Considering Vitamins on a Gluten-Free Diet? We’ve Got You Covered

Are all vitamins gluten-free?

The majority of vitamins are indeed gluten-free. However, some vitamins and supplements can contain small traces of gluten – usually in the form of inactive ingredients within the vitamin or supplement. It’s also possible for cross-contamination during the manufacturing process. This is important to know, especially for people with celiac disease or other gluten sensitivities.

Can celiacs take vitamins?

Celiac disease is believed to affect about 1% of people around the world, though most go undiagnosed. For those with the condition, the ingestion of gluten can lead to health problems deriving from the damage caused in the small intestine. For such people, gluten is to be avoided. At the same time, celiac disease can lead to a reduced capacity for your body to absorb nutrients, resulting in a number of deficiencies. Common deficiencies include reduced levels of iron, folate, vitamin B12, vitamin D, zinc, and magnesium.

If you’re wondering whether you have this condition, you should talk to your doctor, who can run the necessary tests. If you’ve already been diagnosed with the condition and are looking to add vitamin supplements to your routine, it’s important to determine that your supplements are indeed gluten-free. Moreover, you should consider consulting a registered dietitian who can help address any nutritional deficiencies by guiding you toward nutrient-dense foods.

How do you know if the vitamins you’re taking are gluten-free?

You’ve probably seen products that say “gluten-free” on the label. This means you’re safe, right?

Not so fast. Even if the label says “gluten-free,” that doesn’t necessarily mean the supplement is entirely gluten-free. Some companies will say that they don’t use any gluten when manufacturing their supplements, but stop short of saying that the product is gluten-free, since the possibility of cross-contamination is present. The only way to be sure is to look for an independent certification mark on the label; this signifies that the supplement company is doing third-party testing to verify the contents of their products. You should also take a careful look at the ingredients. Your supplement might include inactive ingredients, like wheat or wheat starch, that contain gluten.

Your best bet is to get your supplements from a trusted company that does third-party testing and verification – in other words, a company like Care/of. (We’ll take a look at all of our gluten-free supplements below.)

What to look out for

Wheat starch

Most any drug or supplement you purchase will contain what are known as “excipients.” These are ingredients that aren’t active in the supplement, but rather are used as fillers, flow enhancers, coatings, and so on.

Some supplements will list excipients right there on the label, and in other cases, you have to reach out to the manufacturer to get the information you’re looking for.

For people with gluten sensitivities, wheat starch is an excipient to watch out for. Wheat starch is an important byproduct of gluten production.

Cross-contamination

Supplement manufacturers will sometimes stop short of guaranteeing that their products are gluten-free because of the possibility of cross-contamination. That said, the possibility of cross-contamination is very unlikely. Manufacturers have to ensure that there is no cross-contamination between machines used for gluten-containing products and machines used for gluten-free products, and have areas specifically designated for their gluten-free supplements.

Supplement

Certain supplements do include gluten, by design. For example, Care/of’s digestive enzymes do include trace wheat from the fermentation media which results in gluten.

Meet Care/of’s gluten-free vitamins

All of our vitamins, with the exception of our digestive enzymes, are gluten-free. Here’s a full list of what we offer: B complex B12 Vitamin C Vitamin D Vegan Vitamin D Multivitamin Multi with iron Prenatal vitamin Calcium Plus Iron Magnesium Zinc American Ginseng Ashwagandha Elderberry Garlic Rhodiola Shatavari Turmeric Cranberry Prebiotic Plus Probiotic Blend Adaptogenic Mushrooms Astaxanthin Ceramides Fish Oil Keratin Veg Collagen Skin Veg Collagen Joint Veggie Omega Sleep Blend Focus Blend Collagen Plant Protein Whey Protein Chia-Flax Superberry Creatine Electrolyte Maca

If you have celiac disease or are otherwise gluten-sensitive, you don’t have to be concerned about any of the above supplements. Care/of employs third-party testers, so you know that what you’re purchasing is exactly what you’re getting.

Key takeaways

For those with celiac disease or other gluten sensitivities, it’s important to avoid ingesting gluten. That can seem easy enough, but it becomes complicated when trying to decide which vitamin supplements are safe to use.

If you’re trying to stay gluten-free, the majority of vitamins are safe for use. Still, you should check your supplements’ labels to see whether they’ve been verified as truly gluten-free. Moreover, you should be mindful of the possibility for cross-contamination, or the possibility that your supplement contains wheat starch. All of Care/of’s supplements, with the exception of our digestive enzymes, are verified gluten-free.

If you’re wondering whether you have gluten sensitivity, you should talk to a medical professional.