Dextrose or lucozade tablets

[Winger65]

Hi, as a type 1 diabetic for 43 years I rely on these to treat low blood sugars. I’m now coeliac and have read they’re off limits? I’m a bit confused as had only neurological symptoms before I was diagnosed - which have mostly gone after a month but I now have some stomach issues and wondered if these tablets were the culprits? Apparently 4 Jelly Babies work just as well, but I couldn’t trust myself to stop at 4 😊

[Suit]

My opinion regarding your issue is:

You should NOT exclude those, no matter how gluten sensitive you are. diabetes needs to be your priority one if low. And coeliac number 2.

The thing is that they contain maltodextrin, which some very sensitive GF-folks cannot eat. And dextrose can be derived from wheat, but does not have to be.

Meanwhile you can try to find dextrose that suits your coeliac too, if you are very sensitive.

You can ask the manufacture of both to see where their dextrose is derived from.

Or look into those huge bags with 100% dextrose, and ask them about the origin.

[Suit in reply to Suit]

I'm not properly diagnosed with coeliac, I was slightly positive after 9 months on GF diet for gluten autoantibodies. I was also slightly positive on Wheat IgE. And have DAO deficiency.

But my experience, along with what seems to be a lot others, is that the symptoms of being glutened become worse shortly after you quit eating grains. And that other intolerances rises, because the gut can't produce enough enzymes to break things down.

We need to be patient with ourselves. It can take a long time to heal properly. In best case scenario it only takes 3 months. In worst case scenario it will take forever. Most of us adults are probably somewhere between 3 months and forever.

Maybe some of us became numb in our stomachs. I myself began getting stomachaches a few months after being off grains, whenever eating wheat. Not so much yet if only high on histamines.

For your sake I hope you ain't that sensitive to gluten, and I hope you haven't developed difficulty digesting sugars. But you can try to exclude lactose?

[ATTT]

I'm Type 1 too and take Lift (previously Glucotabs) and have never had a problem.

[Cooper27]

I know a couple of T1s who have coeliac disease too, and they take glucose tablets. They look like the dextro packaging.

I've checked on my gluten free food list for you, and dextro are ok, I can't find lucozade ones on the list (they might be ok, and just not be on the list, so you can check yourself).

[Hidden in reply to Cooper27]

Hi Cooper, I expect your food list considers below 20ppm as gluten free so here's the ingredients of Dextro:

Ingredients:

Dextrose (88%), Maltodextrin, Flavouring, Citric Acid, Anti-Caking Agent (Magnesium Salts of Fatty Acids), Vitamin C.

So I personally advise caution as artificial sugars like maltodextrin are known triggers for IBS and the majority maltodextrin in the EU is made from wheat.

And here's the side effects and warnings of using dextrose which is a base sugar made from corn:

rxlist.com/consumer_dextros...

unfortunately I don't think the majority of people are aware of what they are really eating/consuming and I think that we the consumer should know these things like with canola oil.

So I'm sorry but I'd be very wary of any med with maltodextrin in it and I'd look for a natural alternative, to be 100% safe.

All UK meds are below 20ppm thats all we can be sure of in the UK.

Jerry 😊

[Cooper27 in reply to Hidden]

I think it would be a struggle to find glucose tablets that don't contain maltodextrin and dextrose though, as they all seem to? It's really going to come down to whether Winger65 has an alternative when blood sugar drops I suppose. Others use the tablets, but I guess it comes down to how sensitive they all are.

[Hidden in reply to Cooper27]

I appreciate what you're saying but being able to tolerate a toxin isn't in anyones best interests in my opinion. Because gluten molecules don't know whether they are allowed and suddenly safe or a toxic carcinogen. So to me this shows the urgency for more robust standards for our sake.

[Cooper27 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Jerry. I'm not arguing the level of our standards here - I've shared the information I have to hand, and with your input it should hopefully allow Winger to make an informed decision about managing their low blood sugar going forward.

[Hidden in reply to Cooper27]

Hi Cooper I am sorry as I like you and have no wish to argue with you or anyone. 🙏

[Cooper27 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Jerry, it's no problem, I'm not seeking to argue, I'm just conscious we could go back and forth! It's a huge minefield out there, especially with multiple conditions, so sharing the info we know will hopefully help clear things up.

[Mathri]

Try Tesco's extra strong mints or the equivalent (but more expensive) by Trebor. They will give you the glucose hit that you need and the peppermint should settle your stomach.