Curious if your Zyrtec is gluten free? I’ve got the full scoop on whether or not you can take this allergy medication. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this article to learn about other products I’ve tested for hidden gluten. This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosures.
Seasonal allergies are the worst and you likely want instant relief when they hit. In fact, more than 50 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies, and allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the U.S. according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
To relieve those symptoms, millions of Americans turn to over-the-counter allergy medications, including Zyrtec (cetirizine).
Unfortunately, there are not any mandatory allergen-labeling guidelines for medications, and it’s often impossible to know if a medication contains gluten. There is a lot of noise about making allergen-labeling mandatory for the pharmaceutical industry, but for now, it’s only a voluntary disclosure that few offer. (See the Gluten in Medicine Disclosure Act of 2019.)
When you inspect the Zyrtec ingredient list (see below), you’ll be at a loss. Unfortunately, Zyrtec is not labeled gluten free. And what in the world is polyethylene glycol and is it gluten free? I have no clue, and I’m sure you have no clue what it is either.
The label tells me nothing about how Zyrtec is manufactured and if the raw ingredients or the manufacturing processes might come in cross contact with gluten. I find it pretty strange that an allergy company doesn’t even include allergen disclosures on its label.
I decided to email the manufacturer to see if they could shed some light on whether or not Zyrtec contains gluten. I sent them the following message:
I use Zyrtec and just wanted to know if your product is gluten free? I have celiac disease and use your products daily.
Can you also direct me to where this information (and other allergy ingredient information) might be online for others to reference quickly for Zyrtec and other medications you make? I figured as a company that provides allergy relief you might have this information available for people with food allergies too.
Thank you.
Concerned Customer,
Jenny
This is Johnson and Johnson’s reply:
We appreciate your taking the time out of your day to contact us here at Johnson and Johnson Consumer Inc. regarding our Zyrtec® products.
We are glad to hear that you are a dedicated user of our products, Jenny! Although we don’t add gluten or gluten containing grains to our products, we cannot confirm that the product or any ingredients in Zyrtec® products or other over the counter products are gluten free. Your safety is of great concern to us; therefore, we strongly recommend that you first consult your doctor before using any product if you have a form of gluten intolerance or sensitivity.
Wishing you well,
Mariah D.
Consumer Care Center
What Mariah is telling me is that Johnson and Johnson doesn’t know if its own product contains gluten, and that I should ask my doctor what to do (as if my doctor knows if there’s gluten in Zyrtec). Shouldn’t Johnson and Johnson know? And why is it my doctor’s job to know what ingredients are in Zyrtec?!?
Nima Sensor to the Rescue
I decided to take matters into my own hands and use the Nima Sensor, a portable gluten-detecting device, to get to the bottom of this mystery once and for all!
UPDATE: Please note that as of 2020, the fate of the Nima Sensor is unknown. The founders sold the company to Medline, and Medline has stopped selling the the device and has hinted that Nima Sensor may be out of business.
While the Nima Sensor is not validated for testing medications, as it’s only validated for testing food, I decided to go rogue and give it a try.
I put a Zyrtec tablet inside the test capsule, added a little water, and waited about 2 minutes for the Nima Sensor to reveal its findings. A smiley face means it’s gluten free, a wheat symbol and “gluten found” message means Nima found gluten.
Before I show you the results, I want to share few important disclaimers:
- I’m not a doctor nor do I dispense medical advice.
- Just because a test comes back positive doesn’t mean all Zyrtec is gluten free; it simply means the piece I tested is free from gluten.
- The Nima Sensor “is not validated” for testing on non-food products.
- I used to collaborate with Nima Sensor before they went out of business.
The Bottom Line
While I don’t have an “official” answer to whether or not Zyrtec is free from gluten, I can tell you that the Nima Sensor did not find any gluten in the portion I tested. Whew! As you can see below, Nima is all smiles.
Additionally and as an antidote, I take Zyrtec everyday for seasonal and daily allergies and have no problem with it. Of course, I’m only one person and you may have a different reaction. Please discuss taking Zyrtec or any medication with your doctor.
I think this little Nima Sensor gadget may be smarter than all the people behind the scenes at Johnson and Johnson, a $65 billion dollar company.  Zyrtec is one of the most popular and successful antihistamine medications yet, all the brainpower at J&J can’t figure out if it contains gluten. This has got to change (and hopefully will one day when the Gluten in Medicine Disclosure Act of 2019 passes – fingers crossed).
