Tips For Swallowing Capsules

Tips for Taking Capsules

  • Many parents know that teaching their children to take pills can be challenging; even adults can
  • struggle with swallowing capsules! To ease the learning process, we’ve compiled the best tips
  • for taking vitamins and supplements:

Mix a capsule into food or a drink

The key to hiding a supplement in food or a drink is to ingest the entirety of what it is being mixed in. Instead of mixing a supplement in a normal serving size of food or drink, try a significantly smaller portion. Keep in mind that one may require the supplement’s taste to be undetectable; therefore, a small, concentrated food or drink is the best place to start! If you are still finding that the taste is detectable, try sweetening the deal by adding honey or maple syrup to appropriate foods.

Foods to consider:

  • Oatmeal

  • Yogurt or pudding

  • Applesauce

  • Ice cream

  • Nut butter

Drinks to consider (do not dilute):

  • Fruit juice – POM, apple, cranberry, orange, grape, etc

  • Lemonade

  • Milk

  • Smoothie

Use an Oralflo Cup

The Oralflo Cup is a unique device designed to assist in taking pills of any size. This is a great tool for those ready to graduate from mixing capsules with food. To use, simply fill the cup with a liquid of your choice and place a capsule in the spout chamber. When you’re ready, drink from the spout. Pro-tip – carbonated waters can help the capsule bubble down easier!

Practice Swallowing with Different Head Placement

Most people eat and drink with their heads centered forward in a neutral position. It’s easy to assume this is how one should take pills as well. However, many have found that swallowing vitamins and medication in a different head position was significantly more comfortable. For example, you might have seen someone gently toss their head back while taking a supplement. This positions the capsule at the back of the throat, making it easier to go down.

Another position that many have found success with is turning their head to the side. This method opens the esophagus, allowing more room for the pill and liquid to go down.

The best way to find a position that works for you or your child is to practice using small, hard candies such as M&Ms or Tic Tacs. Keep in mind that too much liquid can make the process more challenging- the candy might float in the mouth or you may require multiple gulps to get it down. Just a small amount of liquid per candy or pill is recommended.