How To: Remedy a Cold or Flu as a Celiac

You might not realize how difficult it can be to find medicines that are labeled gluten free until the first time you get a cold or stomach bug after your celiac diagnosis. Although the FDA issued a draft document outlining labeling recommendations to drug manufacturers in 2017, current pharmaceutical regulations do not require that gluten be disclosed in medications—leaving celiacs and those who care for them in the dark about whether or not certain drugs are safe for them to consume.

For this reason, we’ve scoured the internet for resources to confirm which cold and flu products are confirmed to be “gluten free” so that we could share it with you as midwinter settles in.

Please note that this is not an all-inclusive list. Always double-check package labeling or the company’s website to confirm a product’s gluten-free status, as this can change without warning. If you have any doubts or concerns about the gluten-free status of any drug, consult with your pharmacist and/or the manufacturer of the product. The last thing you want when you’re already not feeling well is to deal with the side-effects of gluten exposure!

Over-the-counter cold & flu medications

• For adults

  • Cabinet Health Daytime Severe Cold and Flu

  • Genexa Severe Cold & Flu Daytime + Nighttime Combo Pack

  • Robitussin Honey Nighttime Cough DM

  • Robitussin Maximum Strength Cough + Chest Congestion DM - elderberry & honey flavors

  • Robitussin Honey Maximum Strength Severe Cough, Flu, + Sore Throat Relief Daytime & Nighttime

  • Target up&up Daytime & Nighttime Cold & Flu Relief Softgels

  • Target up&up Daytime & Nighttime Cold & Flu Relief Liquid

  • Target up&up Severe Cold Day & Night Powder

  • Vicks DayQuil/NyQuil Hot Remedy Cold & Flu Relief Drink Powder

  • Walgreens Nighttime Cold & Flu Liquid

• For infants and children

  • Genexa Kids’ Multi-Symptom Cold & Flu Day + Night Combo Pack

  • Walgreens Children’s Alcohol-Free Cold & Cough Relief DM

  • Zarabee’s Kid’s All-in-One Cough Syrup + Mucus, Throat, & Nasal Day & Night (or buy the Day & Night Value Pack)

Homeopathic treatments

• ColdCalm

• Cold-Eeze (select products; check the box)

• Genexa Cold Crush for adults or children

• Genexa Flu Fix

• Oilogic Cough & Cold Essential Oil Roll-On

• Sambucol Black Elderberry Day & Night Relief Capsules

• Sambucol Black Elderberry Cold & Flu Relief Tablets

• Walgreens Zinc Cold Therapy Quick Dissolving Tablets

Symptom-specific relief

• Cough and chest congestion

  • Cough drops and lozenges

    • Beekeeper’s Naturals Propolis Soothing Lozenges (all flavors)

    • Sambucol Black Elderberry Cough Relief Hard Lozenges

    • Walgreens cough drops - honey lemon, sugar free honey lemon, & sugar free menthol flavors

    • Walgreens Sore Throat and Cough Lozenges Mixed Berry

  • Cough medicines for adults

    • Beekeepers Naturals Daytime & Nighttime Propolis Cough Syrup

    • Berkley Jensen Maximum Strength Mucus Relief

    • Berkley Jensen Tussin DM Cough & Chest Congestion Liquid Cough Medicine

    • Diabetic Tussin Cough & Chest Congestion DM

    • Genexa Cough & Chest Congestion

    • HoneyWorks Plus Cough Syrup - day & nighttime available

    • Maty’s Organic Day & Night Cough Syrup Value Pack

    • Maty’s Organic Mucus Cough Syrup

    • Target up&up Cough DM Oral Suspension

    • Target up&up Mucus Relief

    • Walgreens Mucus Relief DM Extended-Relief Tablets - Original Formula or Maximum Strength

    • Zarabee’s Complete Cough Syrup + Immune

  • Cough syrups for infants and children

    • Beekeepers Naturals Kids’ Daytime & Nighttime Propolis Cough Syrup

    • Burt’s Bees Kids’ Daytime & Nighttime Cough Syrup (*Please note that this medicine is made with maltodextrin sourced from wheat. Per the label, the wheat has been processed to allow it to meet the FDA requirements for GF foods. Use your discretion when it comes to choosing this product for your celiac kiddo and do not give it to a child with a wheat allergy.)

