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Can You Be Allergic to a Natural Vitamin?

Natural vitamin supplements can cause allergic reactions, since the manufacturing process adds ingredients. If you suspect you're having an allergic reaction to vitamins, it's worthwhile to learn about these added ingredients.

  1. Wheat Products

    • Vitamin supplements can contain wheat, which causes allergic reactions in many people. Check the ingredients carefully for wheat and related substances such as gluten, farina or semolina.

    Natural vs. Synthetic

    • Natural supplements use the natural form instead of a synthetic version of the vitamin. Vitamin E is an example. According to Leslie K. Kay, a registered dietitian and expert on complementary nutrition, d-alpha-tocopherol, sometimes listed as simply "d" or "d-alpha," is a natural form of the vitamin, while dl-alpha-tocopherol, sometimes listed as "dl" or "dl-alpha," is synthetic. You can be allergic to both because of the vitamins' added ingredients.

    Excipients

    • Excipients are substances added during the vitamin production process to coat tablets, to help them disintegrate or to blend or bind ingredients together, according to Kay. Glycerin is an example of a coating aid that you could be sensitive to.

    Binders

    • Binders are tableting agents that help ingredients stick together. Examples are crospovidone, dicalcium phophate and gum acacia. Some people have allergies to these ingredients.

    Fillers

    • Fillers are also tableting agents and are added to bulk up tablets or to suspend fat-soluble vitamins in a capsule. Resin is an example of a filler that maintains Vitamin B12's structure when heat is applied during the production of tablets. You can be sensitive or allergic to fillers as well.

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