In ibuprofen capsules, tablets, or caplets, you may see sucrose listed on the ingredients label (per Drugs.com). Sucrose, which is no different than the sugar you’d find in your pantry, is sometimes used in the making of medications to enhance their taste and make them a little more pleasant to swallow. As Mary Poppins would say, “Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.”
Sucrose can also be found in liquid or suspension versions of ibuprofen. However, you may alternatively see high fructose corn syrup, glycerin, sorbitol, or sucralose listed on the label, all of which can also be used as sweetener ingredients. Sucralose, in particular, is 600 times sweeter than sugar yet the artificial sweetener has next to no calories. For kids ages 2 to 11, Children’s Advil Suspension (100 milligrams per 5 milliliter dosage) has a sugar-free and dye-free option. In place of sugar, however, you’ll notice that the product contains sucralose.