Choosing between liquid vs pill vs gummy supplements

Does how you take your supplement matter? Do liquids have better absorption? Can gummies be as effective as traditional supplements?

We've been responding to the liquid vs pill debate for decades, and now with gummies being offered by premium supplement brands, it's time for an update.

Liquids

Often viewed as the best choice for absorption, but is this true? An important distinction here is that liquids typically offer faster absorption, not necessarily better absorption. This is because they don't require the initial breakdown that a pill might, making them available to be absorbed sooner. However, breakdown is a separate factor from absorption and does not automatically mean that a greater amount of the ingredient will be absorbed. The formulation, quality, stability and other factors can influence actual absorption. Specifically, if we have a poor absorbing form of an ingredient, putting it in liquid does not change that it's a poorly absorbed form.

It's important to note that individuals needs can shift the balance here, such as those with unique digestive disorders or those having undergone bariatric surgery or similar. As these individuals may struggle with the initial breakdown phase of digestion, liquids may be especially valuable in supporting absorption.

One of the other strengths of a liquid formula is the ability to easily adjust the dose, allowing you to start with low doses or otherwise tailor the exact dose to your needs. This convenience can be offset by possibly requiring refrigeration, taste issues, added sweeteners and/or other non-active ingredients, and often, greater cost (the cost of shipping liquids alone can drive up their price). Powders can be a great alternative here as they're often less expensive, typically shelf stable and are effectively liquid supplements once mixed.

Pills

The most popular category of supplements, including capsules, tablets and soft gels. The strengths here generally include: lower cost, more choices, travel friendly, free of sweeteners, greater stability and a longer shelf life after opening. The elephant in the room here is that older, poor quality tablets had a reputation of not breaking down during the initial phase of digestion. This resulted in limited absorption and it's easy to see why alternatives such as liquids would be desirable. However, modern supplements from high quality brands do not suffer from this issue and reliably breakdown to support good absorption.

Even still, the size of some pills can be a challenge for some to swallow, as can the sheer number of pills sometimes recommended.

Gummies

Here at HealthWay, we were admittedly slow to warm up to gummy supplements. However, the quality of the available products has changed, as has our perspective.

In the last five years we've seen major improvements in the gummy category, often from top brands creating high quality gummy products. This has also brought lower sugar, food-based coloring agents and more potent formulas. We still have reservations about the sugar/sweetener content, overall potency and it is still common that gummy supplements are more expensive per serving than their pill and liquid counterparts. As with any supplement, prioritizing quality first will get you far in finding a gummy worthy of supporting your health.

The shift in our perspective recognizes that when it comes to making a positive change, committing to the healthy habit and becoming consistent is king. We can debate gummy vs pill vs liquid all day, but if you're not consistently using your supplement, we're misplacing our focus. For many of our customers, a gummy offers a low barrier to building a routine, and so often that's the most difficult step. After being successful at integrating a new supplement into your life is a great time to revisit the details and see if switching to a pill or liquid is right for you.

So which is best? The answer will always be a good quality product that matches your needs well. We recommend starting with a trusted manufacturer and retailer, prioritizing quality and giving attention to the specific form of the ingredient. Take time to think about which option you're most likely to be consistent with. Success is defined here as forward progress. Your goal is to make that next step as easy as possible to start and stick with. By beginning with trusted sellers, quality products and simple goals, you're well on your way to achieving better health!

We hope you've enjoyed this article, and we invite you to check out our other blog articles and Youtube videos for more educational content. Remember to always discuss changes in your health practices with your physician and keep them informed of your supplement use.

Check out our video on this subject: