Would you pay extra money to buy gel capsules of your favorite pain reliever in the hopes that it would work faster? You might want to think twice.
Pharmacist Grant Harting is trying to spill the pharmaceutical tea on TikTok, accusing so-called “fast-acting” liquid gel painkillers of a racket.
in video Harting, who received more than 26,000 likes this week, acknowledged that Advil, like other forms of ibuprofen, is effective in treating fever and pain caused by inflammation. But he argues that the hype around gel capsules, which provide faster symptom relief compared to regular pills, is mostly unwarranted – despite often carrying a higher price tag.
“This is one of the biggest scams people fall for,” Harting said. “I choose a tablet every day.”
structure
When you swallow a painkiller, the drug must enter your bloodstream to have its effect. A small amount of absorption takes place in the stomach, but most of the heavy lifting is done in the small intestine.
Harting explained that while gel capsules may speed up the breakdown step in the stomach, they don’t actually allow the intestines to absorb the drug any faster than regular tablets.
“In my personal and professional opinion, the price difference between the two is not significant enough,” he said.
expensive truth
Liquid-filled capsules are more expensive to manufacture, so they often command a higher price. Amazon sells a pack of 20 Advil Liqui-Gels for $7, while 100 coated tablets cost just $9.99.
Advil did not respond to requests for comment.
evidence is weak
Some studies suggest that gel capsules work a little faster than tablets, but Harting says the evidence is “uncertain.”
University of Alberta researchers 18 studies reviewed We have researched this issue and found that while Ibuprofen Liquigel may have a slightly faster onset, the available evidence is “not overwhelming.”
In fact, some studies have shown that rapid-release gel caps, including gel caps for acetaminophen, actually Dissolves more slowly than standard tablets From the same brand.
What is Harting’s final verdict? “If it’s the same price, there’s no problem. If there’s a price difference, choose a tablet.”
How to make medicines work faster
Busting myths about “fast-acting” gel capsules doesn’t mean you can’t take your medication faster. There’s actually a faster way to dissolve pills and you don’t have to splurge on expensive options.
According to Johns Hopkins University Researchbody position can have a big impact on how quickly the drug starts working.
Using a computer model that simulates how the stomach digests food and medicine in four different positions, researchers have discovered a trick to change the situation. That meant sleeping on my right side.
When participants turned to their right side, the tablets reached the deepest part of the stomach and dissolved in just 10 minutes. By comparison, it took about 23 minutes to resolve while standing or lying on your back, and a whopping 100 minutes to resolve when lying on your left side.
