Natural Supplements :: Food and Nutrition

Natural Supplements
by author Jean-Yves Dionne, BSc Pharm

When you take a drug or natural supplement, you sometimes have the choice of the form. Should you take a solid (capsule, tablet, etc.) or a liquid?

Solid Versus Liquid Preparations

Solid preparations have become the mainstay in both the health supplement and the pharmaceutical industries. They offer a precise dosage, are stable, easy to carry and practical. Also, contrary to the liquid form, tablets are safe from contamination (bacteria or fungi). Liquids need to have additives and preservatives to keep free from unwanted growths. Even herbal tinctures have preservatives (alcohol). Solid preparations also keep longer than liquid ones. In solution, many active substances oxidize and degrade. But, because solid preparations are kept dry until swallowed, degradation is kept to a minimum.

On the other hand, liquids have very good advantages. They are better and faster absorbed. Their bioavailability (amount usable by the body) is improved because the active ingredients are already in solution. This is especially true for minerals such as calcium that are generally poorly absorbed. Also, many people just can’t swallow tablets. Children and elderly people are known to have difficulties swallowing but more adults than expected also have a hard time with tablets. I, for one, sometimes get a small tablet stuck in the back of my throat. Nasty feeling…

The Best of Both Worlds

Effervescent preparations are not very popular in Canada (people over 30 know about “Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz,” but that’s about it). Oddly enough, they are a number-one seller in Europe for many drugs and natural supplements. But what are effervescent preparations, really?

Effervescent tablets (or granules) are a dry product that releases carbon dioxide (CO₂) when in contact with water. This gas breaks down the tablet and increases the speed of dissolution. So, about one minute later, you get a liquid medication. Some people think that effervescent preparations are not natural because of the ingredients required to make the bubbles. These excipients are really no big deal. All that is needed is an acid such as citric acid (from citrus fruits) or tartaric acid (cream of tartar, baking powder) and an alkali such as calcium carbonate (oyster shells) or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). Together, these substances react in water and produce the CO₂ needed for the effervescent effect. Quite natural isn’t it?

Effervescent preparations really combine the best of both worlds. For example, calcium becomes a citrate in solution. We know for a fact that liquid calcium citrate is one of the best-absorbed forms of calcium. So, with effervescent formulas, you get all the advantages of solids (convenience, precision, conservation, no preservatives) and all the advantages of liquids (easy to swallow, better absorption) in the same preparation.

Jean-Yves Dionne BSc Pharm can be reached at Lâ€™Apothicaire-Consultant (The Apothecary-Consultant) 4107, rue de la Terrasse des Chutes Rawdon, QC Canada, J0K 1S0. Phone: 450-834-7285 Fax : 450-834-1540

Source: alive #231, January 2002

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