Is Advil the same as ibuprofen?

In this article:

• Is Advil ibuprofen?
• Which is better: Advil or ibuprofen?
• What does Advil and ibuprofen treat?
• Who should not take Advil (ibuprofen)?
• Advil vs. ibuprofen costs
• Compare costs of over-the-counter pain relievers

In this article

• Is Advil ibuprofen?
• Which is better: Advil or ibuprofen?
• What does Advil and ibuprofen treat?
• Who should not take Advil (ibuprofen)?
• Advil vs. ibuprofen costs
• Compare costs of over-the-counter pain relievers

If you are in the market for a pain medication like Advil, you’ve probably wondered: “Is Advil ibuprofen?” This is an understandable question. The difference between Advil and ibuprofen can feel confusing for lots of folks.

Thankfully, the answer is simple. Ibuprofen is the active ingredient in Advil. In other words, Advil is a pain reliever with ibuprofen as its main ingredient. Ibuprofen is also the active ingredient in several other painkiller products, such as Motrin and Midol. Often, ibuprofen is sold in generic form.

Here, we’ll delve further into the question of whether Advil and ibuprofen are the same, including what conditions and symptoms these medications treat, whether one is better than another, and differences in price and quality.

Is Advil ibuprofen?

While browsing the aisles in a drug store or shopping online for pain relief, you will likely be inundated with many different brands and medication types. If you see medications labeled “Advil” and others labeled “ibuprofen,” you may ask yourself: “Is Advil the same as ibuprofen?” You may also want to know: Does Advil have ibuprofen in it?

“Advil is just a branded version of ibuprofen,” says Thomas Pontinen, MD, a double-board certified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist. A comparison would be the fact that Vaseline is a brand of petroleum jelly, he explains. Other pain medications have branded versions. For example, Tylenol is the branded version of acetaminophen, which is also sold in generic form.

Ibuprofen is sold as Advil, but you’ll also see generic versions of ibuprofen sold. So, what’s the difference between these two? “There is no significant difference between brand-name Advil and generic ibuprofen,” explains Jared L. Ross, MD-O, board-certified emergency medicine physician, healthcare consultant, and university professor. “The active ingredient, ibuprofen, is the same in both medications. The packing, pill size, shape, color, and stamping might differ, but they work the same.”

According to DailyMed at the National Library of Medicine, both ibuprofen generic and Advil have some similar inactive ingredients, such as colloidal silicon dioxide, corn starch, stearic acid, and titanium dioxide. However, many of the inactive ingredients differ, including what type of food dyes are added or whether ingredients like gelatin or wax are added. Ingredients in these medications differ based on whether they are sold in tablet, caplets, or gel caplet form.

Ibuprofen is part of a class of drugs known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs are FDA-approved pain medications that can decrease fever and inflammation. “Ibuprofen is an NSAID medication found in many different drugs as well as non-branded offerings which will be labeled as just ibuprofen,” Dr. Pontine explains.

Other drugs containing ibuprofen include:

• Motrin
• Midol
• Proprinal
• Addaprin
• Cedaprin
• I-Prin
• NeoProfen
• Profen
• Ultraprin

Which is better: Advil or ibuprofen?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates both the branded Advil form of ibuprofen and the generically sold forms of ibuprofen. The FDA makes it clear that both generic and brand-name drugs of all types must meet the same high standards to be approved by the FDA and sold to consumers. In particular, the active ingredient in any drug must be the same, whether it’s found in the brand name vs. the generic version.

Numerous studies have found that generic drugs are as effective as branded drugs. For example, a large 2019 study published in PLOS Medicine compared eight different products and over two million pairs of patients to determine if generic versions were more effective than branded versions and vice versa. Their results? Generics were comparable to branded drugs in terms of clinical effectiveness.

Dr. Pontinen agrees that there is no significant difference between Advil and generic versions of ibuprofen regarding how well they work. One of the main differences between the two is cost, with generic versions usually lower in price than branded versions. As such, he usually suggests patients purchase the more cost-effective of the two.

“I recommend buying the non-branded ibuprofen, whichever one has the least inactive ingredients, for patients who don’t already have a preference and simply want a reliable NSAID to help manage pain,” Dr. Pontinen says. “Ibuprofen labeling is regulated so for anything sold at a reputable store, you pretty much know what you’re getting when it’s labeled ibuprofen.”

What does Advil and ibuprofen treat?

Ibuprofen is an NSAID, and these medications have three major effects, according to Dr. Ross:

• Reducing pain
• Reducing inflammation
• Reducing fever

“It is commonly used for body aches and fever associated with cold and flu viruses as well as for musculoskeletal injuries such as sprains, strains, and even broken bones,” Dr. Ross describes. Ibuprofen is commonly used to treat symptoms like menstrual cramps, sore throat, tooth pain, muscle aches, back pain, and the minor pain of arthritis.

Ibuprofen and medications containing ibuprofen are useful in not only reducing inflammation, but “blocking some of the processes in the body that cause our brains to perceive pain,” Dr. Pontinen describes. Ibuprofen can be useful for treating many different kinds of pain, he says, including:

• Musculoskeletal injury
• Headaches
• Postoperative recovery
• Joint pain
• Various kinds of arthritis

“NSAIDs in general represent some of modern medicine’s least problematic, most pervasive, and most diversely effective options when it comes to treating pain that is not very severe,” Dr. Pontinen describes.

Who should not take Advil (ibuprofen)?

Ibuprofen and Advil are safe for most people, with some exceptions. “Ibuprofen and products such as Advil can generally be used by most people, but people with certain health conditions or those who take certain medications should be cautious and first consult with a doctor,” Dr. Pontinen says.

According to the FDA individuals who should consult a doctor before taking medications with ibuprofen include:

• People with a history of serious side effects from painkillers
• People with a history of allergic reactions to NSAIDs or other painkillers
• People with a history of stomach issues, like heartburn, sour stomach, abdominal pain, or ulcers
• People with a history of liver disease
• People with bleeding issues or who are on blood thinners
• People with high blood pressure
• People with heart disease, history of heart attack, heart bypass surgery, or a family history of heart disease
• People with kidney disease or kidney problems
• People who’ve taken a diuretic
• Older adults, 60 years of age and up

Some possible side effects or adverse effects of ibuprofen and medications with ibuprofen include:

• GI issues like gassiness, diarrhea, constipation, and vomiting
• Heartburn
• Stomachaches
• Fluid retention
• Problems with the liver
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ear)
• Rashes and itching
• Headaches
• Feeling dizzy
• Reduced appetite
• Potassium level changes
• Coughing, particularly in those with specific underlying lung conditions like asthma

Advil vs. ibuprofen costs

In general, the most significant difference between brand name and generic drugs is that generic drugs are typically less expensive than brand drugs. This is usually the case with Advil and generic ibuprofen.

Drug prices change frequently. These are the most accurate estimates at the time of publishing. SingleCare coupons can only be used on over-the-counter medications with a valid prescription.