Testing for Seasonal Allergies
Have you ever wondered what exactly is causing your seasonal allergies? I have always wondered what I’m allergic too, and now I know for sure what I’m allergic too after taking this excellent at-home indoor/outdoor seasonal allergy test.
The test revealed that I’m highly allergic to Kentucky bluegrass, rye grass, and Timothy grass (popular grasses in the U.S.), and I’m moderately allergic to cats.
Interested in testing yourself for indoor and outdoor allergens? Order a test by CLICKING HERE. Select the indoor/outdoor allergy test and be sure to enter the code GOODFORYOU10 for 10 percent off at checkout.
Also Tested for Hidden Gluten
Check out these blog posts that feature other products I’ve tested for hidden gluten using my Nima Sensor:
- Are Spices Gluten Free and a Complete List of Gluten-Free Spice Brands
- What Ice Creams are Gluten Free?
- Best Gluten-Free Products at Trader Joe’s
- Gluten-Free Kraft Mac and Cheese
- Kirkland Costco Gluten-Free Brands Put to the Hidden Gluten Test
- Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Rolled Oats
I’ve also tested dozens of restaurant dishes for hidden gluten. Please read my Eating Out library where you’ll see how restaurants like the Cheesecake Factory and Panera fared against the Nima Sensor.
Learn more about the Nima Sensor in my article, 13 Things You Need to Know about the Nima Sensor.
I just wanted to say that no name Zyrtec can be had from several generic vendors including Target and Amazon Basics and often, it has a “Gluten Free” claim on it. And it’s way cheaper. So if J&J wants to be cagey, then I say, viva la generics! Once a label claims GF it has to stand by the 20ppm or less standard, set by the FDA. For a while Walgreens had a lot of GF labels and then they were gone. Then for a while CVS had a lot of GF labels. The Target label is called “Up and Up.” It may also be batch specific so always double check the box, every single time. I’ve seen the Target brand swap back and forth between GF labeling and no such labeling. No idea why, probably just, they use some random manufacturer every time they order a batch.
It’s not approved for that as stated in my article. But I did it anyway.
Hello
I thought Nima sensor can’t detect gluten from medicines and cosmetics ?
The Costco brand is indeed labeled as GF which is great, but be aware that it does have other common allergens that are not in Zyrtec, namely dyes and corn starch.
Thanks for all your hard work and for what it’s worth, here’s my two cents:
My understanding is that if a product is labeled GF, it meets the necessary labeling requirements and can be safely registered as a GF product. If the product is not made in a dedicated GF facility and is used on the same conveyor/processing machines as other gluten containing foods, there is a possibility of cross contamination(EVEN is measures are taken to clean the machines). This is why no company can guarantee their products to be GF if they used shared equipment. A lot of companies have gone the extra mile insuring a safe GF prepping area for which I am extremely grateful. But it is major expense to create that environment. Others aren’t willing to make that investment. That being said, I am still not convinced the NIMA can definitively give a clear cut response using one small piece of food/pill/etc. Who’s to say, the very next bite/piece may have gotten a residual crumb leftover from a machine. Same with restaurant food…the one section tested may be clear, but what if someone in the back dropped a spoon or spatula and a droplet of gluten bounced into it? For a Celiac( and I happen to be a finally-diagnosed-later-in-life Celiac who reacts with a seizure within 15 minutes of ingestion) I can’t take that chance. I use Zyrtec(Cetirizine) and Singulair as my treatment protocol with these episodes. Again, I can’t take the chance on my meds being a ‘maybe’ it’s GF. After much research I have found a generic children’s liquid that specifically states GF on the label. Maneuvering this GF world can be frustrating and tricky, but it IS getting easier than it was when I was diagnosed almost 20 years ago! Happy Safe Eating!
I think it should also be noted that your specific pill, while may be gluten free does not guarantee exactly the rest of Johnson and Johnson’s statement – The cross contamination part – that other pills by the same brand nor generics may be gluten free.
Unfortunately Nima cannot test heavy vinegar solutions. That said, ACV is gluten-free and can safely be consumed by someone with celiac disease. I enjoy it often myself and have no issues (and I’m super sensitive to gluten and celiac). Good luck!
Apple cider vinegar?
Great to know about the Costco brand! I had no idea. Thank you Kimberly!
Thanks for this info! (For what it’s worth, the Costco brand of this med is labeled as GF. I hope that helps.) We are not near a Costco, and we need to buy some. It is so frustrating when the packages are not labeled…especially for an allergy med!!!