When you enter the realm of dietary/nutritional supplements it can bring with it an overwhelming feeling. Go to the nutrition section of any supermarket and you will be greeted with a lot of food, supplements, pills – all promising you the much-desired health and normality.
But how can you be sure you get what you want? Are you confident in the nutritional supplements you are currently taking?
Tablets, hard pills, chewable capsules, and powders – while there are many of these forms in which dietary supplements are found, we will take a look at one of the fastest-growing forms at the moment: drinkable ampoules.
We will make comparisons between these and the traditional forms in which nutritional supplements are found, to be able to talk about possible promises and results.
Contents of this article:
1. Some facts about the supplement industry
2. Bioavailability and absorption
3. Why are liquid/ampoule dietary supplements so popular?
4. 5 reasons to take food supplements in liquid form
5. “Solid” information about the various forms of nutritional supplements
6. Conclusion
Some facts about the dietary supplement industry
Over the years, the landscape of the medical industry has made a move towards safer and more natural solutions. During the 1990s, for example, the use of herbal products expanded by approximately 380%.
Nowadays, it seems that more and more people are talking about natural and naturopathic remedies – while traditional prescription drugs are still very prominent, a recent study shows that 80% of people worldwide rely on supplements and herbal medicines for their health.
As the market expands, nutritional supplement companies are competitively discovering different ways to give their products an edge over others. These companies ask themselves “How can I make my products stand out in a sea of competitors?”
The answer: To make an effective product that will do what it claims to do, it is necessary to satisfy customers and prove to customers that these products are worth it.
With this in mind, we must quickly address the fact that dietary supplements are victims of a common misconception:
Worried about wasting money, many people believe that the nutrients contained in these supplements are not properly absorbed and, in the end, end up in the toilet without fulfilling their purpose.
This trick happens because too often, people notice a more pronounced color of urine than usual after using a supplement and come to the quite reasonable conclusion that the nutrients passed through their system very quickly, without being absorbed.
But that’s not how things are.
If you notice more color in your urine than usual after using a supplement, it means that your body has processed the ingested substances (most likely they contain vitamin B2) – the only way a supplement can change the color of urine is if it has been digested and processed by the liver.
Bioavailability and absorption
Let’s address another common point of confusion regarding the body’s ability to process nutrients:
There are two main terms to keep in mind when consuming food, drinks or a supplement:bioavailabilityandabsorption.
According to The Wallach Files (referring to Dr. Joel Wallach, a naturopathic physician who played a key role in the liquid vitamin market):
“Bioavailability is defined as the proportion of a nutrient in food that can be absorbed and made available for use or storage; absorption is the physiological process that allows the passage of a food nutrient from the intestinal lumen to the fluids and tissues of the body.”
So, bioavailability refers to the food or substance consumed and what it can offer you. Absorption refers to how your body takes in nutrients.
Certain foods are more bioavailable than others. If two different foods both contain 10g of protein, and one of them has a bioavailability of 50% and the other has a bioavailability of 80%, in the first example you can absorb up to 5g of protein and up to 8g of protein in the latter.
And this if the absorption of these substances is optimized.
This brings us to…
Why are liquid food supplements/ampoules so popular?
As I mentioned before, the market for liquid supplements is growing rapidly. According to FactMR.com, “The market for liquid nutritional supplements is poised to grow to more than $42 billion in 2022, from less than $30 billion in 2017.”
This means that more and more people have discovered the advantages of liquid food supplements, and the market is going to expand even more in the coming years.
So why do so many people turn to liquid dietary supplements?
Since they are already in a liquid form, not only will some of the nutrients begin to be absorbed immediately, in the mouth (the whole absorption process of an ingested liquid takes only a few minutes), but, in addition, a substance consumed in the form of liquid is, in essence, already decomposed and requires very little digestion.
Therefore, the absorption process is not slowed down by a long digestive process, which means that the effects of the supplement will be triggered faster than it would be with a non-liquid supplement, which requires the breakdown process of digestion before the nutrients can be absorbed.
To summarize, not only will the nutrients in a liquid substance begin to take effect faster, but many more nutritional benefits provided in liquid form can be used by the body compared to those consumed as a solid.
So, if you are among those who are concerned about wasting money, consider reading Strother Health Expert Reviews to find a place to go to get more for the same price.
Now, the body can only process a certain amount of a substance at once, so a faster absorption time is not always the best criteria to judge your supplements by – unless you are in a position where an instant effect is useful (immediate pain relief is a good example).
But unlike a solid supplement, a liquid supplement can be taken as slowly or as quickly as desired – it can be sipped. The dose amount for liquids is much more controllable than, for example, a pill, which can only be swallowed once. This gives liquid supplements the flexibility to choose whether you need help now, later, or a combination of both.
And, since the body can only process a certain amount of a substance at a time, more nutrients can be absorbed if the liquid supplement is diluted in more water – by taking a supplement with a higher concentration of water, the body will need more time processing that water, allowing nutrients to be processed at a more manageable pace, which means that less of these substances will be passed through the digestive system and end up in the toilet.
According to Gerhard N. Schrauzer, D. Sc. FACN:
”In order not to overwhelm the available absorption capacity, vitamins and minerals should be supplemented at low concentrations over a longer period of time, rather than suddenly. These conditions are more easily met with liquid than with solid supplements.”
5 reasons to take food supplements in liquid form
#1. Liquid supplements allow for several synergistic formulas.
