Supplements warning: THIS could be why you find it hard to swallow tablets

While frustrating, it is entirely normal to find swallowing tablet supplements or pills difficult.

You are fighting your body’s natural desire to want to chew something before ingesting it.

It is thought one in three people struggles to swallow pills.

There are three main stages to swallowing – oral, pharyngeal, and oesophageal – and it requires 50 pairs of muscles and nerves.

As such, there is often a medical reason why a person may have an issue.

A condition called dysphagia is a difficulty moving food from the mouth to the throat.

It can be triggered by a number of conditions, including multiple sclerosis, parkinson’s disease, stroke, spinal cord injury and cancer.

Additionally, struggling to swallow can be psychological.

Many people fear gagging, and if someone remembers a time when a tablet slid back on the tongue without going down the oesophagus, they may keep reliving that unpleasant moment, creating a mental barrier.

The reason could be even more simple, according to Emily Blake, a BioCare nutritionist.

“While it is possible some people may have a naturally narrower food pipe, in most cases the tablets are hard to swallow because they are either too big or too bulky in shape,” she said.

“If you are taking several in one go you might not be drinking them with enough water.”

She suggested that swapping tablets for powdered or liquid supplements could help solve the problem.

“A great alternative form is powdered and liquid supplements which have various benefits over tablets, such as BioCare Vitamin C Rosehip Powder, Magnesium Powder and Nutrisorb Liquid BioMulsion D,” said Blake.

“Additionally, they can be easier than tablets to digest. Upon mixing powdered supplements into liquid, such as water or a smoothie, or foods like yoghurt or porridge, the powders dissolve well and put far less pressure on the digestive system. They can also make it easier to take higher dosages without having to swallow multiple tablets.

“Liquid supplements also have this great benefit. This can be especially important for those with chronic digestive problems, like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), for whom we need to give supplements in the most digestible and bioavailable form.

“You can crush up tablets, but this can be inconvenient to every day and may put people off taking them regularly.

“Supplements work best when we are compliant with taking them every day.”