No matter how good your intentions may be, even the best-laid plans to improve your health can be undermined if your supplements' quality and delivery method don't match your body's needs.
While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to supplementation, liquid vitamins and supplements lend themselves to optimal nutrient absorption, offer an easy way to increase dosages to a beneficial level, and can be perfect for kids or anyone else who has trouble swallowing pills and capsules.
Liquid vitamins and other supplements are just as they sound: nutraceuticals that come in liquid form and are taken using a dropper, small cup, or shot glass. When comparing liquid vitamins to pills, one is not necessarily better or worse than the other—their benefit simply depends on a person’s specific and unique biochemistry.
Nutrients delivered in liquid are usually either liposomal, water, or alcohol-based. Liposomal delivery offers an excellent option for nutrients with a reputation for being difficult—such as vitamin C—as well as nutrients that need to bypass the primary stages of metabolism. Herbs are often delivered in an alcohol-based solution (although water is also used). Alcohol is a powerful solvent that extracts herbal compounds and active ingredients, such as essential oils, resins, and alkaloids. Alcohol also works as a natural preservative and is quickly absorbed.[1]
Regardless of the specific formulation of liquid supplements, they all offer unique benefits when compared to pills, capsules, or tablets.
Liquid supplements can be a great choice for children for two reasons: dosage can be more carefully monitored and controlled, and most children aren’t keen on swallowing pills. High-quality children’s supplements are usually flavored with monk fruit, stevia, or other safe, natural sweeteners that make them kid-friendly. Many supplements for kids come in gummy form, which is also less bioavailable and usually much higher in sugar and additives.
Because they don’t need to be actively broken down (unlike pills, capsules, or tablets), liquid vitamins are usually more bioavailable. As such, they are ideal for people with digestive issues, though they are more easily absorbed by everyone. Since they come into contact with stomach acid more freely, the absorption of nutrients in liquid form is often superior.
Pills and tablets come with bonding agents, stabilizers, and fillers that give them structure, stability, and a longer shelf life than liquid supplements. However, these additives sometimes lead to decreased bioavailability. The quality and sources of these additives must also be called into question and purchased from a reliable and professional supplement manufacturer.
Liquid vitamins naturally lend themselves to situations where high dosing is required, such as boosting nutrient levels to optimal levels when someone needs additional support. To reach high dosing with pills and tablets can be difficult, as no one wants to take twenty pills per day. A liquid vitamin achieves the same dosing much more efficiently and comfortably. Patient compliance also increases, as people are far more likely to remember fewer doses of a liquid supplement than multiple doses of pills.
Kids aren’t the only ones who don’t like swallowing pills. Sometimes adults dislike swallowing pills, tablets, and capsules or have a medical condition that makes it difficult. Anyone with an issue swallowing pills is a perfect candidate for liquid vitamins.
Different nutrients are best administered in certain liquid supplement preparations. Along with the considerations mentioned above, keep the following in mind when it comes to specific nutritional supplements:
Nutrients perfectly suited for liposomal delivery include glutathione for immune support, vitamins C, A, D, K, sulforaphane, coenzyme Q10, melatonin, elderberry, and others.* Liposomal liquid preparations protect these nutrients against the harsh environment of the GI tract, increase oral uptake in the mouth, and increase uptake into cells.[2]
Non-liposomal liquid vitamins, like liquid vitamin A, are also excellent for those with nutrient absorption issues or any gastrointestinal-related issues. Interestingly, some experts think that the simple chemistry of tasting your supplement versus swallowing it could help. The act of tasting supports better ingestion and activation of nutrient pathways, helping the nutrient arrive at its’ target destination in the body.
Herbal preparations in liquid form are either alcohol or water-based. Alcohol is optimal for most herbs as it is easily absorbed, and water-based preparations are used for children and those not able to consume even small amounts of alcohol.
There are no contraindications to liquid vitamins, but there are instances when pill form is better. For example, a slower absorption rate is sometimes better, especially with zinc, magnesium, and B vitamins. In any situation when the gut microbiome will benefit from slower versus quicker absorption, pill or tablet supplements could be superior to liquid. Lastly, some people might experience loose stools or unpleasant digestive issues with liquid vitamins, in which case pills might be best.
Liquid vitamins can be an ideal supplement delivery form for many nutrients, depending on your unique biochemistry, goals of supplementation, and the nutrients being supplemented. Liquid supplements come in liposomal, alcohol, and water-based preparations, all of which provide unique benefits and advantages, depending on the situation and the individual.
[1] Shade C. W. (2016). Liposomes as Advanced Delivery Systems for Nutraceuticals. Integrative medicine (Encinitas, Calif.), 15(1), 33–36.
[2] Allen TM, Cullis PR. Liposomal drug delivery systems: from concept to clinical applications. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2013 Jan;65(1):36-48. doi: 10.1016/j.addr.2012.09.037. Epub 2012 Oct 1. PMID: 23036225.