Liquid or tablet vitamins: which should you choose?

Reading time: 7 minutes

Between boxes of tablets, fizzing tubes and bottles to drink, the vitamin aisle can make your head spin. Each format has its advantages and limits. At Vitamoon, we chose liquid: I'll explain why, by honestly comparing the three most common formats.

In short

• Tablets are compact, easy to carry and keep for a long time, but they aren't always easy to swallow.
• Effervescents are drunk, but usually contain sodium.
• Liquid means nothing to swallow, an adjustable dose, and vitamins that are already dissolved. It's kept in the fridge once opened.

Tablets: practical, but not for everyone

This is the most widespread format: compact, easy to carry, long-lasting and tasteless.

Before the vitamins can be absorbed, a tablet first has to break down in the stomach. The European Pharmacopoeia even sets a maximum time for this: 15 minutes for an uncoated tablet, 30 minutes for a coated tablet.

To hold together, a tablet also contains excipients: bulking agents, binders, coating. They're authorised, but they provide no nutrients.

Its main limit lies elsewhere: in a study of general practice patients, more than one in three said they had difficulty swallowing tablets or capsules (Schiele et al., 2013). Some end up skipping doses or stopping their course.

Effervescents: easy to drink, but salty

Dissolved in a glass of water, they're easy to drink. But to create the bubbles, sodium carbonate or bicarbonate is usually used, so each tablet provides salt. British researchers observed more cardiovascular events in patients taking sodium-containing effervescent medicines every day (George et al., 2013). If you're watching your salt intake, check the label.

The tube also needs to stay tightly closed, away from moisture.

💡 Vitamoon's commitment

“When I took over Vitamoon in summer 2025, it wasn't just an opportunity, it was out of conviction. I was immediately won over by the exceptional quality of the formulas and, above all, by their liquid form. As a user, I understood that the key to a food supplement lies not in its promise, but in its ability to actually be absorbed by our body. Together with my wife, we're committed to continuing this mission: helping you find your balance with pure, effective, uncompromising solutions.”

— Nicolas, at the service of your balance, at Vitamoon

Liquid: nothing to swallow, an adjustable dose

This is the format we chose. The vitamins are already dissolved: your body doesn't have to break down a tablet before absorbing them. That's why we consider it a better-absorbed format.

Liquid has other practical advantages:

• nothing to swallow: drink it as a shot or in a glass of water or juice;
• an adjustable dose: our Liquid Multivitamins are taken at 15 to 30 ml a day, from age 11, with the measuring cap;
• no sodium added to create bubbles.

And its limits: once opened, the bottle is kept in the fridge and finished within 2 months. It's also less practical than a box of tablets to slip into a travel bag.

What really helps you absorb your vitamins

Whatever the format, three habits count:

• The right dose. The body doesn't absorb everything beyond a certain amount. For vitamin C, absorption is almost complete up to about 200 mg, then decreases as the dose increases (Levine et al., 1996). So there's no point in multiplying doses.
• A meal. Vitamins A, D and E dissolve in fat. They're better absorbed when taken with a meal containing a little fat (Dawson-Hughes et al., 2015). Breakfast is a good time.
• Consistency. One dose every day, rather than large doses from time to time. That's where ease of use matters: a pleasant format is easier to take every day.

Tablet, effervescent or liquid: how to choose

Who is liquid most practical for?

Reading your reviews, I've seen the same situations come up:

• People who don't like swallowing tablets: adults, but also teenagers, from age 11 for our Liquid Multivitamins.
• Families: one bottle, a dose adapted to each person with the measuring cap.
• Rushed mornings: one capful, neat or in a glass of water or juice, and you're done.

What our customers say

“Very good product with a nice taste. Very easy to take. Ideal for people who struggle to take tablets.”
Mamgrenouille, Liquid Multivitamins, review published on our Amazon store

“Easier to take than capsules. I mix it with my morning orange juice.”
Annie, Liquid Multivitamins, review published on vitamoon.fr

“Practical vitamins thanks to the liquid consistency; ideal for my son, who doesn't take tablets.”
Doud, Liquid Multivitamins, review published on our Amazon store

Our Liquid Multivitamins at a glance

Vitamin C and vitamin D contribute to the normal function of the immune system. Vitamin C also contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

Frequently asked questions

Does it taste nice?

Our Liquid Multivitamins have an orange taste from a natural flavouring. You can take them neat or diluted in a glass of water or fruit juice.

How should it be stored?

Before opening, at room temperature. Once opened, keep the bottle in the fridge and finish it within 2 months.

Is liquid better absorbed than a tablet?

The vitamins in a liquid are already dissolved: your body has no tablet to break down. That's why we consider it better absorbed. Whatever the format, take it preferably at breakfast, at the recommended dose.

Can it be mixed into a hot drink?

A glass of cool water or juice is better. For vitamin C, it's best not to boil it.

How long does a bottle last?

A 500 ml bottle lasts 33 days at 15 ml a day, or about 16 days at 30 ml a day.

From what age?

Our Liquid Multivitamins can be taken from age 11.

In summary

• Tablets are practical and keep for a long time, but aren't always easy to swallow.
• Effervescents are easy to drink, but provide salt.
• Liquid means nothing to swallow, an adjustable dose, and vitamins already dissolved: it's the format we chose.
• Whatever the format: the right dose, at breakfast, every day.

Discover Liquid Multivitamins →

Further reading

• Multivitamins: when to take them?
• Vitamins in autumn and winter: the 5 to know
• Why you (still) fall ill in February
• Our liquid food supplements

Sources

• European Pharmacopoeia, chapter 2.9.1 Disintegration of tablets and capsules and the Tablets monograph.
• Schiele J.T. et al. (2013). Difficulties swallowing solid oral dosage forms in a general practice population: prevalence, causes, and relationship to dosage forms. European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 69(4), 937-948.
• George J. et al. (2013). Association between cardiovascular events and sodium-containing effervescent, dispersible, and soluble drugs: nested case-control study. BMJ, 347, f6954.
• Levine M. et al. (1996). Vitamin C pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers: evidence for a recommended dietary allowance. PNAS, 93(8), 3704-3709.
• Dawson-Hughes B. et al. (2015). Dietary fat increases vitamin D-3 absorption. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 115(2), 225-230.
• Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims.