Softgel manufacturing is a big part of the American pharmaceutical market. This medication has essentially revolutionized the pharma industry, making it much easier for patients to benefit from the meds they need. But why is this? Why are softgel capsule manufacturers so important to customers?
We’re going to be taking a look at this in more detail as we examine some of the key consumer benefits of softgel capsules. For softgel capsule suppliers and manufacturers, these benefits are driving patients to choose gel products over other methods of medication delivery, like tablets or liquid-form meds. Read on to discover more.
No Unpleasant Taste
The idea of ‘bitter medicine’ – of having to swallow something with an unpleasant taste in order to improve the symptoms of illness and aid recovery – has become a common metaphor across society. In other words, to be cured, you first need to endure the unpleasant experience of taking medicine.
Softgel capsules are at odds with this. With a softgel capsule, patients are able to experience the healing benefits of medicine without any of the unpleasantness associated with taking it in the first place. Whether in tablet form or in liquid form, medicines tend to leave a nasty taste in the mouth, but softgel capsules do not. The experience is improved without compromising on results.
Easy to Swallow
It’s not just the taste of softgel capsules that makes them easier to take. These capsules feature a smooth and streamlined shape, making them easy for patients to swallow. With just a small amount of water, softgel capsules are quickly washed down into the patient’s stomach, ready for the next stage of absorption.
The gel is also flexible and malleable. Tablets have a hard structure, making patients gag or reject the tablet if it is not swallowed quickly. The structure of the softgel capsule does not cause this reaction, and the capsule is passed more easily into the digestive system.
Easy to Digest
Once they have been ingested, medicines need to be processed within the patient’s stomach, broken down and digested before being absorbed into the bloodstream so the active ingredients can get to work. It’s difficult for the stomach to break a tablet down, but this is not the case for a softgel.
The envelope of the capsule is made from gelatine, which can be easily digested by stomach acid. This makes it much easier to release the active ingredients contained within.
Fewer Side-effects from the Delivery Mechanism
Because the organic gelatine material is quickly broken down by the stomach, the process is relatively gentle on the patient’s organs during digestion. With tablets, some patients report pain in the stomach, which can last several minutes up to one hour while the medicine is digested. This side effect is far less common with a softgel capsule.
IMPORTANT NOTE
The word ‘side-effects’ can be confusing here. It’s important to remember that we’re talking about side effects from the delivery mechanism itself – i.e. from the gelatine envelope of the softgel capsule. There may still be side effects and contraindications from the medication contained within, and patients need to carefully read the label of any medicine they decide to take or seek medical advice if they are unsure.
In isolated cases, patients may be allergic to the gelatine of the softgel case itself. Gelatine is also not vegetarian and won’t suit all diets and lifestyles.
Swift Action
When the medicine is digested quickly in the stomach, the active ingredients are released more quickly too. This means these ingredients can be swiftly absorbed into the stomach walls, passing them into the bloodstream. Active ingredients do not become active until this absorption into the blood is complete, giving softgel capsules an advantage over the slower-to-digest tablet medication form.
Some forms of medication may be quicker acting than softgel tablets. Medicines ingested in liquid form, for instance, do not have a protective coating that needs to be broken down and may reach the bloodstream more quickly than a softgel. However, softgel capsules still achieve accelerated action over tablets while removing the nasty taste of some liquid-form medicines.
Better Suited for Younger Patients
Helping a child to take the medicine they need can be a chore. While adults hate the nasty taste of medicines, kids really can’t accept this – particularly young children who do not have a developed understanding of the necessity of medicine and treatment. Softgel capsules are much easier for younger kids to accept, which in turn helps parents and guardians to alleviate their symptoms much more quickly.
IMPORTANT NOTE
Children must always be supervised when taking medication. Parents and guardians must assume responsibility for giving children the appropriate dose and providing medicines according to recommended schedules. Medicines of all types must be kept out of reach of small children, and kids should be educated on the potential risks associated with medications and their active ingredients.
Better Customer Confidence
The softgel manufacturing process includes encapsulation and hermetic sealing. This means customers can see that the ingredients have not been tampered with or contaminated on their way from the production facility to the drugstore shelves.
Customer confidence is a hugely important aspect of pharmaceutical production and distribution. Being able to visually confirm that the capsule has not been tampered with helps to increase consumer confidence in a big way.
Providing Drying Trays and Other Solutions to Softgel Capsule Manufacturers and Suppliers
Both softgel capsule manufacturers and suppliers, as well as the end users themselves, need to be able to rely on the quality of the product. This is why Chemtech provides softgel drying trays and other solutions for better quality assurance for gel capsule batches. These solutions also reduce wastage, eliminating one of the key cost centers of softgel manufacturing. Check out our product range to discover more, or reach out to our team directly with any questions.