Comments on: Sorting Out Supplements: Tablets vs. Capsules vs. Liquids vs. Powders vs. Chewables

By: Fuzu

Fuzu — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:15:13 +0000

Ooh shoot i just wrote a long comment and when i submitted it it come up blank! Please tell me it worked right? I do not want to sumit it again if i do not have to! Either the blog glitced out or i am an idiot, the second option doesnt surprise me lol.

By: myra

myra — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:51:33 +0000

what about injections,sublingual tablets, patches, and suppositories?

By: vinal

vinal — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:24:03 +0000

I have read the whole article, but I am still unsatisfied. Which form of supplementation is superior to the other, capsules or tablets? One of them must be better than the other. plz help me out.

By: Luke s.

Luke s. — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:19:05 +0000

I have read the whole article, but I am still unsatisfied. Which form of supplementation is superior to the other, capsules or tablets? One of them must be better than the other. I am looking to find this out before I invest in a multi-vitamin. Please help me.

By: MarkTaylor AllStarHealth

MarkTaylor AllStarHealth — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:17:41 +0000

Dear Angel,

With tableting and encapsulation technologies being where they are in 2009, I wouldn’t think that tablets vs. capsules would be a make or break feature in a Betaine HCL & pepsin combination, not from a national brand, so I’m not sure why your sources recommended one over the other. But since the betaine HCl converts to caustic hydrochloric acid in the presence of water, and since the pepsin itself is a protein-digesting enzyme when activated, I suspect that the recommendations pertain to encapsulated materials being better-protected, more stable, and so possibly more effective than plain tablets.

By: angel v.

angel v. — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:56:00 +0000

Hi, I just started taking Betaine HCL with Pepsin for low-stomach acid. I initially bought tablets but now I am reading everywhere that capsules rather than tablets should be used. Most frustrating is the fact that none of these comments explain WHY capsules of Betaine HCL are supposedly superior to the tablet form. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

By: MarkTaylor AllStarHealth

MarkTaylor AllStarHealth — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 21:24:41 +0000

Hi Kelly, it would be safe to do that, sure. But you can expect the taste of those supplements, especially the B-complex, to be pretty harsh no matter how you mix them up. If you’re sure it’s a problem with gelatin capsules, you could always use a B complex tablet or liquid instead of capsule. Along the same lines, there’s also a tyrosine powder from Source Naturals and a tablet-form 5-HTP from Nature’s Way. These would at least get you around the gelatin issue. But 7 years is a long time to be chasing IBS symptoms around. If you haven’t had your symptoms evaluated by a doctor, or weren’t satisfied with the evaluation(s) you have received, we’d encourage you to seek out a doctor with whom you can work to find the root cause of your symptoms, so you’ll have a solid, medically-confirmed basis for using or not-using a specific supplement.

By: kelly

kelly — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:13:34 +0000

i thought that i’ve had crazy IBS problems for about 7 years now, and have tried so many different things…some times it makes no sense at all when it’s worse, and not-so-bad ……but i JUST figured out the main problem! it’s some sort of intolerance to digesting capsules!! my IBS problems seemed to be at bay the most they ever had when i was on a raw food diet for about 6 months but even then i had a few bad days and didn’t get it. now that i’m puttingtwo and two together, i realize it was because i never took supplements on that diet because i didn’t think i need them. the random bad IBS days must have the very few that i popped a 5htp or dpla, or some sort of gelatin capsule.

anyhow i’m wondering now since i would like to be supplementing right now with a B complex, tyrosine, and 5htp if those would all be safe to break open and drink in a smoothie!?!

By: admin

admin — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:58:26 +0000

Dear Esther,

As long as each supplement is taken as directed, there shouldn’t be any significant adverse effects on absorption, even when several supplements are taken together. Foods themselves naturally consist of hundreds of different chemicals the body must “sift through” to obtain the nutrients it needs, irrespective of any supplements or meds; in digestive terms, the body is well-equipped to deal with chemical complexity.

But keep in mind that, at least with vitamins and minerals, taking them in 2-3 divided doses with solid food is always better from an absorption standpoint, even though that’s less convenient. It may help to spread your supplements out over the course of the day like this, although we couldn’t quantify how much of an advantage you’d gain, if any, by doing so.

Legally, we can’t really comment on the prescription meds, you may have to ask a few pharmacists or your doctor. Bring your list with you and ask them how to best take your supplements with your meds. Get a few opinions if possible.

By: Esther

Esther — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:42:49 +0000

I’m looking for information to see if there are any issues in taking a large number of tablets at the same time each day?
I ask, as each morning, I take a number of supplements as well as two prescription medications, and sometimes painkillers (all tablets).
Does the volume of tablets taken at the same time affect their effectiveness?
My body clearly can only absorb/digest/react-to so much. As the prescription medication alters my physiology, can my body cope with this all at the same time?
Thanks.