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Advil Liqui-Gels Contain Gluten!

zeeclass6

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zeeclass6 Explorer
zeeclass6
Posted

I AM SO ANGRY!!!!

I take Advil Liqui-gels all the time for body aches. I have been gluten-free for one month. Today I thought that I should make sure that none of my medications contain gluten. And I come to find out that the one I take the most is not good for me:

From: Open Original Shared Link

Q: I am allergic to gluten. Is it all right for me to take this product?

A: Advil

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zeeclass6 Explorer
zeeclass6
Posted
  • Author

I just called the company and they said that the tablets, brown gel caps and original caplets do NOT contain gluten.

But the blue liqui-gels DO.

They said that the wheat-sourced gluten product is "polysorb." (Polysorbate?) That's all the information they could give me.

They said that their tablet products are safe, but their liquid-filled products are not considered gluten-free.

Would "polysorb" be a big problem if you are merely gluten-sensitive? I wonder now if taking these Advil Liqui-Gels had been CONTRIBUTING to my body aches? Sheesh!

cassP Contributor
cassP
Posted

i really really really hope you're wrong.. somehow.. this is what i take too :( i DID call them last year about the red caplets.. she said the starch was "Corn Gluten".. i have never noticed any reaction to the liquid advil.. is it possible the person you spoke with on the phone was mistaken?? do we now have to look for anything with polysorbate???

like i said, i have not had reactions to it- but i do have many additional food intolerances and continuing on and off pain.. but normally previous DH bumps on my stomach and forearms will start to itch and arise if ive been glutened or if i've overdone Corn products.. or if i have some kind of frozen drink with Maltdextrin...

i really really really hope this person was wrong- cause i just bought a huge bottle too... they NEED TO START LABELING, cause this is getting REAL REAL OLD

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

i really really really hope you're wrong.. somehow.. this is what i take too :( i DID call them last year about the red caplets.. she said the starch was "Corn Gluten".. i have never noticed any reaction to the liquid advil.. is it possible the person you spoke with on the phone was mistaken?? do we now have to look for anything with polysorbate???

like i said, i have not had reactions to it- but i do have many additional food intolerances and continuing on and off pain.. but normally previous DH bumps on my stomach and forearms will start to itch and arise if ive been glutened or if i've overdone Corn products.. or if i have some kind of frozen drink with Maltdextrin...

i really really really hope this person was wrong- cause i just bought a huge bottle too... they NEED TO START LABELING, cause this is getting REAL REAL OLD

Sometimes your information is only as good as your customer relations peep on the other end of the phone.

Give then another call.

Darn210 Enthusiast
Darn210
Posted

Sometimes your information is only as good as your customer relations peep on the other end of the phone.

Give then another call.

True that . . . however, their FAQ does have the info that the OP included:

From: Open Original Shared Link

Q: I am allergic to gluten. Is it all right for me to take this product?

A: Advil

ElseB Contributor
ElseB
Posted

Stock up on your next visit to Canada. All Advil is gluten free here. I guess this is another one of those cases where the gluten-free status of a product differs between Canada and the US.

Open Original Shared Link

Q:Is Advil gluten-free and is it safe for people with celiac disease to take?

A:Advil is gluten-free and is safe for individuals with celiac disease.

Q:Does the product contain gluten or is the product manufactured at the same site as another gluten containing product?

A:All Pfizer Consumer Healthcare products are gluten-free.

cassP Contributor
cassP
Posted

Stock up on your next visit to Canada. All Advil is gluten free here. I guess this is another one of those cases where the gluten-free status of a product differs between Canada and the US.

Open Original Shared Link

Q:Is Advil gluten-free and is it safe for people with celiac disease to take?

A:Advil is gluten-free and is safe for individuals with celiac disease.

Q:Does the product contain gluten or is the product manufactured at the same site as another gluten containing product?

A:All Pfizer Consumer Healthcare products are gluten-free.

this makes me wonder if the two products are manufactured differently or if the U.S. is just being overly cautious for litigious reasons... ????

:/

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ElseB Contributor
ElseB
Posted

this makes me wonder if the two products are manufactured differently or if the U.S. is just being overly cautious for litigious reasons... ????

:/

I think they're probably manufactured differently. I've come across a lot of products that contain different ingredients in the 2 countries. For example, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce. gluten-free in the US, but the Canadian (and British) versions aren't because they contain malt vinegar. The US version uses white vinegar instead.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Target has thier brand of ibuprophen marked as gluten free in bright green letters.

mommida Enthusiast
mommida
Posted

I had a coupon for a free bottle of the Advil liquid gels. By the time I had taken the third dose (over a few days) I realized they were making me sick. nothing on the label led me to believe there was gluten. i guess i live too close to the Canadian border! I thought all Advil was safe.

zeeclass6 Explorer
zeeclass6
Posted
  • Author

If you call Pfizer and tell them about this, they will send you coupons for free Advil.

