I remember back as a kid when my daily vitamin regiment consisted of a chewable multi and maybe a vitamin C pill when inflicted with the flu or cold. Today I see people roaming the long aisle of vitamins, supplements, minerals, and herbs, not only contemplating the abundant options to add to their daily intake but also the dosage and which of the extensive number of brands to choose from. But wait! What about which form of a vitamin to take: pill…or sublingual?
Newer to the vitamin world, sublingual supplements, in either liquid or tablet form, are made to be consumed by placing them under your tongue for absorption through the mucosal membrane that lines your mouth. In my years as a pharmacist, I’ve learned two important truths—people cant’s stand taking pills and they often don’t realize there may be a simple alternative available. With that in mind, here are five reasons why you should be taking a serious look at replacing your pill form vitamins, medications and supplements with the sublingual form:
- Better absorbency – We now know that there are different factors that affect vitamin and mineral absorbency. Some minerals are best absorbed when accompanied by other vitamins such as calcium aided by vitamins A and D. Some supplements are best absorbed when taken with food. But sublingual vitamins are altogether more effective than those that come in pill form due to a superior absorption rate into the body in terms of both speed and efficacy. The Mayo Clinic reports that an inability to absorb vitamin B12 from the intestinal tract can cause a type of anemia called pernicious anemia.
- Faster results – The effects of sublingual vitamins are felt more quickly and more completely due to the liquid being absorbed immediately into the bloodstream through the mucus in the mouth rather than having to be processed through digestion first. In fact, due to a decreased absorption rate, the critical vitamins contained in pill-form supplements are often flushed out of the body through urine.
- More desirable consumption – Sublingual supplements offer a pleasant alternative to pill-form vitamins both in terms of taste and ease of consumption. The most common question I have been asked as a pharmacist has been related to the size of the pills the patients are taking—not their side effects, instructions for when or how to take them, the length of time they are to take the pills or anything else that might be deemed more medically relevant.
