Which Estac (S.TAC) cold medicine? General Cold, EX Neo, IBU and Vita Force compared

Why can one Estac product be used from age 5 while others start at 15? And how does the newer Vita Force differ from IBU? Start with three distinctions: General Cold uses acetaminophen; the other three use ibuprofen; IBU and Vita Force have the same seven active ingredients at the same adult daily amounts, with bottle versus blister packaging a practical difference.

I’m Irene, a Taiwan-born, Japan-licensed pharmacist working in a Japanese drugstore. The manufacturer’s English name for エスタックイブ is S.TAC IBU; you may also see it written as Estac Eve. Let’s compare these four tablet products by suitability, ingredients and packaging, rather than choosing by “EX” or “NEW” alone.

Checked on 13 October 2026. These four are Designated Class 2 OTC medicines. This guide does not cover New Estac Granules or Estac rhinitis medicines; their doses are not interchangeable.

Check these points before choosing a box

A quick shelf comparison

All four relieve cold-related sore throat, fever, runny or blocked nose, sneezing, cough, phlegm, chills, headache, joint pain and muscle pain. If you have only one symptom, ask whether a combination medicine is needed. More ingredients or a larger number on the box does not establish a better choice for you.

All four are taken three times daily, preferably within 30 minutes after meals, with water or lukewarm water. Ingredient amounts in the table are for ages 15 and over. Milligrams cannot be used to rank the strength of different medicines.

• Buying for a child aged 5–14? Only General Cold among these four has labelled doses for that age range. Symptoms, allergies and other medicines still need checking; it is not automatically suitable for everyone in the family.
• Age 15+ and already assessed as suitable for an ibuprofen combination? Between IBU and Vita Force, packaging preference is a useful distinction. IBU already contains the same vitamins at the same daily amounts.
• Considering EX Neo? Check its contraindications and your current medicines before deciding whether its formula fits. Its 600 mg adult daily ibuprofen amount does not make it the default choice for everyone.

General Cold: a different age range and formula

General Cold’s adult daily nine-tablet dose contains acetaminophen 900 mg, chlorpheniramine maleate 7.5 mg, dextromethorphan hydrobromide hydrate 48 mg, dl-methylephedrine hydrochloride 60 mg, hesperidin 45 mg, liquorice extract 187.5 mg (equivalent to 750 mg liquorice), powdered ginger 150 mg and anhydrous caffeine 75 mg. Its herbal ingredients do not make it an herbal-only product.

Per dose: age 15+, three tablets; ages 11–14, two; ages 5–10, one. Do not give to children under 5. An adult must supervise children; do not invent a reduced adult dose.

IBU and Vita Force: the same active ingredients, different packaging

Vita Force launched on 8 September 2026. Each product’s adult daily nine-tablet dose contains ibuprofen 450 mg, dihydrocodeine phosphate 24 mg, dl-methylephedrine hydrochloride 60 mg, chlorpheniramine maleate 7.5 mg, anhydrous caffeine 75 mg, thiamine nitrate (vitamin B1) 24 mg and vitamin C 300 mg. Matching active ingredients and daily amounts do not mean you can take them together.

IBU comes in a bottle and Vita Force in blisters. Both are for ages 15 and over, at three tablets per dose. The vitamins do not make either a daily supplement or a medicine to prevent colds.

EX Neo: check the extra ingredients and restrictions

EX Neo is for ages 15 and over, at two tablets per dose. Its adult daily six-tablet dose contains ibuprofen 600 mg, isopropamide iodide 6 mg, chlorpheniramine maleate 7.5 mg, ambroxol hydrochloride 45 mg, dihydrocodeine phosphate 24 mg, dl-methylephedrine hydrochloride 60 mg, magnesium oxide 300 mg and anhydrous caffeine 75 mg. It is not simply IBU with more ibuprofen; the formula and restrictions differ.

Magnesium oxide does not remove stomach risks. Do not take EX Neo if you are receiving medical treatment for a stomach or duodenal ulcer, a blood disorder, liver or kidney disease, heart disease or high blood pressure, or if you are taking zidovudine (Retrovir).

Restrictions shared by all four

• Do not take a product if you have had an allergy to it or its ingredients, or asthma triggered by a cold medicine or fever/pain medicine.
• Do not combine with other cold medicines, fever/pain medicines, sedatives, cough/expectorant medicines or oral antihistamine-containing products, including some rhinitis, motion-sickness, allergy and sleep medicines. EX Neo also prohibits gastrointestinal pain-relief/antispasmodic medicines.
• Do not drive or operate machinery after taking any of these products, and do not drink alcohol before or after use. Caffeine does not cancel the driving restriction. EX Neo can also cause blurred vision or unusual sensitivity to light.

Pregnancy, breastfeeding and chronic conditions

Consult before taking any of the four if pregnant or possibly pregnant. EX Neo, IBU and Vita Force must not be taken within 12 weeks of the expected delivery date. During breastfeeding, General Cold requires consultation first; the other three do not allow taking the medicine while continuing to breastfeed. Discuss a suitable option with a doctor or pharmacist.

For all four, consult first if receiving medical or dental treatment, older, previously allergic to medicines, or experiencing high fever or difficulty urinating. The current-treatment prohibitions listed above for EX Neo still apply.

• General Cold: consult first for a thyroid disorder, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, liver or kidney disease, a stomach or duodenal ulcer, or glaucoma.
• IBU and Vita Force: consult first for a thyroid disorder, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, liver or kidney disease, glaucoma, systemic lupus erythematosus, mixed connective tissue disease, impaired respiratory function, obstructive sleep apnoea or obesity; also consult for a history of stomach/duodenal ulcer, ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.
• EX Neo: consult first for a thyroid disorder, diabetes, glaucoma, systemic lupus erythematosus, mixed connective tissue disease, bronchial asthma, impaired respiratory function, obstructive sleep apnoea or obesity; also consult for a history of stomach/duodenal ulcer, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, a blood disorder, liver disease or kidney disease.

When to stop and seek help

Stop and take the leaflet to a doctor or pharmacist if any of the four does not help after 5–6 doses. EX Neo, IBU and Vita Force also have a maximum of five days; their leaflets particularly flag fever lasting three days or recurring. The five-day ceiling is not an instruction to keep taking an ineffective medicine until day five. General Cold must not be taken long term either.

Stop and seek advice for a rash, itching, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dizziness, difficulty urinating or other suspected reactions. Stop if dry mouth or drowsiness persists or worsens; the three ibuprofen products give the same instruction for constipation. Check each leaflet for its full reaction list.

Stop and get medical help immediately for breathing difficulty, confusion, a widespread rash with high fever or sore/eroded lips, yellow skin or eyes, dark brown urine, reduced urine or swelling throughout the body. The three ibuprofen products also carry serious cardiovascular warnings. Stop the medicine and seek immediate medical care for sudden chest pain, one-sided weakness, speech difficulty, black stools, vomiting blood, unusual bleeding or bruising.

Keep the packaging and leaflet with you

Push EX Neo and Vita Force tablets out of their blisters before swallowing; never swallow the packaging. Close General Cold and IBU bottles tightly, do not handle tablets with wet hands, and remove the transport packing material after opening. Keep all four cool, dry, away from sunlight and children, in the original container, and do not use after expiry.

In short: check age and restrictions first, then the acetaminophen or ibuprofen formula. Between IBU and Vita Force, consider packaging; for EX Neo, pay extra attention to treatment and medicine restrictions. None of the four is compatible with driving after taking it.

Official sources

Official Estac range · Japanese leaflet index · Vita Force launch announcement · NHS cough warning signs