Are Soft Gels Better Than Tablets?

Dietary supplements and oral medications come in capsule or tablet formulations and deliver an active ingredient to your digestive tract for a specific reason. Capsules and tablets have similarities and differences, and consequently advantages and disadvantages. Depending on your needs, one format may be better suited for you than the other. Take a look at the pros and cons of softgels and tablets to determine which is right for you.

What Are Softgels?

Capsules contain medication that's enclosed in an outer shell that breaks down in the digestive tract. Once the shell dissolves, the liquid medication is absorbed into the bloodstream. Capsules come in two forms, hard gelatin and softgel capsules. Soft gelatin capsules are an antioxidant material that gives the contents a long shelf life.

What are the pros and cons of softgel capsules?

Softgel capsules are flexible and easier to swallow than hard-shelled capsules or tablets.

Softgel capsule pros:

Fast-acting: softgel capsules break down quickly in the digestive tract and offer fast relief from symptoms.

Tasteless: since the medication is contained within a shell, capsules tend not to smell or taste unpleasant.

Tamper-resistant: softgel capsules are not easy to cut in half or crush, making it more likely they will be taken as directed.

Higher drug absorption: they have higher bioavailability than tablets, meaning more of the drug will likely enter your bloodstream.

Softgel capsule cons:

Less durable: softgel capsules may react to environmental conditions, like relative humidity, and tend to be less stable compared to tablets.

Shorter shelf life: softgels expire more quickly than tablets.

More expensive: the liquids in softgel capsules are typically more expensive to manufacture than tablets.

May contain animal products: soft capsules aren't vegetarian or vegan-friendly, as they usually contain gelatin from pigs, cows, or fish.

Lower doses: softgel capsules can only hold so much medication, meaning you may need to consume more capsules to get the same dosage found in a tablet.

You need a reliable softgel manufacturer that can deliver a high-quality dietary supplement made with your unique formulation. When it comes to soft gel capsule manufacturers, look no further than Makers Nutrition. Their softgel manufacturing service allows you to customize your softgel supplement, including formulation, fill material, pricing, labeling, and packaging.

Softgels comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and shell colors. The encapsulation can be transparent, opaque, or two-color, have an enteric coating or scented coating to mask the taste of fish oil and other omega-3 oils, and have oval or oblong shapes. Makers Nutrition's manufacturing process takes place in a cGMP compliant facility regulated by the FDA. This ensures that your unique supplement is high-quality and safe to market.

What Are Tablets?

Tablets are the most common type of pill and are an effective way to deliver oral medication. One or more powdered ingredients are compressed to form a hard, solid pill that is either coated or uncoated. Tablets are a more nutrient-dense product compared to softgel capsules.

What are the pros and cons of tablets?

Tablets come in different shapes which can be easy to swallow and usually contain additives that help bind the pill and improve its taste, texture, and appearance. They can be slow-dissolving, chewable, or orally dissolving.

Tablet pros:

Inexpensive: tablets are cheaper to manufacture than softgel capsules, making them more affordable for consumers.

Durable and long-lasting: compared to softgel capsules, tablets are more stable and have a longer shelf life.

Higher dosages: one tablet can hold a higher dosage of an active ingredient than one softgel capsule.

Can be split: tablets can be cut in half and often have a line in the middle of the pill.

Chewable: tablets come in both chewable and orally-dissolving forms.

Variable delivery: tablets can be quick release, delayed-release, or extended-release forms.

Tablet cons:

Slower acting: tablets take longer to break down in the digestive tract than softgel capsules, so they may take longer to take effect.

Uneven disintegration: tablets don't break down and release the active ingredient evenly, which decreases the active ingredient's effectiveness.

Less palatable: not all tablets are made with a flavored coating and leave an unpleasant aftertaste once taken.

When in doubt, consult your doctor.

When it comes to questions about medicine and effectiveness, medical professionals know best. Consult with your doctor or find expert advice from a medical professional about which pill form is best for you. Many doctors like Dr. Bernadett have years of medical expertise that they share through blogs, articles, symposiums, and philanthropic work.

Dr. Faustino Bernadett, MD, is a Michigan native who studied at UCLA and is licensed to practice medicine in California. The Regents Scholar completed an anesthesiologist residency and an internship in surgery, giving him plenty of expertise in the pharmaceutical industry. He's a member of the American Medical Association, American Board of Anesthesiology, the American Board of Pain Management, and the president of Pacific Hospital in Long Beach. Faustino Bernadett has earned many accolades and honors throughout his three-decade-long career. The retired physician and public servant is in philanthropy, public service, and writes blog articles about health care.

Now that you know the difference between softgel capsules and tablets, you can choose the oral medication format that's best for you.