Does it make a huge difference? Are there some medicines that need to be ingested in tablet form and others as powders in capsules for them to work effectively?
In: Chemistry
Hold them in your mouth. The tablet will dissolve immediately, the capsules will gum up first. Some are to be easier to swallow (old people and kids don’t do well with dissolving tablets in their throats.) A few capusles are just empty, with the tablet stuck right in there.
Some medications are fine to hit all at once, when others can or should be released more slowly. Some of it is for timed release over a few hours, some are to protect the stomach lining or your vomit reflex.
I’m wondering this myself, also with gel caps and gummies. Also wondering why more medicines are not available in liquid form.
Some medications (especially ones for your gut) need to be able to survive the acid of your stomach, so they have to be in a capsule or the active ingredients would be dissolved by your stomach acid.
Pills usually the dosage is higher and taking a bit more or less isn’t an issue.
Capsules are usually where a few milligrams can make a difference so they need to make sure the exact dosage is administered.
It depends on the drug and how the doctor/pharmacist want it to be taken. Sometimes it comes down to the way the manufacturer made it first and continues to make it.
The benefits of a tablet are longer shelf life, its easy to split (you can cut it in half), it can accommodate higher doses than a capsule, and it can come in immediate release, delayed release and extended release versions.
Capsules are generally faster acting and generally have higher drug absorption. There are less issues with flavor and GI side effects. They are also generally tamper resistant (you can’t cut it into pieces and take 1/2 doses).
The form can affect absorption rates and stability, with capsules often protecting sensitive ingredients from stomach acid.
The form of a pill can affect how quickly the medicine is absorbed and where it releases the active ingredients in your body.
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