Supplements are a useful way of obtaining nutrients that may be missing or that which are not normally present in the diet. Supplements come in a number of forms including powders, capsules, liquids and tablets. Tablets are perhaps the most common form of supplement and most vitamins and minerals are available in this form. While potentially useful, care needs to be taken when choosing a supplement as the presence of the tablet in the gastrointestinal tract does not mean that the nutrients contained within will be absorbed. One problem with tablets is that they are often highly compressed, and this compaction means they may not effectively break down in the gut to allow absorption to occur. Chewing the tablet can get around this, but this is not always possible as some nutrients have bitter taste and some tablet ingredients can stick to the teeth. One rule of thumb is to put the tablet in question in a glass of water. If it starts to break apart within a few minutes it is likely that the contents will be released for absorption effectively in the gut.
Eat Well, Stay Healthy, Protect Yourself
RdB