Like I said, the regular brownish red tablets and caplets are gluten-free. But the blue gel-filled Liqui-Gels are not.

I told them that their bottle should say "contains wheat ingredients" or "contains a wheat derriviative." The consumer person I spoke to said she'd send the suggestion to some higher-ups who handle that product line.

I think it's ridiculous for them not to list this on the label. I hope they get sued over it.

I wish the FDA or some organization would make drugs, cosmetics, and lotions list common allergen ingredients separately, the way they do now on food labels. My kids are allergic to nuts and soy. My daughter once broke out in hives from a lotion and then we realized it had nut oil in it. We are so careful now. But those ingredients are often printed so small it's impossible to read them. I keep a little credit-card sized magnifying glass in my purse just for this reason.

cyberprof Enthusiast
cyberprof
Posted

I, too, was amazed to see this posted yesterday and also went to the site and re-read the FAQ. I've been taking this for a while without checking...just assumed that if regular coated ADvil was ok, then the gels would be too. I've had some possible instances of feeling unwell but had not found the culprit. NO more liqui-gels for me.

Funny, though, last week I went to Costco and picked up a big bottle of regular Advil by mistake. My kids say that the liqui-gels work faster, so I was dissapointed to have purchased the wrong kind. At least now I have the right kind and I can have my daughter finish the liqui-gels.

I agree that it should be on the label. I read the label before buying (but didn't call or check the website) but there is nothing suspicious on the label.

Thanks for posting this Zee.

finally diagnosed Apprentice
finally diagnosed
Posted

If you call Pfizer and tell them about this, they will send you coupons for free Advil.

Like I said, the regular brownish red tablets and caplets are gluten-free. But the blue gel-filled Liqui-Gels are not.

I told them that their bottle should say "contains wheat ingredients" or "contains a wheat derriviative." The consumer person I spoke to said she'd send the suggestion to some higher-ups who handle that product line.

I think it's ridiculous for them not to list this on the label. I hope they get sued over it.

I wish the FDA or some organization would make drugs, cosmetics, and lotions list common allergen ingredients separately, the way they do now on food labels. My kids are allergic to nuts and soy. My daughter once broke out in hives from a lotion and then we realized it had nut oil in it. We are so careful now. But those ingredients are often printed so small it's impossible to read them. I keep a little credit-card sized magnifying glass in my purse just for this reason.

I am so mad.. I just googled "advil liquid gels gluten free?" this is what I got on the FAQ advil web page

Q. I am allergic to gluten. Is it all right for me to take this product?

A. Advil

zeeclass6 Explorer
zeeclass6
Posted
  • Author

Maybe taking L-Glutamine would help it get out of your system faster? I haven't taken it myself, but have heard others say that it works for accidental "glutening."

I agree that none of the ingredients seemed suspicious. If fact, I bought the liqui-gels because (being new to this and not knowing) I ASSUMED that the liquid filled ones would have a smaller chance of containing gluten than the regular tablets. But turns out, it's the other way around.

Pfizer told me that ANY of their products that are like liquid-filled capsules should not be considered safe for people with gluten problems. The wheat ingredient is in the capsule that contains the liquid.

And yes, IT SHOULD BE ON THE LABEL, and why isn't it??!! It really is infuriating, isn't it? You take something to help you feel better, and it contributes to you feeling crappy.

I am so mad.. I just googled "advil liquid gels gluten free?" this is what I got on the FAQ advil web page

Q. I am allergic to gluten. Is it all right for me to take this product?

A. Advil® Liqui-Gels®, Advil® Migraine and Advil® PM Liqui-Gels® all contain a wheat derivative, and are not gluten-free. You should check with your doctor if you have any concerns about taking this product.

I cut and pasted this response from the web page. I take advil all the time. I have been taking 600 mg of the advil liquid gels' 2 times a day for the last 2 wks for joint / muscle aches. I had just commented to my husband how I feel like crap / can't seem to shake whatever it is / unsettled stomach / skin has been very itchy... then I come upon this post..

I am so upset, but at the same time a little releaved.. I hope I can get it out of my system quick.. any ideas?

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

And yes, IT SHOULD BE ON THE LABEL, and why isn't it??!! It really is infuriating, isn't it? You take something to help you feel better, and it contributes to you feeling crappy.

