There are several reasons a person might be interested in knowing the inactive ingredients of a medication, nutritional supplement or beauty product. Those who have allergies to certain foods or sensitivity to additives should know how to find inactive ingredients to ensure that the item is safe for them. Others just like to know about any ingredient being used. Whatever the reasons, it is usually fairly simple to find out about inactive ingredients, as many products have labels that include this information.
Step 1
Check the label of the item in question. There will usually be a list of active ingredients and a list of inactive ingredients. If you don't see this information on the outside of the bottle or container, see if there is a label that peels back---sometimes, ingredient information is listed on the inside of the label. This is especially true on medications, as there may be too much information needed to fit on the outside of the label.
Step 2
Scan the list of inactive ingredients. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, ingredients are listed on products in order, from most to least. This means that the first ingredient listed is the main ingredient.
Step 3
Go online if the product does not have a list of inactive ingredients. Do a search for the item, as there may be more information listed on the manufacturer's website. If the product has a phone number listed on the label, you can also call the number and ask what the main inactive ingredient is. If the active and inactive ingredients are mixed together on the label, another option is to check out websites that describe specific product ingredients in layman's terms. Compare the product ingredients described to the ingredients listed to find which are inactive ingredients.
Member Comments