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What makes gel capsules so expensive in comparison to other pills? (mander.xyz)

submitted 1 month ago by Mothra@mander.xyz to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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Disclaimer: I'm in Australia and here vitamins must comply with certain regulations. Feel free to read about it: https://www.tga.gov.au/news/blog/how-are-vitamins-regulated-australia

I bought vitamin D the other day, and couldn't help but to notice the price differences, such as:

Brand A: $8 x 300 pills Brand B: $30, x 250 capsules Brand C: $40, x 300 capsules

All had the same amount of vitamin per dose (1000 u). They all had the AUST L label which means they undergo controls to ensure that they have what they claim to have, and that they are made under certain safety standards.

I also buy iron supplements but there is nowhere near this much difference between brands. The only obvious difference was the type of pill, the more expensive ones were gel capsules while the cheap ones were hard pills.

So, are gel capsules really that much better? Is the price difference justified? Are there other issues that could explain the price difference in terms of quality?

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[–] fjordbasa@lemmy.world 0 points 1 month ago (2 children)

There’s no need to take any vitamin supplements unless you are deficient in a certain vitamin, and at that point, I would ask your doctor what they recommend. Multivitamins aren’t effective beyond placebo. I think the capsule vs gel argument is pretty moot. I would only use one over the other if one gives you a stomach ache or other digestion issues.

[–] Mothra@mander.xyz 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Trust me I take no pleasure in taking any of these, my doctor prescribed them. It's been a while now and the difference shows in my blood tests, so if it's placebo I got some next level mind powers. My next appointment is still a few months away though, and I plan on asking her opinion about the brands and the type of pill/capsule, but for now, it's Lemmy.

[–] fjordbasa@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

Not to sound patronizing, but I think it’s great you plan on talking to the doctor! Is there not an electronic messaging system or phone number to call before the appointment?

I apologize for being unclear- it’s multivitamins that haven’t been shown to be beneficial. Some folks report that they “feel healthier” even though their actual measurements and instances of disease aren’t any different.

Single vitamins make complete sense when you have a deficiency. I don’t think capsule vs gel is the most important factor. I’d see if there are any articles where experts (doctors, pharmacists) are consulted that compare brands (i.e not a random blog). I was able to find an article for US brands of ranked by pharmacists pretty easily

[–] sunzu@kbin.run 2 points 1 month ago

I think there few that your body can metabilize but yeah they are mostly getting shitted out