Gelatin?

[Crete]

Just read my Euthyrox leaflet after 4 months! (I know - incredibly stupid....)

Was surprised to see it contains lactose and Gelatin.

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Gelatin come from the bone marrow of cows? Or maybe it is synthetic?

If it comes from the animal I'm a bit worried about introducing strange DNA into my system - any thoughts?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Gelatin can contain DNA:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

But so too does almost every other animal product.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to helvella]

Following up my own response, remember that every plant, fungus, bacteria also has DNA in it. (Gets a bit trickier with some virus/virus-like things.)

[Silver_Fairy]

It may be vegetable gelatin.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Silver_Fairy]

However that should be labelled "gelatin substitute of vegetable origin" - or something like that. Certainly not acceptable to just call it gelatin.

[Crete]

I'm not vegetarian - I'm not going to be able to avoid animal DNA but I wasn't expecting it to be in a treatment I am taking every day ....

I was also thinking about all the hormones they pump into animals these days ....

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Crete]

At least Growth Hormone is banned in the EU.

[Crete in reply to helvella]

Didn't know that - I've been watching too many discussions on YouTube from the USA!

Mind you Euthyrox is produced by Merck but in Germany it says on my packet - so fingers crossed!

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Crete]

Yet another issue to confuse us all!

There are two separate companies/groups:

Merck Group of Darmstadt in Germany - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merck...

Merck & Company, Inc. (NYSE: MRK), d.b.a. Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) of the USA - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merck....

You'll find that Merck Group own and make Euthryox - not Merck & Company.

(You'd think someone positively created this situation purely to cause the greatest possible confusion.)

[Crete in reply to helvella]

Thanks for this info!

I feel better now !!!!

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Crete]

Amazing how powerful a medicine information can be!