Taking vitamins in liquid form means they're absorbed ...but are they worth it?

Thinking of taking a supplement? 

That doesn’t just mean pills, now you can buy everything from iron to vitamin C and calcium in liquid form — and ingesting them in this way could be better for you.

‘Conventional tablets are dissolved slowly in the digestive system which can mean absorption is reduced because some of the nutrient passes as waste before it’s absorbed into the bloodstream,’ says Aidan Goggins, a London-based pharmacist and independent adviser to the supplement industry.

‘Liquid forms are already dissolved and so will often be absorbed faster and more completely. Liquid also allows for larger doses to be used and can be invaluable for people who have problems swallowing pills.’

However, this often comes at a price — liquid supplements can cost three times as much as pill equivalents. So which are worth splashing out on?

Here, experts assess some of the newest products; we then rated them.

Vitamin D Zooki, £19.68 for 14 sachets, yourzooki.com

Claim: A berry-flavoured liquid with vitamin D3 (3,000 international units, IU) and vitamin K2 (100mcg), which the maker says will ‘aid your immune system, muscles and bones’. The vitamin D is wrapped in a fatty layer said to ‘increase bioavailability [the amount we can absorb].’

Expert verdict: ‘Vitamin D influences many of our cells at a genetic level, making it vital for our health,’ says Aidan Goggins. ‘Benefits include supporting bone health and immunity.

‘The vitamin K2 in this will help unlock the bone benefits of vitamin D by aiding the body’s uptake of calcium.

‘Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so best absorbed with fats — such as the sunflower oil contained in this liquid. But you can also take it with a meal containing fat.

‘This formulation also uses a “lipid vehicle” — fat bubbles — around the vitamin to protect it from the stomach acid, so it’s delivered intact into your blood.

‘But getting the dose right is vital. A 2017 study in The Lancet found correcting vitamin D deficiency in over-50s reduced falls by two-thirds.

‘But too much (blood levels above 100nmol/l) led to an increase in falls, probably because in the long term, excess vitamin D increases activity of osteoclasts, cells that break down bone.

‘This dose of 3,000IU — the recommended daily amount is 400IU — would only be appropriate for people with a deficiency and not for general use: studies show 1,000IU daily in winter is enough.

‘It’s also expensive [£1.42 per daily sachet]; vitamin D pills cost as little as £3 per month.’ 

Liquid Selenium, £16.50 for 60ml, bodybio.co.uk

Claim: A single serving (three drops a day) contains 100mcg of selenium. The maker says the liquid form means ‘the body is able to absorb it better, faster and at higher amounts than from a capsule’.

Expert verdict: ‘Adequate selenium (75mcg per day for men, 60mcg for women) protects against cell damage through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions,’ says Aidan Goggins. ‘Moderate deficiency — as found in 80 to 90 per cent of Britons — has been linked to increased infections, male infertility and a decline in immune and thyroid function.

‘Selenium gets into our food through soil, but intensive farming has decimated levels in recent years, so while you get some by eating grains and nuts, for instance, supplementing is sensible.

‘But the added cost [the pills cost from £1.16 per month compared with £5.50 a month for the drops] is only useful if you can’t swallow tablets.’ 

Nutroliq Vitamin A Liquid, £13.99 for 60ml, amazon.co.uk

Claim: This vitamin A (5,000IU) liquid promises to ‘nourish your eyes’ and ‘strengthen your immune defences and bone strength’.

Expert verdict: ‘It is recommended that children up to five years receive vitamin A,’ says Aidan Goggins.

‘However, adults should be able to get all their vitamin A needs by eating dairy, fish, fruit and veg. The problem with supplements, especially higher doses as here, is that vitamin A accumulates over time in our tissues, which can cause damage.’

The NHS website says the recommended daily limit is 4,000IU.

‘The dose here, if taken for several months, is close to the threshold above which studies have found bones can become more fragile,’ says Aidan Goggins.

‘I’d recommend consuming most of your vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, the precursor nutrient our bodies then turn into vitamin A as

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