Lactose can be present even in your medications. If you think that you are dairy-free or lactose-free by just forsaking lactose foods, you are wrong. Your daily dose of pills can contain lactose you might have never imagined. Though the amount of lactose present in pills and prescription drugs is minuscule compared to the amount present in milk and dairy products, for people with severe lactose intolerance, even that little amount is too much to ask for.
Lactose in medications: Lactose is often the most common, inactive ingredient used in numerous pills in the market.Pharmaceutical companies prefer lactose for a number of reasons – it is slightly-sweet, non-reactive and anti-caking in powder form. It is indeed the perfect filler that is required to add that tiny bit of medication (especially in placebo pills) that a pill contains. When sprayed, lactose dries to a hard, impervious, slippery thing that helps a pill go down through your food pipe. Above all, it is ideal for all kinds of medications as it is non-reactive and is readily available.
It is said that about 300 prescription drugs contain lactose. Over The Counter (OTC) drugs that contain lactose are numerous in number. What’s more, most of the placebo pills in birth control medications contain lactose. This is something that lactose intolerant women need to watch out for. Experts say that it is rare to find out a single BCP (Birth Control Pill) without lactose.
Amount of lactose in pills: The amount of lactose present in pills is minuscule. It can be said that a glass of milk contains as much lactose as those present in 1000 ordinary pills. Since the amount of lactose in pills is negligible, it will not provoke any negative symptoms in lactose intolerant consumers. But that does not mean that all milk intolerant people are risk-free. The condition does not apply to those who take more than a dozen pills or those who are elderly and cannot tolerate even a small amount of lactose. Senior citizens and women (who take regular BCPs) are at high risk. Even medicinal grade lactose can trigger dairy allergy symptoms or lactose intolerance symptoms.
How to avoid lactose in pills? Lactose from pills can be avoided only by manual checking. There is no other way except manually checking each and every pill that you take for hidden or inactive lactose. Below are a few ways to check out:
1. Check the list of inactive ingredients: Lactose is not an active ingredient. Hence you need not check the active ingredient of the pill box. But you need to watch out for the inactive ingredients list. Many OTC products have these listed at the back of every box they sell.
2. Ask your doctor: Prescription drugs do not have any such inactive ingredients list. You will not have any clue as to whether a particular pill contains lactose or not even if you buy a bottle of pills. But, your doctor should know which pill contains what through a separate reference list which the pharmaceutical company might have given him/her. Ask your doctor, explaining about your lactose intolerance.
3. Look for lactose-free brands: Almost every category of medication has at least one brand that is lactose-free. Check with your doctor to find out that brand and take it. You will be free of lactose intolerant symptoms as well as free of discomfort caused by your disease (for which you are taking the pills).
