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Glycerin Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of glycerin include macular degeneration, constipation, and off label use, based on 4,190 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 19.6% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Glycerin side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for glycerin.

1
Drug Ineffective19.6%820
2
Macular Degeneration17.1%718
3
Constipation12.1%507
4
Off Label Use10.4%436
5
Pain10.1%425
6
Nausea8.9%372
7
Pyrexia8.4%351
8
Weight Decreased7.1%298
9
Malaise6.9%289
10
Headache6.6%278
11
Abdominal Pain6.4%268
12
Anaemia6.1%255
13
Fall5.5%231
14
Therapeutic Product Effect Incomplete5.5%230
15
Chronic Sinusitis5.3%224

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that glycerin caused these reactions.

Report severity

89.2%Serious3,739 reports
51.2%Hospitalizations2,145 reports
14.1%Fatal590 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Glycerin drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside glycerin. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Acetaminophen20.7%867
2
Morphine-sulfate19.0%795
3
Prednisone18.8%786
4
Bisacodyl18.5%775
5
Diphenhydramine17.2%722
6
Triamcinolone17.2%722
7
Budesonide17.1%717
8
Alprazolam17.0%714
9
Adalimumab17.0%714
10
Betamethasone17.0%712
11
Clarithromycin16.9%710
12
Atorvastatin-calcium16.9%708
13
Nicotine16.9%708
14
Metronidazole16.9%707
15
Fluticasone16.8%705

Taken alongside

1
Acetaminophen28.6%1,197
2
Sodium-chloride18.0%753
3
Potassium-chloride17.0%714
4
Aspirin15.2%635
5
Valsartan13.9%582
6
Furosemide13.4%560
7
Omeprazole12.5%524
8
Phosphoric-acid12.2%510
9
Albuterol11.4%478
10
Amino-acids11.0%461
11
Ondansetron10.9%457
12
Lactulose10.8%451
13
Dexamethasone10.7%449
14
Sodium-acetate10.2%426
15
Calcium-acetate9.9%413

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports glycerin side effects

57.1% of glycerin adverse event reports involve female patients and 34.2% involve male patients. The largest age group is elderly at 54%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female57.1%
Male34.2%
Unknown8.7%

Age group

< 23.9%
2–113.5%
12–172.3%
18–6436.1%
65+54.2%

What is glycerin used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking glycerin when the adverse event was reported.

Abdominal PainAbnormal FaecesAdenocarcinomaAdverse EventAllergy TestAnal IncontinenceAngina PectorisAngina UnstableAtrial FibrillationAbdominal DistensionAbdominal PainAnal IncontinenceAngina PectorisAntiallergic TherapyAntiinflammatory Therapy

Showing 15 of 282 indications

Glycerin brand names and reporting trend

Glycerin is sold under the brand name Procalamine.

Brand names

Procalamine4,707

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking glycerin with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.