What does this mean? Basically, it means you can pack more powerful nutrients – which work together to produce a combined effect – into a liquid formula than a pill.
Not only that the proven delivery system allows the synergy of herbal ingredients, integral nutrients and vitamins. but these complex combinations are very difficult to produce in chewable pills, tablets, capsules, or soft tablets.
#2. Liquid supplements are faster and more effective than other systems.
The first goal of a pill or tablet is to be digested for use. Even the gel capsules are still swallowed and digested for absorption.
That’s why many people consider that a liquid dietary supplement is much easier to swallow than a handful of soft capsules!
A liquid vitamin is already in liquid form – so it does not have to be broken down by the body to be digested. This makes a liquid dietary supplement much more absorbable. So basically, a liquid delivery system allows immediate absorption by the body.
#3. Liquid supplements allow a higher concentration of nutrients
For example, for about 30,000 mg of nutrients available in a liquid supplement, and a tablet that has 500 mg or 1000 mg:
A person would need to take 60 tablets or gel capsules with a dose of 500 mg to equal a dose of a liquid supplement. The available active ingredients can be much higher in a liquid solution.
#4. Liquid supplements are healthier and easier to take.
Chewables can be fun. But that’s exactly what it is. They’re just as fun as candy, but they’re not as good for nutrition. This is because they often have flavor enhancers, chemicals, much higher calories and added sugar.
But what about liquid vitamins compared to pills?
Liquid vitamins are much easier to take. Most people would not be willing to swallow 60 capsules or tablets just to get the same nutrients available in a single dose of liquid.
And, a serving of liquidfood supplementsmeans only a few spoons. Added to your favorite juice, they offer a good step into your day.
#5. Liquid vitamins are easier to digest and ensure immediate use by the body.
The absorption rate of liquid vitamins is known to be around 98%, but other forms of supplements must be digested before their nutrients are available.
Even then, only a much smaller percentage can be absorbed. There is no casing or fillers in a liquid vitamin for the body to deal with – only pure nutrients that can be used immediately.
So, in the end, liquid food supplements are synergistically combined with fresh, usable nutrients.
Capsules or tablets can get stuck in the throat; swallowing a handful of soft capsules is uncomfortable, and fighting the extra calories or added sugars in chewables is not an option for many people.
With the advantage of liquid, you will get a bioavailability rich in nutrients, extremely efficient, which produces the desired results.
“Solid” information about the various forms of nutritional supplements
We are mostly familiar with supplements in solid form, but as the market evolves, so does the science behind the supplement industry – it has been concluded that more needs can be met and more people can be helped if offered as many options as possible in terms of consumption.
Not everyone can swallow a pill, for example. Pill companies targeting ailments such as headaches and allergy relief have learned that they can turn to more forms of fast-acting agents – this is how, for example, tasty chewable tablets for children appeared.
Capsules are a variant of solid pills. In a sense, capsules and soft gels were essentially the predecessors of modern liquid supplements – they were scientifically designed to make taking medicine easier and more effective.
In capsules, a two-part gelatin film incorporates either powder or, in the case of soft gels, liquids or oils (such as fish oil pills). Gelatin is a protein obtained from animal products. A non-gelatin shell is offered for the capsules for those who do not want to consume animal by-products, but they are less common and require a bit of searching in stores.
Capsules are a little smoother and usually easier to swallow than a typical pill. Also, since the capsules usually contain powders, you can split the capsule and take only a smaller amount if you want, or you can mix it into your food or drink.
However, space is limited in capsules and they cannot provide a pure amount of nutrients that can be dissolved in a liquid.
Capsules tend to cost more than the typical pill. Covering a capsule adds cost to the manufacturer, and since the contents of a capsule are not perfectly sealed (unless more money is spent), the shelf life of these pills tends to be even shorter.
There are benefits that capsules have over tablets/tablets – they are easier to swallow and can be made to act instantly or to act with a delay – but tablets are compressed powders that can encapsulate more beneficial substances in pill form than capsules that I usually have a loose powder.
And most solid supplements must be made to be bioavailable by including agents that help break down the substances into an absorbable form – but this takes up limited space in the pill and adds cost to manufacturers.
This is something liquid supplements can avoid altogether. And tablets can essentially get rid of this, because they are so efficient with space, that they can include these agents without sacrificing a lot of space dedicated to beneficial substances.
But, because the loose content is not so well packed, the capsules use much less space in their case and must at the same time use precious space for these additives.
And then there are soft gels; another form of pills in the form of capsules, with the exception of those containing liquids or oils. Their lifespan is better than the capsules because they are completely sealed. But you have no control over how much you take in the case of a soft gel – a soft gel is meant to be taken only at once.
Conclusion
Who knows… You may have already tried the right supplement for your body, but never experienced the positive effects because the absorption was so inefficient.
There are so many options available for consumers looking for different things. Do your research and find out what is right for your body.
You may find that pills and solid forms of supplements work for you, but liquid supplements may provide the effects you’ve been looking for…
… People with digestive problems should probably use liquid supplements, because they are the easiest to absorb/digest, for example.
Liquid supplements usually need to be refrigerated to stay fresh, and sometimes the beneficial contents can settle to the bottom of the bottle (but this is easily remedied with a quick shake of the bottle).
If you take capsules or other solid supplements – try to experience the same supplements, but in liquid form, and see how the difference feels for you.
