The Questions not worth their own thread thread VII

[snakeseare]

I think I may have asked this here before, I can't remember the answer though and don't feel like searching for it.

My question: Can you bite into the dietary supplement capsules, multivitamin tablets, etc. with no bad effects? Or do you have to swallow them?

I mean I guess swallowing the tablets/capsules would ensure the vast majority of nutrient/supplement would be absorbed in the stomach, but does it matter necessarily where it is broken down/absorbed?

No ill effects other than taste. And in fact you may get more of the contents if you chew them up. Absorption of anything starts in the mouth, and continues throughout the digestive system. The stomach itself isn't really an absorption site, but more of a "kettle" where what you eat gets broken down so it can be absorbed in the intestines. That's the function of stomach acid, which is HCl, Hydrochloric acid, if I recall correctly.

The gelatin casing of a capsule is mainly designed to get the pill to your stomach without you having to taste the contents. If you happen to like the taste, knock yourself out.

Most experts agree that vitamin pills just ensure that Americans have the most expensive urine in the world. I still take one or two a week. Men: Get a vitamin without iron. Reduces the risk of heart attack. (Anemic men of course excepted.)

 

[Cutlass]

I think I may have asked this here before, I can't remember the answer though and don't feel like searching for it.

My question: Can you bite into the dietary supplement capsules, multivitamin tablets, etc. with no bad effects? Or do you have to swallow them?

I mean I guess swallowing the tablets/capsules would ensure the vast majority of nutrient/supplement would be absorbed in the stomach, but does it matter necessarily where it is broken down/absorbed?

If the directions do not tell you to chew it, I wouldn't. It won't harm you, but it's unlikely to be a chewable texture (too hard) and if they aren't flavored they probably taste like hell.

 

[Bill3000]

New thread?