93% OF MEDICINES contain additives that can make us sick

“Close to three-quarters of a pill or capsule is made up of inactive ingredients,” says Giovanni Traverso, Ph.D., an assistant professor at MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, who has studied these ingredients in medication and supplements. Although most serve specific roles (like increasing absorbability or prolonging shelf life) these ingredients can also cause fatigue, GI issues and more in women who are sensitive or allergic.

“Perimenopausal women are most affected because they’re more sensitive chemically,” says functional medicine specialist Mark Menolascino, M.D. “These additives contribute to the cumulative body burden, and unless you live in a bubble, by the time you’re 40, you’re loaded up with toxins.” As a result, women who turn to medicines for healing often end up feeling worse.

An allergist can run tests to diagnose an allergy or sensitivity to inactive ingredients. But if you suspect your medication is behind your fatigue, check the list of the most common additives and the symptoms they can cause (at left), and consider the strategies below.

Ask your doctor for a medicine swap. According to Traverso’s study, the 18 most frequently prescribed medications each have more than 80 formulations, so there’s likely one made without the ingredients you’re reacting to. To find out what’s in your medication, read the label or check the ingredients at https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov.

Try a compounding pharmacy. These pharmacies can make medications without the additives that are causing your symptoms. Look for one accredited by the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board.