    • Genexa Kids’ Cough & Chest Congestion Daytime + Nighttime Value Pack

    • Genexa Kids’ Honey Cough Syrup

    • HoneyWorks Kids Organic Honey Cough Syrup - day & nighttime available

    • HoneyWorks Children’s Plus Cough Syrup - day & nighttime available

    • KinderMed Infants’ Cough Plus & Nighttime

    • KinderMed Kids’ Cough & Congestion Relief Day & Nighttime (or buy the Day & Night Value Pack)

    • Little Remedies Honey Cough Syrup

    • Maty’s Baby All Natural or Organic Day & Night Cough Syrup Value Pack

    • Maty’s Children’s Organic Day & Night Cough Syrup Value Pack

    • Maty’s Children’s Organic Mucus & Night Cough Syrup Value Pack

    • Maty’s Children’s Natural Super Berry Cough Syrup Day & Night Value Pack

    • Mommy’s Bliss Organic Baby Cough Syrup & Mucus + Immunity Support

    • Nature’s Way Kids Sambucus HoneyBerry Day & Nighttime Cough Syrup

    • Robitussin Children’s Cough + Chest Congestion DM - elderberry & honey flavors

    • Target up&up Children’s Day & Night Cold Relief Liquid

    • Vicks DayQuil & NyQuil Kids Honey Combo

    • Wellements Organic Day & Nighttime Baby or Children’s Cough Syrup

    • Zarabee’s Baby Cough Syrup + Immune

    • Zarabee’s Baby Cough Syrup + Immune with Agave Day & Nighttime (or buy the Day & Night Value Pack)

    • Zarabee’s Baby Nighttime Cough Syrup + Immune with Honey

    • Zarabee’s Baby Soothing Cough Syrup

    • Zarabee’s Kid’s Cough Syrup + Immune Day & Night (or buy the Day & Night Value Pack)

    • Zarabee’s Kid’s Cough Syrup + Mucus Day & Night (or buy the Day & Night Value Pack)

  • Vapor/chest creams, roll-ons, and rubs

    • Maty’s All Natural Baby Chest Rub

    • Maty’s Vapor Rub

    • Oilogic Baby Stuffy Nose & Cough Essential Oil Vapor Chest Roll-On, Vapor Chest Rub, & Vapor Cream

    • Oilogic Kids Stuffy Nose & Cough Essential Oil Roll-On & Vapor Cream

    • Zarabee’s Baby Soothing Chest Rub

    • Vicks VapoRub Adult or Children’s Topical Cough Suppressant (not labeled gluten free, but all the ingredients appear to be naturally GF; plus, the product is not for consumption)

• Fever, headache, and/or body aches

  • For adults

    • Berkley Jensen Extra Strength, Extra Strength PM, or Rapid Release Acetaminophen

    • Berkley Jensen Ibuprofen

    • Cabinet Health Acetaminophen or Acetaminophen Nighttime

    • Genexa Acetaminophen Extra Strength Day & Nighttime

    • Target up&up Acetaminophen 8-hour, Extra Strength, or Extra Strength PM Caplets

    • Target up&up Regular Strength Tablets or Low Dose Chewable Aspirin

    • Target up&up Ibuprofen Caplets, Tablets, or PM Tablets

    • Target up&up Naproxen Sodium or Naproxen Sodium PM Tablets

    • Walgreens All Day Pain Relief Naproxen Sodium Caplets

    • Walgreens Dual Pain Reliever - Acetaminophen & Ibuprofen

    • Walgreens Ibuprofen Tablets

    • Walgreens Low Dose Aspirin

    • Walgreens Pain Reliever Extra Strength Acetaminophen Tablets

  • For infants and children

    • Genexa Infants’ Pain & Fever Oral Suspension - blueberry & cherry flavors

    • Genexa Kids’ Pain & Fever Chewables

    • Genexa Kids’ Pain & Fever Oral Suspension - blueberry & cherry flavors

    • Little Remedies Fever + Pain Reliever

    • Target up&up Infants’ Dye-Free or Children’s Acetaminophen

    • Target up&up Infants’ or Children’s Dye-Free Ibuprofen

    • Walgreens Children’s Ibuprofen Chewable Tablets - grape & orange flavors

    • Walgreens Children’s Dye-Free Ibuprofen Oral Suspension

    • Walgreens Children’s Ibuprofen Oral Suspension - berry, grape, & bubble gum flavors

