Multivitamins are a safe and effective way to give your body a nutritional boost that helps fill in any gaps that have formed in your typical diet. Although the goal should always be to gain as many of the daily essential nutrients as you can from the food you eat, unplanned meals or low quality ingredients can interrupt your nutrition, making multivitamins an excellent fallback to ensure your body always has enough of the vitamins and minerals it needs. 

Most multivitamins will contain similar ingredients, including the 13 essential vitamins and a variety of minerals like zinc, selenium, and calcium. But, what you may not realize is that there are several different methods for consuming these nutrients, which means you have to make a choice when selecting your multivitamin. Three of the most common forms of multivitamins are pills, gummies, and liquids. Though they each may have their own advantages depending on your situation, we believe that a liquid multivitamin is a better option than its competing pill and gummy counterparts for two major reasons: absorption and convenience. Read on to learn more about how liquid multivitamins differ from pills and chewables and why they may be a good choice for you and your loved ones.

Better Absorption

Solid supplements like pills and chewables have been the standard in multivitamins for many years, but that does not necessarily mean that they are the best option. Though they may be the right fit for some, most people will likely benefit more from taking their multivitamin in a liquid format as opposed to solid. Both options normally contain similar ingredients in similar amounts. However, the nutrients in a solid supplement are locked inside a barrier that must first be digested before your body can even begin the process of absorbing the micronutrients it contains. This extra step of digestion greatly slows down the process, sometimes causing all or part of your dosage to exit your body before it has been fully absorbed (1). Liquid multivitamins, on the other hand, circumvent this problem entirely. The nutrients inside a liquid multivitamin are already present in their liquid forms, as indicated by its name, meaning that absorption can begin right away and occurs much faster and more efficiently as compared to solid supplements.

Additionally, taking your liquid multivitamin sublingually may result in even more efficient absorption than swallowing it as you typically would. Sublingual consumption involves placing your supplement dosage directly beneath your tongue to be absorbed. Studies have shown that this type of sublingual absorption may be a more direct way to ensure your body absorbs the entire dosage every time (2). Keep in mind, however, that not all multivitamins are designed to be taken sublingually, and you should always follow the instructions on the label or from your physician.

Convenience

Something that may have stopped you from taking a multivitamin over the years is inconvenience. Pills and chewable vitamins are inconvenient in a number of ways, especially for those who have very young or older family members. First of all, that old cliché was right in stating that pills are often hard to swallow. In fact, 15 million adult Americans suffer from dysphagia, a condition that makes swallowing more difficult, especially when it comes to capsules (3). This is particularly true of seniors, who experience dysphagia at an even higher rate than younger adults. If you or your loved ones have difficulty swallowing, then a liquid multivitamin may be a great solution for you,

Taste is also a major aspect of supplements that puts people off. Chewable vitamins may leave a mineral-y taste in your mouth, making them unpleasant or even impossible to take if you have a sensitive stomach. Not to mention, picky eaters like children and teens will likely turn their noses up entirely when confronted with a bad-tasting supplement that they have to take regularly. Many liquid multivitamins solve this problem in one of two ways: by having a pleasant, natural flavor or by being largely tasteless. Liquid vitamins can even be added to a picky eater’s favorite drink in order to avoid any fuss and hassle. 

Also, since liquid multivitamins usually contain only the concentrated vitamins and minerals in their liquid forms, you can have peace of mind knowing that there are no additional filler ingredients and sugars being added to your supplement, as in the case of many pills, capsules, and gummies. Therefore, for the sake of convenience and peace of mind, liquid multivitamins are a great way to boost the health of the whole family.

Resources

1. Giampapa, Vincent. “The Pro’s and Con’s of Liquid Vitamins for Adults.” healthycell, 21 June 2021, https://www.healthycell.com/blogs/articles/liquid-multivitamins-for-adults. 
2. Narang, Neha & Jyoti Sharma. “Sublingual Mucosa as a Route for Systemic Drug Delivery.” International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2011, https://innovareacademics.in/journal/ijpps/Vol3Suppl2/1092.pdf.
3. “Deciphering Dysphagia.” National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders, 28 September 2016, https://swallowingdisorderfoundation.com/deciphering-dysphagia.