Not just kids can find it difficult to swallow pills; adults with an acute gag reflex or other medical conditions can benefit from liquid supplements as well. Plus, those who dislike taking pills tend to adhere better with an liquid vitamin protocol than taking pills alone.
Liquid vitamins bypass your digestive system and directly enter your bloodstream for immediate nutrient absorption. Compared with pills, liquid vitamins offer several key advantages over this form of supplement:
Easy to Take
Liquid supplements bypass the digestive process and can quickly enter your system, making them especially helpful for people suffering from malabsorption, such as intestinal damage or acid reflux, or who find swallowing pills difficult such as children.
Liquid vitamins can be administered in various ways, from spraying directly into your mouth, mixing into other liquids or dispensing on a spoon. Infants under two years old should place drops on a pacifier or mother’s nipple and allow them to sucking for 30 seconds to benefit most from taking liquid vitamins.
Some liquid herbal supplements contain sugar and alcohol, and should be taken with caution by those suffering from diabetes or alcohol dependence, or taking medications which affect clotting or blood sugar levels such as Fecal Occult Blood Test, Folic Acid, Levothyroxine or Tetracycline antibiotics.
Enhanced Bioavailability
Bioavailability measures the percentage of drugs or nutritional supplements that actually reach their point of action by being absorbed into the bloodstream and becoming available there.
Liquid vitamins and supplements provide enhanced bioavailability due to not needing to undergo the lengthy digestion process of pills and tablets.
Certain liquid formulations utilize innovative delivery systems to increase bioavailability, such as liposomal delivery or co-crystals. These techniques protect nutrient molecules from degradation in the acidic digestive tract environment, speeding up absorption. Furthermore, such advances may increase patient compliance and convenience by decreasing dosing requirements (3)
Convenience
Liquid vitamins are typically pre-dissolved to be quickly absorbed by your digestive system, using water, glycerin or other solvents as agents to dissolve them more rapidly. Certain formulations also use emulsifiers to dissolve fat-soluble vitamins faster and increase absorption rates.
Many people who can’t swallow pills or have issues with their esophagus prefer liquid supplements as it’s easier for them to take. Liquid vitamins also make taking vitamins easier for children, elderly individuals, or anyone who struggles to swallow pills-shaped vitamins.
While most supplements can be stored at room temperature, certain ones require refrigeration in order to remain effective. Always referring to product packaging for instructions regarding storage; such as avoiding excessive heat or moisture as well as sunlight exposure. Liquid vitamin formulations typically boast cleaner labels than solid form counterparts due to lacking binding agents, coatings, and artificial colors in their label profile.
Personalized Nutrition
Children aren’t the only ones who find swallowing pills difficult; many adults also have strong gag reflexes or medical conditions which prevent them from swallowing pills easily, making liquid supplements suitable solutions.
Liquid vitamins provide increased bioavailability than pill forms and bypass digestive barriers to provide targeted health benefits like improved sleep quality and enhanced athletic performance.
Precision nutrition–or personalized nutrition–is the new frontier in diet. Instead of providing group-wide advice, these programs analyze your genetic makeup and gut microbiome to suggest foods specifically tailored for you.
Easy to Mix
When it comes to giving liquid supplements to children who do not appreciate their flavor, mixing them into other foods or drinks may help disguise them. Citrusy juices work particularly well while for something more savory such as ketchup may also work.
Yogurt can be used to mask fishy-tasting foods like omega-3’s as its creamy texture will effectively hide any unpleasant aftertastes.
One effective strategy to get children taking liquid supplements is using an ice pop mold with their favorite fruit juice and adding the supplement inside. The vibrant natural colors will draw their attention. If all else fails, medication syringes may also work; just be sure to clean thoroughly between uses.
