You probably know by now that taking a supplement isn’t the most effective way to get your daily intake of vitamins. But what you may not know is that you can actually take them in the form of a chewable tablet or capsule. You see, not everyone can take supplements with added binders like creatine and guar gum. However, many people can swallow regular pills or tablets just fine. It’s only when someone needs to get their daily dose of vitamins without worrying about stomach upset that they need a supplement. So, are chewable vitamin tablets safe? The good news is that there aren’t any medical studies on the effectiveness of this method yet, but it seems to be safe for most people (at least compared to swallowing tablets). Read on to find out more!
Can You Swallow Chewable Vitamins?
You may want to swallow your vitamins, but there are some things you should not do with them. You should not give chewable pills to children under 6 months old unless the doctor says so. Also, you should know that the vitamins in chewable pills are very difficult for the body to digest. This means that they can end up in your bloodstream and cause side effects.
What are Chewable Vitamins?
- Chewable vitamins are tablets that are made to dissolve in your mouth. They are a new way of getting vitamins into your body and they can be taken by both children and adults.
- People who take chewable vitamins feel that the pills help them absorb more of the vitamins they need better than when they take them in pill form. Many people do not like swallowing pills and can’t stomach tablets, so chewable vitamins give them a way to get their daily dose without it going down the wrong pipe or being digested wrong.
- There is no research yet on chewable vitamin safety, but so far it seems safe for most people to swallow the pills more easily than swallowing a tablet. However, it is important to note that there may be some people who cannot swallow pills at all and should not try these tablets as well because of possible problems with swallowing or side effects from the binders used in making them.
- Chewable tablets work by dissolving in your mouth when you bite into them. You will notice this because the tablet will start to dissolve before you even swallow it! Once you swallow the tablet, the vitamins will pass through your digestive system into your bloodstream where they will be absorbed into your body tissues. The problem with this method is that if you don’t swallow the tablet quickly enough, it can get stuck in your throat. Your body will begin to absorb the vitamins, just as if you had swallowed the whole pill.
How do you swallow chewable vitamins?
- The first step is to take a tablet and break it in half. (The size of the tablet is up to you, but you should break it up into smaller pieces so that it can dissolve faster if it gets stuck.)
- Place a piece of food (like honey or peanut butter) on your tongue as if you were trying to swallow candy.
- Now, quickly push the whole piece of food in your mouth and down your throat. If you do this quickly enough, the pill will dissolve in your mouth before the food reaches your throat, and the pill will be swallowed with it!
- Do not chew the tablet! Just swallow as soon as possible after doing this exercise. You should be able to feel that there is something in your mouth (like a piece of gum or candy), but don’t worry about it- just swallow!
- If you do the exercise correctly, the food will travel down your throat and you should feel nothing in your mouth after you swallow.
- Repeat with the other half of the tablet (break it into smaller pieces so that it is easier to swallow). To get a chewable vitamin pill to dissolve in your mouth, try putting a piece of fruit on your tongue as if you were swallowing candy!
Should you take a supplement with a chewy tablet?
- If you have trouble swallowing pills, try a different type of pill. For example, some people find that a tablet-like Chapstick works better for them than other tablets or capsules. Or chewable vitamins are especially recommended for children who might swallow pills or crumbs easily.
- If you are very sick with a cold or other illness, talk to your physician before taking a vitamin supplement (such as chewable vitamins) that may be hard on your throat. He/she can adjust the dose so that it is suitable for your illness to prevent any problems from occurring.
- Or, be sure to talk to your doctor if you are taking additional medications, such as a diuretic or anti-epileptic drug (such as phenobarbital).
- If you do not have a cold or other illness and take chewable vitamins, try not to drink too much liquid. Liquids can make the tablet hard to swallow. Try eating something with your vitamins or drinking just a few sips of water before swallowing the tablet with food.
- As for “hard” vitamin pills or tablets, it is best that you start by breaking them into small pieces and try putting them in your mouth one at a time. That often works best for people who cannot swallow pills intact unless they chew them (a few minutes of chewing is usually required to get the pill down).
- Also, make sure that you are not swallowing air while chewing these tablets. If they start to get stuck in your throat, it can be hard to swallow the rest of the pill because there is no room in your mouth!
- And if you find that such pills sometimes get stuck in your throat and need help getting down, consider taking a different type of pill instead (such as soft gelcap capsules). Soft gelcaps are easier for some people to swallow than hard chewable tablets (as long as they don’t dissolve completely in water before being swallowed!).
- Whenever you are taking supplements, eat a healthy and balanced diet. Most vitamin supplements are not enough to provide your body with all the nutrients it needs. The better your diet, the better the results from taking any supplements.
- The amount (or a number of tablets) that you should be taking for one day varies for each individual. They are usually recommended for children younger than 4 years old, pregnant women, and those who might have difficulty swallowing pills (such as by having dental issues). Also, consider how many milligrams of each supplement you need to take in order to get the recommended daily amount (RDA).
- Vitamin C is often recommended because it is needed to help fight colds and flu. Each tablet can help improve your immune system so that you stay healthy longer when your immune system is working best!
The Bottom Line
Chewable vitamins are a great way to get your daily dose of vitamins. They are easy to take, don’t require a mouth swab, and come in tablet or capsule form. Furthermore, they can be added to any diet. Although there aren’t any medical studies on the effectiveness of this method yet, it seems to be safe for most people (at least compared to swallowing tablets). Read on to find out more!
