, but that's me. )

It could also be all the soy that is in them (I think they have soy protein but could be wrong). I thought lots of stuff was CC'd until I realized that I was also intolerant to soy. My reactions are similiar to gluten but without the neuro stuff. I didn't know the difference for a long time. It can be really hard to figure stuff out and many of us do develop other intolerances after we are diagnosed or they become more obvious after we eliminate gluten.

Sometimes we just have to go with our 'gut' so to speak. If it hurts don't do it.

[sunnybabi1986]

I'm speaking to a representative right now from Boost and she just told me that they have an outside group test their products for gluten (couldn't tell me which one), but she did say that their Boost drink products don't contain ANY measurable level of gluten at all. She also told me that Boost drink products are made on separate equipment and are not shared with any products containing wheat.

She put me on hold to double check all of the information and assured me that there is no possibility that any amount of gluten would be in their products labeled "gluten free."

I've been drinking 2 Boost a day for months now and it was actually only after I started drinking it that I really started feeling better, I was drinking Ensure before that and was finding myself getting very sick after drinking Ensure

I'm pretty confident that Boost is gluten free, as I'm pretty sensitive to gluten and would be very sick right now if it had any gluten in it...I don't understand why the reps are telling people different things!!

Someone else should call and see what they say....

The number is 1-800-247-7893 and it will put you straight through to a Boost Customer Service Representative.

[Tigercat17]

Thanks everyone for your replies!

I just called Boost again & the rep. told me something completely different than last week. This time they told me that they are completely gluten free. When I asked if they test for gluten, she wouldn't give me any "ppm" information. She just kept telling me they are completely gluten free. She also said that the drinks are made on separate lines & free from gluten. Then I told her last week the rep. told me that the "Boost were made in the presence of gluten" and she said that is only the powder mixes. I also told her about the what the rep. last week about the "200 ppm." Her response was that she never heard of them having that information.

I wish these phones representatives would get their stories straight! I just don't know who to believe.

I really wonder if my reactions are due to the milk in the Boost. I also tried Ensure but two hours later & get a horrible bloated feeling. I wasn't having that reaction to the Boost, but still having the sore throat. I'm still not going to drink anymore Boost for a while & see how I feel & then try regular milk again. If my sore throat returns after I start the milk again then I'll know I'm reacting to the milk in the Boost. That's the plan!

Hey ravenwood glass, there is some soy lecithin in the Boost. Maybe that's my problem too?

Thanks sunnybabi for calling too. I think I probably talked to the same person you did.It seemed like she was getting a lot of gluten calls & she sounded very prepared.

Oh well, back to the drawing broad...

[ravenwoodglass]

Thanks everyone for your replies!

I just called Boost again & the rep. told me something completely different than last week. This time they told me that they are completely gluten free. When I asked if they test for gluten, she wouldn't give me any "ppm" information. She just kept telling me they are completely gluten free. She also said that the drinks are made on separate lines & free from gluten. Then I told her last week the rep. told me that the "Boost were made in the presence of gluten" and she said that is only the powder mixes. I also told her about the what the rep. last week about the "200 ppm." Her response was that she never heard of them having that information.

I wish these phones representatives would get their stories straight! I just don't know who to believe.

I really wonder if my reactions are due to the milk in the Boost. I also tried Ensure but two hours later & get a horrible bloated feeling. I wasn't having that reaction to the Boost, but still having the sore throat. I'm still not going to drink anymore Boost for a while & see how I feel & then try regular milk again. If my sore throat returns after I start the milk again then I'll know I'm reacting to the milk in the Boost. That's the plan!

Hey ravenwood glass, there is some soy lecithin in the Boost. Maybe that's my problem too?

Thanks sunnybabi for calling too. I think I probably talked to the same person you did.It seemed like she was getting a lot of gluten calls & she sounded very prepared.

Oh well, back to the drawing broad...

Sounds like you have a solid plan. Is there a possiblity the sore throat might not even be related to the boost at all? I have had one for weeks from sleeping with the fan on me everynight with it blowing allergens at me. Could you have maybe caught a cold or have allergies that are acting up?

[Tigercat17]

Sounds like you have a solid plan. Is there a possiblity the sore throat might not even be related to the boost at all? I have had one for weeks from sleeping with the fan on me every night with it blowing allergens at me. Could you have maybe caught a cold or have allergies that are acting up?

Ho Ravenwoodglass,

I know the feeling. I have that fan on all night, too! I do have allergies, too. Dust cats, dogs and everything else you could think of. I've been using my nasal Netti pot almost everyday. It does seem to help but that sore throat won't go away. My allergies could definitely be aggravating my throat, but I know I'm not getting sick. I've had this sore thought for (no kidding) a year now. I do feel really good it's just this sore throat that is annoying & if I get any gluten in me, it feels like it gets worse & it becomes difficult to talk.

Last year I completely lost my voice for two months & that's when I was diagnosed with the celiac. Of course it took the doctors three months to figure it out & now I know I had the celiac disease maybe all my life -like so many of us here. I really do feel so much better, but I do think something is still bothering me. I'm thinking it's milk. Some days my throat feels better and other days it feels worse. My doctors thinks it's from acid reflux, but I'm not 100% sure. I wonder if it's a combination of allergies & acid reflux from a food allergy -like the milk. I tried all the meds & nothing seemed to help it.

And my antibodies are still high. Three months ago they were at 60 & I was starting not to feel good in general. so I know back then gluten was sneaking in. I'm due to get more blood work next month & I'm really curious to find out what my results are going to be. Next month it will be 1 year I've been gluten free.

Thanks for helping me try to figure this out.

[ravenwoodglass]

Ho Ravenwoodglass,

I know the feeling. I have that fan on all night, too! I do have allergies, too. Dust cats, dogs and everything else you could think of. I've been using my nasal Netti pot almost everyday. It does seem to help but that sore throat won't go away. My allergies could definitely be aggravating my throat, but I know I'm not getting sick. I've had this sore thought for (no kidding) a year now. I do feel really good it's just this sore throat that is annoying & if I get any gluten in me, it feels like it gets worse & it becomes difficult to talk.

Last year I completely lost my voice for two months & that's when I was diagnosed with the celiac. Of course it took the doctors three months to figure it out & now I know I had the celiac disease maybe all my life -like so many of us here. I really do feel so much better, but I do think something is still bothering me. I'm thinking it's milk. Some days my throat feels better and other days it feels worse. My doctors thinks it's from acid reflux, but I'm not 100% sure. I wonder if it's a combination of allergies & acid reflux from a food allergy -like the milk. I tried all the meds & nothing seemed to help it.

And my antibodies are still high. Three months ago they were at 60 & I was starting not to feel good in general. so I know back then gluten was sneaking in. I'm due to get more blood work next month & I'm really curious to find out what my results are going to be. Next month it will be 1 year I've been gluten free.

Thanks for helping me try to figure this out.

Hope you figure it out soon. Just had to add a note that I think that your little furry freind is adorable. Love those soulful eyes.

[Tigercat17]

Thanks Ravenwoodglass! I photograph animals & this was one of my adorable clients! I just loved this picture! I wish I could have dogs, but the allergies...I do have two cats though. My doctors told me I shouldn't have them, but I can't live in a bubble right???