Because labeling regs are different for drugs than for food. Besides if they clearly labeled the drugs then you wouldn't have to keep taking them to medicate the symptoms that the drugs are causing and look at the money they would lose. Look at all the drugs that used to be script drugs that are now OTC. They allow doctors to just refer us to the drug store aisle telling us things like 'sure it's okay to take multiple doses of immodium to control your D, or just drink multiple doses of stuff to 'free up your C', and just take more pills to control your joint and muscle pain' instead of really finding out what the problem is that is causing the issues. Why do doctors think we just want pills to control symptoms rather than finding out what the cause of the symptoms is? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

(Coming from someone who spent 17 grand for meds (OTC and script), tests etc the year before diagnosis who hasn't even spent 1 grand in the 10 years since diagnosis. And is still a bit angry about it)

GlutenFreeAustinite Contributor
GlutenFreeAustinite
Posted

Oh no! I haven't taken that brand in a while, but I take the Equate (Walmart) version of the product. Anyone know if that's safe?

ElseB Contributor
ElseB
Posted

I know this doesn't help those in the US (unless you want to stock up on your next trip to Canada), but I have confirmed with Pfizer that Advil is gluten-free in Canada.

MY EMAIL:

I note that the Canadian website for Advil indicates that all Advil products are gluten-free. However the American website states that some Advil products contain gluten. Is this a matter of different product formulations in each country? Can you confirm that all Advil sold in Canada is gluten-free?

PFIZER'S RESPONSE (13-FEB-2012):

Thank you for taking the time to email us with your question, and for your interest in our products.

In response to your inquiry, we do not have any information about the Advil products that are available for sale in the US. However, all Pfizer Consumer Healthcare products in Canada are gluten free.

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Inc. is firmly committed to the manufacture and sale of only the finest quality products and is grateful that you took the time to contact us.

If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail or call us at 1-888-275-9938.

Sincerely,

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Inc

Canada

(Formerly Wyeth Consumer Healthcare)

Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted

Stock up on your next visit to Canada. All Advil is gluten free here. I guess this is another one of those cases where the gluten-free status of a product differs between Canada and the US.

Open Original Shared Link

Q:Is Advil gluten-free and is it safe for people with celiac disease to take?

A:Advil is gluten-free and is safe for individuals with celiac disease.

Q:Does the product contain gluten or is the product manufactured at the same site as another gluten containing product?

A:All Pfizer Consumer Healthcare products are gluten-free.

Actually, most Advil here in the States is gluten free. Many of the generic brands also are labeled on the package as gluten-free....CVS pharmacy does that. Rule of thumb when buying aspirin, Advil, etc.......use the plain capsules/tablets and not the ones filled with liquid that are colored. Those are unknown territory but I have never been glutened by meds here in the States. I always check labels but the only ones ever in question were the gel filled ones. They are usually more expensive and the regular ones work just as well.

dilettantesteph Collaborator
dilettantesteph
Posted

I didn't know this. Thank-you for posting. It shows the importance of checking websites or phoning before putting things in our mouths.

  • 8 months later...
HauntedEyes Rookie
HauntedEyes
Posted

I had a very, very bad reaction to Advil Liqui-Gels about a month-and-a-half ago (been gluten free since May). When I took it, the only thing on my mind was my pain and that I couldn't take Tylenol because of the corn. I totally forgot Advil Liqui-Gels were wheat derived. On top of having to avoid gluten, I also must avoid corn and soy, among many other problem foods. Within 1/2 hour of taking the Advil Liqui-Gels, besides getting nausea and sharp stomach pains, I started getting all sorts of neurological problems: twitching eye, numbness, tingling, burning and stinging scalp, dizziness and vertigo, weakness ... all so bad I thought I was going to have to go to the hospital. Only good thing about it was it did take care of the pain I took it for in the first place.

Advil used to be my painkiller of choice, and I hadn't noticed any problems before going gluten free. But now that I am gluten free, I definitely notice it being a problem. I have had some of those neurological problems before going gluten free, but never was able to associate it with anything, probably because gluten and Advil were regularly used and my body had been compensating.

Here in the US, most of the liquid form of Advil (think children's elixirs) and the Liqui-Gels are wheat derived. The other forms of Advil are safe for celiacs, IF gluten is the only thing you are having to avoid. If you have to avoid corn, you are out of luck because it is in the non-liquid versions.

I'm sure it can't be much gluten in the Advil Liqui-Gels, but as little as it is, it just isn't safe for me.

Anyone have any suggestions for non wheat, corn or soy based pain killers? Everything I can find has one of those in them. I hear even all prescription pain killers in the US use corn as binders and fillers.

  • 1 year later...
Gracielou Newbie
Gracielou
Posted

Target has thier brand of ibuprophen marked as gluten free in bright green letters.

Thank you for this info, I have been desperately seeking Advil.

pricklypear1971 Community Regular
pricklypear1971
Posted

Do does Costco, I believe - gluten-free ibuprofen. I'm out, but pretty sure it says gluten-free.

Kroger brand says gluten-free.

Ask Bartfull about corn free options.

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