Drug Information Q&A Q18. It seems that tablets work faster if I chew them.
Answer
Chewing a tablet or opening a capsule does not make it work faster or better. On the contrary, it may even be dangerous.
Explanation
Some people believe that chewing a tablet into small pieces or opening a capsule and swallowing only the contents will make it work faster and better. Some elderly people, in particular, find it difficult to swallow tablets or capsules, so they do it that way.
Tablets and capsules are made in various ways at the manufacturing stage (see Q9 and Q10).
For example, if the ingredients of a drug are likely to damage the stomach, or if the drug is to be absorbed in the intestine rather than the stomach, the surface of the drug is coated or protected by a capsule so that it can dissolve in the intestine.
In addition, there are sustained-release drugs that are designed to dissolve little by little in order to maintain the effects of the drug for a long period of time.
In addition, there are also products with processed surfaces to make them easier to swallow, even if the drug has a bitter taste or odor.
Thus, all forms and types of medicines have their own purpose and meaning. The correct way to use a tablet is to take it as a tablet, and the correct way to use a capsule is to take a capsule as a capsule. Only then can the drug work safely and effectively.
Chewing up the tablets or opening the capsules will render all the ingenuity in the process meaningless and is likely to cause adverse effects on the body. The tablets may cause side effects in the stomach, the stomach acid may break down the drug's ingredients and render it ineffective, the effect may not last long, and the tablets may be bitter and difficult to swallow.
However, there are cases in which tablets are divided into smaller pieces under the direction of a doctor or pharmacist, in which case, please follow the instructions.
Recently, there are also gastrointestinal medicines that can be chewed and painkillers that can be dissolved in water. If the tablets or capsules are too large to swallow, consult your doctor or pharmacist to see if you can have the medication replaced. Some medicines have the same ingredients but come in different types, such as powders, suppositories, and syrups.
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