6 INGREDIENTS TO WATCH FOR

According to a study at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 93% of pills contain at least one potential allergen. Some of the most common (which may appear in supplements as well):

LACTOSE: Nearly half of medications contain lactose, which can cause GI concerns like bloat and stomachaches for the 60% of women who are intolerant.

GLUTEN: The term “starch wheat” can signal the presence of gluten, which can cause fatigue, diarrhea and aches for women who are glutensensitive or have celiac disease.

PEANUT OIL: Just one dose of a pill made with peanut oil can cause symptoms for women with a peanut allergy. Tip: All progesterone-only pills are made with peanut oil.

CHEMICAL DYES: One-third of medications have at least one chemical dye associated with allergic reactions. In addition to looking for names of colors, watch for erythrosine and tartrazine, which can cause skin reactions such as rashes.

PARABENS: These chemicals (look for terms methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, heptyl- and butyl-paraben, or the letter E followed by numbers) serve as a preservative and can disrupt hormone balance in women.

PHTHALATES: These chemicals (listed as DMP, DBP, DEHP, DEP, DINP, DIBP and DNOP) are used to make the enteric coating that delays the breakdown of a drug before it reaches the small intestine, and are linked to obesity, allergy, asthma symptoms and hormone disruption.