Liquids vs. Pills
Liquids vs. Pills
Searching for a nutritional supplement in todays market can be overwhelming. It is easy to be confused by the sheer number of products out there. Which supplement is better? Does price matter? Which company has the best products? Where did the ingredients come from? Are they using toxic preservatives or fillers? The list goes on and on. The goal of this article is to help people make an informed decision.
Nutrients enter the blood stream in several ways including ingestion, injection, absorption, inhalation and sometimes through suppositories. The most common method is through ingestion via a liquid, pill or capsule. Thus the common question; which is better?
There are pros and cons to each form that need consideration before deciding on a particular supplement. These include ease of swallowing, absorption rate, bio availability, taste, purity, shelf life, quality and price.
Ease of Swallowing
Particularly with children or the elderly, ease of swallowing is a big issue. If you can't get a supplement into the body, it has no chance of working. If an individual has difficulty swallowing supplements in capsule form, they may either resist taking them, or be in danger of actually choking on them.
Absorption Rate
Absorption rate has become the real focal point in the Liquid vs. Pill debate after someone found a statement in the Physicians desk reference stating that liquid has a 98% absorption rate compared to 18% from pills. If you spend $100 on pills or capsules, you would most likely be flushing 82% of the $100 you paid for the product down the toilet. That's like literally flushing away $82 out of every $100 you spend.
Quality
Quality is another factor which plays a major role in absorption. You can still buy low quality pills and capsules that do not absorb completely. Buying quality products when purchasing pill and tablet vitamins is vital to getting the biggest benefit from your dollar. On the other hand, liquids can most often provide more nutritional ingredients than pills which can prove to be more cost beneficial than tablets alone. Spending a little more on a quality liquid nutritional supplements can provide more than just saving money. It can still give greater health benefits than the pill counterpart.
Bio Availability
Bio availability generally designates the quantity or fraction of the ingested dose that is absorbed. As it relates to liquid and pills, the amount of product absorbed is dependent upon two primary factors including:
- The ability to digest a given component
- The form in which the body can use the component after digestion
If the body cannot break down a given component during digestion, it will simply pass through the body. However, the body may be able to absorb a nutritional component, yet it may not be able to use the component to benefit the body. In either case, the body will generally rid itself of what it cannot use.
Pills are generally difficult for the body to completely absorb while liquid will absorb quite readily. The challenge is to identify which quality nutritional supplement product will contain the ingredients the body will absorb efficiently, thus making it available to use effectively.
Taste
Have you ever tried to chew a non-chewable vitamin B tablet? If you have, you quickly find out just how bad it tastes. Supplement companies have done a fairly good job of masking the flavor of liquid supplements, but often use artificial flavors and sweeteners to do so.
If you are considering liquid supplements, its very important to read the label and make sure that only specific natural flavorings are used (not listed as "natural flavors" - this labeling trick can hide a host of bad ingredients!). Check to be sure that only low-glycemic natural sweeteners such as glycerine, agave, lo han and stevia are used, not sugar, cane juice, corn syrup or artificial ones like splenda, nutrasweet or aspartame.
Purity
Both pill and liquid forms of supplements are regulated to ensure purity from harmful components. Fillers and binders are commonly found in pills and capsules to keep the product from falling apart during handling. While there is usually nothing harmful with fillers and binders, there is little or no health benefit to them either. In highly sensitive people, some of these fillers can have negative effects.
Some very cheep liquid supplements also may add extra water or juice to dilute their product so it is cheaper.
Shelf Life
This may be counter-intuitive, but you should actually look for liquid supplements with a SHORTER shelf life. Why would this be? Because to have a longer shelf life, liquid supplements must be loaded down with toxic petrochemical preservatives, and a product with a short marked shelf life is more likely to be potent, natural and not toxic. Its similar to preferring fresh milk to the irradiated kind in a cardboard box that lasts forever, or preferring a homemade cookie to a processed one in a package at the store, with all kind of Frankenfood ingredients in it to make it last forever..
Do not buy liquid supplements that use toxic preservatives such as sodium benzoate. Keep liquid supplements in a cool, dark and dry place to help preserve freshness.
Quality and Price
No matter how you look at it, people want the best of both quality and price. Whether it be in liquid or pill form, there are varying levels of quality, and price generally follows. Pills are over all less expensive than liquid and you get more nutrients for your dollar. However, if the pill only absorbs 18%, then your dollar is being flushed. Liquid is a bit more expensive but the cost savings will provide longer lasting benefits.
