According to the CDC, about 58% of adults over the age of 20 take a dietary supplement (1). The use of supplements increases with age and is the highest among women 60 years and older (1). With that many people relying on supplements to address a deficiency or support health, access to high-quality products, like multivitamins, is essential.
The type of vitamin you take is important, but the form in which it is delivered is also something important to consider. Vitamins come in various forms, including capsules, tablets, gummies, and powders. Liquid vitamins are also available and offer many advantages compared to other forms.
Let’s dig into the details and learn more about liquid vitamins, their benefits, and where to purchase them.
Who can benefit from vitamins?
The first reason to take vitamins is to get enough of certain micronutrients. Indeed, it can be challenging to get enough of some vitamins through food sources alone, like vitamin D and vitamin E (2). Vitamin E deficiency can result in nerve and muscle damage, and vitamin D insufficiency leads to weak bone and low immune function (3, 4). Taking supplements with those vitamins can help avoid deficiencies and prevent the health problems mentioned above.
Some conditions also put you at higher risk of nutritional deficiencies, in which case a vitamin supplement can be beneficial. For example, pregnant individuals need higher folate levels than the general population to support the healthy development of the fetus (2). Older individuals also need to consume more B12 since they have more trouble absorbing it (2).
Your health professional may recommend you take vitamins if you have one of the medical conditions that impair digestion and the ability to absorb nutrients. These include, but at not limited to, gastric bypass surgery, celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and cystic fibrosis (2). Your doctor may also suggest supplementing if you take a medication that reduces the absorption of some vitamins, like diuretics.
Finally, you may decide to take a vitamin supplement to support your overall health if, for whatever reason, you struggle to eat a balanced diet.
What are Liquid Vitamins?
Liquid vitamins are a convenient and safe way to deliver supplements to your body. You can either take it directly by mouth or add the liquid drops to water or your favorite drink (cool, not warm).
The Benefits of Liquid Vitamins
Safety is the first benefit of liquid vitamins. Pills, tablets, and capsules can be hard to swallow and represent a choking hazard for some. You do not have to worry about those risks with liquid supplements as they can easily be swallowed and cannot obstruct the airway.
Some people are afraid to swallow capsules or tablets, a common condition called pill-phobia. Some even skip the daily vitamins they need because they cannot bring themselves to take the supplement. If you have pill-phobia, liquid vitamins are perfect for you. You won't have to worry about taking tablets, which will help you stay on track with your supplement regimen.
Liquid vitamins also have better bioavailability, meaning the body absorbs them better. Let's take the example of a tablet vitamin. Your body has to break down the tablet before it gets through the digestive system to be able to absorb all the nutrients it contains. If it does not, you eliminate the tablet before you can absorb all its vitamins and minerals.
A study found that the tablet supplement did not dissolve completely before being eliminated in 21 out of 29 subjects. In other words, more than half of the study participants could not break down their tablet supplement fast enough (5)! Taking a liquid vitamin fixes this problem because your body can access the nutrients right away without having to break down anything first.
Finally, liquid vitamins often have higher levels of nutrient density than capsules or tablets. Since they are more powerful, they also have a more positive impact on your overall health.
A note on VitaminAlly’s Liposomal Liquid Vitamin Supplements
One way to make liquid supplements is to pack the vitamins and minerals inside a liposome. Liposomes are little spherical balls made from two layers of phospholipids. The nutrient is put in the middle of the spherical ball.
The liposome's bilayer of phospholipids is very similar to the layer of lipids surrounding your cells. Therefore, when you swallow the liposome in your supplement, it fuses with your cells. During this process, the nutrient in the middle of the liposome is released directly inside your cells.
This way of packaging preserves the nutrient quality inside your supplement. It also allows for better and more efficient absorption of vitamins and minerals since they are delivered directly inside your cells.
Finally, liposomal supplements do not contain as many additives, like binders and fillers, as other forms. It is considered a benefit by many individuals who wish to take a supplement that is as pure as possible.
References:
1) https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db399.htm
2)https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/multivitamin/#:~:text=The%20main%20purpose%20of%20a,key%20to%20an%20optimal%20diet.
3) https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-Consumer/#:~:text=Vitamin%20E%20deficiency%20can%20cause,is%20a%20weakened%20immune%20system.
4) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2912737/
5) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16849007/