Does metformin contain wheat or gluten as an excipient?

We cross-check each metformin product label against four data sources: DailyMed (FDA Structured Product Labels), the European Medicines Agency centrally-authorised medicines database, the Plogsted curated gluten-free drug list, and the 2024 Mangione et al. pediatric pharmacy NDC analysis. Inactive ingredients are scanned against a 146-entry red-flag dictionary covering wheat, barley, rye, malt, source-ambiguous starches, and FDA gluten-free attestation phrases. At least one manufacturer has formally attested their formulation contains no gluten. Of 11 labels we checked, 1 are confirmed by the maker and 10 show nothing flagged. Confirm the brand or generic on your bottle matches one of the attesting manufacturers below.

Can different manufacturers' generic versions of metformin have different gluten status?

Yes. Generics in the United States must use the same active ingredient as the brand, but they are not required to use the same inactive ingredients. Two generics of metformin from different manufacturers can use entirely different starch sources, binders, and fillers. A pharmacy may also switch which manufacturer it dispenses between fills without notifying you. Each manufacturer-specific entry below corresponds to a separately-filed product label.

DailyMed checked live · reference data updated August 19, 2026 · 11 product labels screened

Is metformin gluten-free?

By Ned Walsch

Founder and maintainer of Gluten Screen

Updated October 13, 2026

Not clinically reviewed — verify with your pharmacist

Confirmed gluten-free by at least one manufacturer. At least one manufacturer has formally attested their formulation contains no gluten. Of 11 labels we checked, 1 are confirmed by the maker and 10 show nothing flagged. Confirm the brand or generic on your bottle matches one of the attesting manufacturers below.

Drug context

About metformin

Metformin is the first-line oral medication for type 2 diabetes, sold under brand names including Glucophage, Fortamet, Glumetza.

Why this matters

Different manufacturers, different ingredients

Generics of metformin use the same active ingredient, but they aren't required to use the same inactive ingredients. Your pharmacy may switch which manufacturer they dispense between fills, sometimes without telling you. The list below shows each manufacturer's product label as a separate entry, because that's the granularity that actually matters when you're celiac.

The labels

The 11 we checked

01

Teva manufacturer-attested gluten-free

Plogsted list · Metformin (Teva) · label dated 2017-04-28

Listed gluten-free in Plogsted Alpha List (2017-04-28)
View source label →
02

Micro Labs Limited nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · DAPAGLIFLOZIN AND METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE (DAPAGLIFLOZIN AND METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE) T… · label dated Oct 01, 2026

Inactive ingredients ANHYDROUS LACTOSE · CELLULOSE, MICROCRYSTALLINE · CROSPOVIDONE · FD&C YELLOW NO. 6 · FERRIC OXIDE RED · FERRIC OXIDE YELLOW · FERROSOFERRIC OXIDE · GLYCERYL DIBEHENATE · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POLYSORBATE 80 · POLYVINYL ALCOHOL, UNSPECIFIED · POVIDONE K30 · SILICON DIOXIDE · TALC · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →
03

VistaPharm, LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE SOLUTION [VISTAPHARM, LLC] · label dated Sep 30, 2026

Inactive ingredients HYDROCHLORIC ACID · SODIUM HYDROXIDE · SUCRALOSE · WATER · XYLITOL
View source label →
04

GLENMARK PHARMACEUTICALS INC., USA nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET, FILM COATED, EXTENDED RELEASE [GLENMARK PHARMACEUTICALS… · label dated Sep 28, 2026

Inactive ingredients AMMONIA · AMMONIO METHACRYLATE COPOLYMER TYPE A · AMMONIO METHACRYLATE COPOLYMER TYPE B · FERROSOFERRIC OXIDE · HYPROMELLOSE 2208 (100000 MPA.S) · HYPROMELLOSE 2910 (5 MPA.S) · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · POVIDONE K30 · PROPYLENE GLYCOL · SHELLAC · TALC · TITANIUM DIOXIDE · TRIETHYL CITRATE
View source label →
05

Laurus Labs Limited nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET, FILM COATED METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET, EXTENDED RE… · label dated Sep 28, 2026

Inactive ingredients Blackberry · CARBOXYMETHYLCELLULOSE SODIUM, UNSPECIFIED · Croscarmellose Sodium · HYPROMELLOSE 2208 (100000 MPA.S) · Hypromellose 2910 (6 MPA.S) · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · Magnesium Stearate · Polyethylene Glycol 3350 · Polyvinyl Alcohol, Unspecified · Povidone K30 · Silicon Dioxide · Talc · Titanium Dioxide
View source label →
06

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · DAPAGLIFLOZIN AND METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET, FILM COATED, EXTENDED RELEASE [SUN PH… · label dated Sep 24, 2026

Inactive ingredients ANHYDROUS LACTOSE · CARBOXYMETHYLCELLULOSE SODIUM, UNSPECIFIED · CROSCARMELLOSE SODIUM · FERRIC OXIDE RED · FERRIC OXIDE YELLOW · FERROSOFERRIC OXIDE · HYDROXYPROPYL CELLULOSE, UNSPECIFIED · HYPROMELLOSE 2208 (100000 MPA.S) · LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE 101 · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE 112 · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POLYVINYL ALCOHOL, UNSPECIFIED · SILICON DIOXIDE · TALC · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →
07

Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE [LUPIN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.] · label dated Sep 23, 2026
View source label →
08

Leading Pharma, LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE ER (METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE) TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE [LEADING … · label dated Sep 23, 2026

Inactive ingredients CARBOXYMETHYLCELLULOSE SODIUM · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · MAGNESIUM STEARATE
View source label →
09

Ascend Laboratories, LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE [ASCEND LABORATORIES, LLC] · label dated Sep 23, 2026

Inactive ingredients CARBOXYMETHYLCELLULOSE SODIUM · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · MAGNESIUM STEARATE
View source label →
10

Santarus, Inc. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · GLUMETZA (METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE) TABLET, FILM COATED, EXTENDED RELEASE [SANTARUS, INC.] · label dated Sep 21, 2026

Inactive ingredients CROSPOVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · GLYCERYL DIBEHENATE · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POLYSORBATE 80 · POLYVINYL ALCOHOL, UNSPECIFIED · SILICON DIOXIDE · TALC · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →
11

Macleods Pharmaceuticals Limited nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE [MACLEODS PHARMACEUTICALS LIMITED] · label dated Sep 18, 2026

Inactive ingredients AMMONIA · BUTYL ALCOHOL · CELLULOSE, MICROCRYSTALLINE · CROSPOVIDONE · DIMETHICONE · FERROSOFERRIC OXIDE · GLYCERYL DIBEHENATE · HYPROMELLOSE 2910 (3 MPA.S) · METHACRYLIC ACID AND ETHYL ACRYLATE COPOLYMER · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POLYSORBATE 80 · POLYVINYL ALCOHOL · PROPYLENE GLYCOL · SHELLAC · SILICON DIOXIDE · TALC · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →

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Background

What “gluten in a medication” actually means

Gluten enters drugs through their excipients — the inactive ingredients used to bind, coat, fill, or stabilize the dose. The main concern is wheat starch as a filler. Source-ambiguous starches (plain “starch”, pregelatinized starch, sodium starch glycolate, modified starch) get flagged for verification because their botanical origin isn't always disclosed on the label.

The 2024 Mangione et al. pediatric NDC analysis (689 NDCs across the top 100 pediatric medications) found 1.5% contained gluten outright; another 25.7% couldn't be confirmed either way. Liquid and oral-suspension formulations carry disproportionate risk because wheat starch is a common thickener. Full methodology →

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