Pill coatings, also known as enteric coated pills, have been long believed to protect the stomach, but there is little evidence the coating protects the stomach better than a non-coated pill. Authors of a new study by the University of Pennsylvania found most, if not all of assumed drug resistance cases may actually be caused by pill coatings.
For over a decade, cardiologists and drug researchers have claimed that anywhere from 5% to 40% of the population is “aspirin resistant”. In the study, researchers did not find a single case of true aspirin resistance out of the 400 healthy people who participated in the study. Instead, they found the coating on aspirin interfered with the way that the drug entered the body, making it appear in tests that the drug was not working at all.
These studies question the value of coated, low-dose aspirin. This product adds cost to treatment, without any clear benefit.” said Dr. Garret FitzGerald, chairman of pharmacology at the University of Pennsylvania.
Although the study was partially financed by the world’s largest aspirin manufacturer, Bayer, this study leaves many doctors and pharmacologists wondering if enteric coating could be blocking or reducing absorption for other pharmaceuticals and supplements. Bayer claimed there was no difference between the effectiveness of a coated or uncoated aspirin, but Dr. FitzGerald argued there was no reason patients should use anything other than uncoated pills. Taking supplements without binders or coatings may make all the difference. Not all supplements are created equal. Learn More
