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Multi-Vitamins in Gel Caps

Taking your daily vitamins can be a chore; they're a dry mass of a variety of ingredients that don't go down the throat so easily. Some of them don't even taste good. However, multivitamins in gel caps are an alternative to other forms such as tablets and caplets.

  1. The Nature and Kinds of Multivitamins in Gel Caps

    • Multivitamins in gel caps or multivitamin gel capsules are capsules made out of gelatin, filled with a variety of vitamins and minerals in a liquid medium or in the form of a powder. There are two main types of multivitamin gel capsules, according to the consistency of the capsule: hard gelatin capsules or hardgel and soft gelatin capsules, or softgel. Gel capsules remove the risk of modifying the release characteristics of vitamins and minerals associated with compression of the ingredients, as found in the production of tablets.

    People Who Need Multivitamins in Gel Caps

    • Individuals who eat a wide variety of foods including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat and legumes do not need to take additional supplements. However, people who could not eat enough healthy foods are at risk of nutritional deficiency and should take multivitamins in gel caps. These include vegans, pregnant women or women trying to get pregnant, individuals with medical conditions that affect food absorption (chronic diarrhea, food allergies, intolerance to certain foods), or simply those individuals who do not eat well.

    Advantages of Multivitamin Gel Capsules

    • Multivitamin gel capsules improves the bioavailability of poorly-absorbed vitamins and minerals, meaning these nutrients are absorbed by the body more effectively. Each gel capsule is airtight and protects the vitamins and the oily vehicle in which they are dissolved from exposure to oxygen, which can cause oily substances to become rancid. People with dietary restrictions (for religious or health reasons) can split hard gelatin capsules and mix the contents with juice or any other drink.

    Disadvantages of Multivitamin Gel Capsules

    • The capsule that contains the vitamins and minerals is made of gelatin usually from animals sources such as beef or pork cartilage; therefore, vegans or those who are of Muslim or Jewish faith cannot consume them. People who have developed allergic reactions to gelatin also cannot take multivitamins in gel caps. Hard gelatin capsules tend to be brittle, and the seam in the middle can break, causing its contents to leak out.

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