    • Walgreens Children’s Pain & Fever Oral Suspension - cherry & grape flavors

    • Walgreens Infants’ Pain & Fever Reducer Oral Suspension - Original Formula or Dye-Free

• Nasal/sinus congestion

  • Nasal gels, ointments, and sprays

    • Afrin Nasal Spray

    • Ayr Saline Nasal gel

    • Beekeeper’s Naturals Xylitol Propolis Nasal Spray

    • Little Remedies Saline Spray + Drops

    • Little Remedies Sterile Saline Mist

    • Maty’s Simply Breathe Nasal Ointment for adults or children

    • Vicks Sinex Saline Ultra Fine Nasal Mist or Severe VapoCOOL Nasal Spray

    • Zarbee’s Soothing Saline Nasal Mist with Aloe

  • NeilMed Nasaflo Neti Pot

  • Vicks VapoShower

• Nausea

  • Great Value or Reed’s ginger ale

  • GIN GINS Ginger Candy

  • Tumeez Organic Tummy Soothing Lollipops for Kids

  • UpSpring Stomach Settle Nausea Relief Drops

  • Yogi Tea - Ginger, Purely Peppermint, Vanilla Peppermint, or Stomach Ease

• Sore throat

  • For adults

    • HoneyWorks Organic Soothing Throat Spray

    • Ricola Sore Throat Oral Anesthetic

    • Ricola Throat Balm

    • Sambucol Black Elderberry Throat Relief Soothing Lozenges

    • Wedderspoon Organic Manuka Honey Drops

    • Yogi Throat Comfort Tea

  • For infants and children

    • Beekeeper’s Naturals Kid’s Throat Soothing Lollipops

    • HoneyWorks Kids Organic Soothing Throat Spray

    • Little Remedies Sore Throat Pops

    • Lolleez Children’s Organic Throat Soothing Pops

    • Maty’s Children’s Throat Lozenges

• Multi-symptom

  • Oilogic Baby Stuffy Nose & Cough Essential Oil Epsom Salt Soak

  • Oilogic Kids Stuffy Nose & Cough Essential Oil Epsom Salt & Shower Steamer

  • Oilogic Kids Stuffy Nose & Cough Essential Oil Vapor Bath

  • Sleep with a humidifier to help relieve congestion, cough, & sore throat

  • Yogi Breathe Deep or Cold Season Tea

Immune support

• For adults

  • Beekeeper’s Naturals Propolis Immune Support Throat Spray

  • Emergen-C (all products)

  • Garden of Life Dr. Formulated Adult Elderberry Gummies

  • Hyland’s Naturals Adult Immune Organic Vegan Elderberry Gummies

  • Nature’s Bounty Immune 24 Hour Softgels

  • Nature Made Vitamin C Tablets

  • Nature Made Wellblends ImmuneMAX Fizzy Drink Mix Stick Packets or Gummies

  • OLLY Active Immunity Gummies

  • Sambucol Black Elderberry 5-in-1 Intense Defense Liquid Action Softgels, Effervescent Tablets, Gummies, or Syrup (Original Formula or Advanced Immune)

  • Target up&up Immune Support Chewable or Effervescent Tablets, or Gummies

  • Target up&up Vitamin C Supplement Drops

  • Vitafusion Power C Gummies

  • Zarabee’s Daily Immune Support Gummies - Original Formula or Triple Action

• For infants and children

  • Beekeeper’s Naturals Propolis Immune Support Throat Spray

  • Emergen-C Kidz Fruit Punch Immune Support

  • Garden of Life Dr. Formulated Kids Elderberry Gummies

  • Hyland’s Naturals Kids’ Immune Organic Vegan Elderberry Gummies

  • L’il Critters Immune C Gummies

  • Nature Made Kids First Elderberry or Vitamin C Gummies

  • OLLY Kids Immunity Elderberry Gummies

  • Sambucol Black Elderberry Gummies or Syrup

  • Wellements Organic Baby Immune Support Syrup

  • Zarabee’s Baby Immune Support Syrup

  • Zarabee’s Kid’s Daily Immune Support Chewables, Gummies, or Syrup