Tablets
Browse vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements in tablet form: from one-a-day multivitamins to high-dose vitamin C. We explain when a tablet is the better choice, how to tell if one can be split, and what a coating does.Read more →
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How vitamin tablets differ from capsules and powders
What a tablet actually is
A tablet is a pressed powder. The ingredients are compressed into a solid shape, often with a thin coating that protects the contents or makes swallowing easier. Pressing packs a lot of material into a small volume, so a tablet can carry a bigger dose than a capsule of the same size. That is why high-strength vitamin C, calcium and magnesium in our wider supplement range are usually sold in this form.
The trade-off is speed. A tablet has to break apart in the gut before the nutrients are released, so it acts a little slower than a capsule. For daily nutrients that hardly matters, because you take them for weeks, not minutes. What does matter is disintegration: how reliably the tablet falls apart. A well-made mineral tablet breaks down within about an hour. A poorly pressed one can pass through almost intact, and that is where the idea that tablets do not work comes from.
When a tablet beats other forms
- High doses: 1000 mg vitamin C or 500 mg calcium rarely fits into one capsule.
- Dividing: a tablet with a score line can be halved, so you can build up slowly.
- Stability: a dry, pressed tablet keeps well and survives a suitcase.
- Price per day: for the same nutrient, tablets are usually the cheaper option.
Oils and moisture-sensitive ingredients are a different story. Fish oil, vitamin D in oil and live bacteria sit better in supplements in capsule form, not in a pressed tablet.
Coatings and pressing aids get a lot of criticism online. A film coating is usually a plant cellulose layer. An enteric coating delays release until the tablet has passed the stomach, which helps with ingredients that would otherwise cause a fishy burp or stomach irritation. Pressing aids such as magnesium stearate appear in very small amounts and keep the dose in every tablet the same. We read those labels, and we prefer short ingredient lists, but a short list alone does not make a better tablet.
How we choose the tablets we stock
We never stock a tablet simply because it is cheap to press. We look at the form of the ingredient first: magnesium citrate rather than oxide, folate as methylfolate, iron as bisglycinate, because the body takes these up more easily. Then we check the dose against what the label promises, and whether the combination on the front actually makes sense. We buy directly from the brands, with no intermediaries, so you get the authentic product, and every tablet passes our compliance team before it goes live. We test products ourselves and independent labs spot-check batches. Read how we select brands and products.
Who this collection suits
Tablets suit you if you take the same nutrient daily and want a simple routine. A one-a-day from our Multivitamins selection covers the basics; a single-nutrient tablet lets you dose precisely, for example iron, which contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
If swallowing is the sticking point, chewable tablets or a liquid are the honest answer, and there is no loss of quality in choosing them. Whichever form you pick, give it time: for most vitamins and minerals, expect noticeable effects after two to three weeks of consistent daily use.
Frequently asked questions
A tablet is made by compressing powdered ingredients into a solid shape. Most tablets also contain small amounts of binders and pressing aids, which hold the shape together and keep every tablet the same strength. Many have a thin coating to protect the contents or make them easier to swallow. Vitamins, minerals, amino acids and dried plant extracts are all commonly sold this way, because dry powders press well.
For everyday vitamins and minerals, yes, provided the tablet breaks apart properly. A capsule shell opens within minutes, while a tablet needs longer to disintegrate, so a capsule releases its contents faster. Faster is not the same as better here: you are topping up a nutrient over weeks, not treating a headache. What matters is that the tablet is pressed to a tested disintegration standard, which is exactly what we check with the brands we carry.
It depends on the dose, the ingredient and how easily you swallow.
| Form | Strong point | Best suited for |
|---|---|---|
| Tablet | High dose, splittable | Vitamin C, calcium, magnesium |
| Capsule | Fast release, no taste | Oils, probiotics, extracts |
| Chewable | No swallowing needed | Children, older adults |
| Effervescent | Taken as a drink | Vitamin C, electrolytes |
If a drink suits your day better, look at fizzy dissolving tablets instead.
A tablet with a score line down the middle is designed to be halved, which is handy if you want to start on a lower dose. Without a score line, halves are uneven and you no longer know what you are taking. Never crush a coated tablet: an enteric coating exists to delay release past the stomach, and crushing removes that protection. If swallowing is difficult, a chewable or liquid version is the better route.
Consistency beats timing. Pick a moment you will not forget, usually a meal. Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K are taken up better with some fat in the meal, so a main meal works well for them. Iron is absorbed best on an empty stomach, but that can cause nausea; taking it with a source of vitamin C, such as orange juice, is a common compromise. Calcium and iron compete, so space them a few hours apart.
Supplement labels show a percentage of the daily reference intake, which is easier to read alongside the official UK amounts. These are the figures for adults aged 19 to 64.
| Nutrient | Daily amount |
|---|---|
| Vitamin C | 40 mg |
| Vitamin D | 10 µg (400 IU) |
| Calcium | 700 mg |
| Iron | 8.7 mg men, 14.8 mg women |
| Zinc | 9.5 mg men, 7 mg women |
Higher-strength tablets exist for a reason, but more is not automatically better.
Source: NHSMore often than capsules, in fact. A pressed tablet needs no shell, while a hard capsule shell can be gelatin, which comes from animals. The points to check on a tablet are the coating and the pressing aids, plus the source of vitamin D3, which is usually from sheep's wool grease unless the label states lichen. We list this on the product pages, because for vegan buyers it is the deciding detail rather than a footnote.
In the UK, pregnant women are advised to avoid supplements containing vitamin A, and liver or liver products, because too much vitamin A can harm the baby. Folic acid, 400 µg daily, is advised before conception and up to week 12. Vitamin K can interact with anticoagulant medication such as warfarin, so check with your GP or pharmacist first. The same applies to high-dose single-nutrient tablets alongside any prescribed medicine.