Some types of supplements won't work as Liquids
Probiotics and digestive enzymes are activated by wetting them, so they wont work as liquid supplements. In the case of probiotics and enzymes, good quality products come in powder or capsule form, and feature high counts of active colonies, and good ability to survive the acidic gut environment.
The Right Choice
The right choice is often difficult to determine. One thing is sure, quality is a must in order to ensure you are getting the most out of every dollar you spend for health. Here at BrainChild Nutritionals, weve made liquids for almost 15 years. We offer high quality liquid, and liquid-filled capsule forms of multivitamins, minerals, plus premium quality probiotics and digestive enzymes and much more.
Our Spectrum Support Formulas
Our range of Spectrum Support formulas are liquid vitamin and mineral formulas designed specifically for environmentally sensitive people. The nutrients in these supplements are broken down into extremely small particles in a gentle, technologically advanced liquid suspension formula which is readily absorbed in the digestive tract and better utilized throughout the body than conventional powders, capsules, tablets or standard liquid solutions.
Our formulas are distinctive for what is left OUT as well as IN: We have never used added sugar, artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, or sodium benzoate preservative in our supplements and we never will.
The Spectrum Support formulas are two parts: Vitamins and Minerals. Both parts are taken three times a day, with meals. Dosages by weight can be found on the dosage chart on page. Please start low and increase
slowly as per our instructions.
Here's a quick overview of our Spectrum Support range.
Low intensity liquid vitamin and mineral formula for mild neurological and metabolic support.
- Balanced formula designed to support vibrant health in those with mild neurological support needs, e.g. OCD, ADD/HD, apraxia, sensory issues, etc.
- A very good choice for family members of those with autism and neurological issues.
- Excellent focused brain and body health support for adults concerned about future neuro health, or those experiencing mild neuro symptoms at any age.
- Kid friendly, good tasting natural liquid form, with no flavorings or artificial ingredients.
- Special-diet-friendly – GF/CF and Feingold.
- Unique herbal suspension designed to support glutathione redox, digestion, detoxification, immune and neurological function.
Suggested Usage: As a dietary supplement, three times a day
with meals.
Our best-selling moderate dose liquid vitamin and mineral formula for nutritional support of people with autistic spectrum disorders.
- Easily utilized P-5-P form, for those who do best on active vitamin B6.
- Excellent brain health support for adults with significant neuro symptoms.
- Special-diet-friendly – GF/CF and Feingold.
- Great tasting liquid in Lemon Lime, or Unflavored, with no flavorings or artificial ingredients.
- Unique herbal suspension designed to support glutathione redox, digestion, detoxification, immune and neurological function.
Suggested Usage: As a dietary supplement, three times a day with meals
Excellent starter vitamin and mineral formula designed to support full-body health of those with autistic spectrum disorders.
- Moderate pyridoxine dose, for those who do best on the milder form of vitamin B6.
- Good brain health support choice for adults with active neurological symptoms.
- Special-diet-friendly – GF/CF and Feingold.
- Great tasting liquid in Lemon Lime, or Unflavored, with no flavorings or artificial ingredients.
- Unique herbal suspension designed to support glutathione redox, digestion, detoxification, immune and neurological function.
Suggested Usage: As a dietary supplement, three times a day with meals.
High-intensity liquid vitamin and mineral formula to support health and natural detoxification in those with autistic spectrum disorders and other neuro issues
- Higher amounts of active vitamin B6 and other nutrients for healthy detoxification and brain support.
- Special-diet-friendly – GF/CF and Feingold.
- Good tasting liquid in Lemon Lime or Unflavored, with no flavorings or artificial ingredients.
- Easy to give in juice or other beverage.
- Unique herbal suspension designed to support glutathione redox, detoxification, digestion, immune and neurological function.
Suggested Usage: As a dietary supplement, three times a day with meals.
Spectrum Support Ultra-Sensitive
Neurological, metabolic and digestive support liquid vitamin and mineral formula for exceptionally sensitive children.
- Extremely bioavailable nutrient forms for optimal absorption, without additives or fillers.
- Special-diet-friendly – GF/CF, SCD and Feingold.
- Designed to support the health of the very most sensitive individuals – no TMG, NAC, MSM, Choline, Inositol.
- Delicious natural liquid form, with no flavorings or artificial ingredients.
- Low doses of vitamins B6 and B12, for those who do not need more.
- Herb-free – great for herb-sensitive kids.
Suggested Usage: As a dietary supplement, three times a day with meals.
Shop the full range of our Spectrum Support formulas here.
