In addition to active ingredients, medications (prescription and OTC) may contain fillers, coatings and other inactive ingredients that contain gluten or are derived from grains containing gluten. Currently, there is no requirement that gluten-containing grains (wheat, barley and rye) be listed as ingredients, causing people to unknowingly consume gluten when taking their medications. Read more on gluten in medications, and what you can do to help here:
Medications | Celiac Disease FoundationCeliac Disease Foundation
What is Celiac's Disease
Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disease that occurs in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide. Two and one-half million Americans are undiagnosed and are at risk for long-term health complications.
When people with celiac disease eat gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye and barley), their body mounts an immune response that attacks the small intestine. These attacks lead to damage on the villi, small fingerlike projections that line the small intestine, that promote nutrient absorption. When the villi get damaged, nutrients cannot be absorbed properly into the body.
Celiac disease is hereditary, meaning that it runs in families. People with a first-degree relative with celiac disease (parent, child, sibling) have a 1 in 10 risk of developing celiac disease.
Celiac disease can develop at any age after people start eating foods or medicines that contain gluten. Left untreated, celiac disease can lead to additional serious health problems.