Does naproxen contain wheat or gluten as an excipient?

We cross-check each naproxen 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 naproxen 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 naproxen 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 naproxen 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 naproxen

Naproxen is a longer-acting NSAID for pain and inflammation, sold under brand names including Aleve, Naprosyn.

Why this matters

Different manufacturers, different ingredients

Generics of naproxen 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

Novapharm manufacturer-attested gluten-free

Plogsted list · Naproxen (Novapharm) · label dated 2017-04-28

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

Unit Dose Solutions, Inc. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · NAPROXEN TABLET [UNIT DOSE SOLUTIONS, INC.] · label dated Oct 06, 2026

Inactive ingredients CROSCARMELLOSE SODIUM · FERRIC OXIDE RED · FERRIC OXIDE YELLOW · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED
View source label →
03

Bionpharma Inc. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · NAPROXEN SODIUM CAPSULE, LIQUID FILLED [BIONPHARMA INC.] · label dated Oct 06, 2026

Inactive ingredients FD&C BLUE NO. 1 · GELATIN · GLYCERIN · LACTIC ACID · MANNITOL · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POVIDONE · PROPYLENE GLYCOL · SORBITAN · SORBITOL · WATER
View source label →
04

TruPharma LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · NAPROXEN TABLET, DELAYED RELEASE [TRUPHARMA LLC] · label dated Oct 05, 2026

Inactive ingredients CROSCARMELLOSE SODIUM · FERROSOFERRIC OXIDE · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · METHACRYLIC ACID AND ETHYL ACRYLATE COPOLYMER · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · PROPYLENE GLYCOL · TALC · TITANIUM DIOXIDE · TRIETHYL CITRATE
View source label →
05

Amerisource Bergen nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · NAPROXEN (NAPROXEN SODIUM) TABLET, FILM COATED [AMERISOURCE BERGEN] · label dated Oct 05, 2026

Inactive ingredients CROSCARMELLOSE SODIUM · FD&C BLUE NO. 2 ALUMINUM LAKE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POLYVINYL ALCOHOL, UNSPECIFIED · POVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · SILICON DIOXIDE · TALC · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →
06

Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Inc. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · NAPROXEN SODIUM TABLET, FILM COATED [DR. REDDY'S LABORATORIES INC.] · label dated Oct 05, 2026

Inactive ingredients CELLULOSE, MICROCRYSTALLINE · Hypromellose 2910 (5 Mpa.S) · magnesium stearate · polyethylene glycol 400 · povidone · talc · titanium dioxide
View source label →
07

Better Living Brands, LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · NAPROXEN (NAPROXEN SODIUM) TABLET, FILM COATED [BETTER LIVING BRANDS, LLC] · label dated Oct 05, 2026

Inactive ingredients CROSCARMELLOSE SODIUM · FD&C BLUE NO. 2 ALUMINUM LAKE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POLYVINYL ALCOHOL, UNSPECIFIED · POVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · SILICON DIOXIDE · TALC · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →
08

St. Mary's Medical Park Pharmacy nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · NAPROXEN TABLET [ST. MARY'S MEDICAL PARK PHARMACY] · label dated Oct 05, 2026

Inactive ingredients CROSCARMELLOSE SODIUM · FERRIC OXIDE RED · FERRIC OXIDE YELLOW · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED
View source label →
09

Upsher-Smith Laboratories, LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · NAPROXEN SODIUM TABLET, FILM COATED, EXTENDED RELEASE [UPSHER-SMITH LABORATORIES, LLC] · label dated Oct 01, 2026

Inactive ingredients AMMONIO METHACRYLATE COPOLYMER TYPE A · AMMONIO METHACRYLATE COPOLYMER TYPE B · ANHYDROUS CITRIC ACID · CROSPOVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · METHACRYLIC ACID - METHYL METHACRYLATE COPOLYMER (1:1) · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · TALC · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →
10

CVS WOONSOCKET PRESCRIPTION CENTER, INCORPORATED nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · SINUS AND COLD D (NAPROXEN SODIUM, PSEUDOEPHEDRINE HYDROCHLORIDE) TABLET, FILM COATED, … · label dated Sep 25, 2026

Inactive ingredients HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POLYSORBATE 80 · POVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · SILICON DIOXIDE · TALC · TITANIUM DIOXIDE
View source label →
11

Amazon.com Services LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · NAPROXEN SODIUM TABLET, FILM COATED [AMAZON.COM SERVICES LLC] · label dated Sep 16, 2026

Inactive ingredients FD&C BLUE NO. 2 ALUMINUM LAKE · HYPROMELLOSE, UNSPECIFIED · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL, UNSPECIFIED · POVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · 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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