# Is there a good multivitamin that's easy to swallow? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 15, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962 "2009-10-15T22:46:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/1 "2009-10-15T22:46:46Z")
I don’t care for horse pills - almost choked on one once and after that I’m a bit gun shy about it, so I tense up, etc. So. Is there such a thing as a smaller multivitamin? Even something you take one of in the morning and a different one at night, if the normal ones have to be that big because they’re cramming so much into them? ---
**Author:** ![Pedro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Pedro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pedro)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/2 "2009-10-15T23:00:15Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > I don’t care for horse pills - almost choked on one once and after that I’m a bit gun shy about it, so I tense up, etc. So. Is there such a thing as a smaller multivitamin? Even something you take one of in the morning and a different one at night, if the normal ones have to be that big because they’re cramming so much into them? Mine are water soluble. ---
**Author:** ![Pseudocode](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/59ef9b/32.png) [@Pseudocode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pseudocode)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/3 "2009-10-15T23:15:41Z")
You could always try [gummy vitamins](http://www.oneaday.com/vitacraves_gummies.html). I’m not sure who thought of this idea, but I approve. I bought the generic version and they taste just like regular gummy bears (although I think they are a tad chewier). I never saw a gummy vitamin before a few months ago, but now there are many different brands and varieties available. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/4 "2009-10-15T23:35:58Z")
This OP strikes me as perfect for IMHO. Moved. **samclem** Moderator, General Questions. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/5 "2009-10-15T23:41:28Z")
> [@Pseudocode](#): > > You could always try [gummy vitamins](http://www.oneaday.com/vitacraves_gummies.html). I’m not sure who thought of this idea, but I approve. I bought the generic version and they taste just like regular gummy bears (although I think they are a tad chewier). > > I never saw a gummy vitamin before a few months ago, but now there are many different brands and varieties available. Seconded. Because of some surgery I had a few years ago that impacts my ability to absorb nutrients, it is essential that I take vitamins. I suck at swallowing them. Gummy vitamins to the rescue! ---
**Author:** ![Vihaga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Vihaga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vihaga)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/6 "2009-10-15T23:44:02Z")
I use the regular chewables, but it amounts to the same thing. The regular ones are kind of hard on my gut if I take them without remembering to eat. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/7 "2009-10-16T00:04:45Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > This OP strikes me as perfect for IMHO. Moved. > > **samclem** Moderator, General Questions. Sorry, I saw it as a “is there such a thing on the market” and didn’t realize it was going to be “what kind do you use”. I am excited about the gummy ones - they come in sour! ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/8 "2009-10-16T01:13:23Z")
I get the gummy ones. Costco has some brand for adults that I typically get, and before that I just doubled up on [these kids’ multivitamins](http://www.gummybearvitamins.com/). I still use their Omega-3; best of all it’s veg-based so there’s no yucky fish burps to deal with. Plus Viactiv makes a chocolate/caramel chewable calcium+D+K supplement (with store brands made by most major stores), so most of my vitamins are completely candy-like. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/9 "2009-10-16T01:46:26Z")
I take [these.](http://www.evitamins.com/product.asp?pid=733) You could also buy a pill cutter if large pills are a hassle. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/10 "2009-10-16T01:52:42Z")
> [@Vihaga](#): > > I use the regular chewables, but it amounts to the same thing. The regular ones are kind of hard on my gut if I take them without remembering to eat. If that works for you, it’s wonderful! I, personally, have never tried a chewable (other than a gummy) that tasted like anything other than chewable baby aspirin that got dipped in a sewer. . .☹ ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/11 "2009-10-16T01:58:16Z")
The wife and I take Centrum brand. They’re not very big at all. Do you have that where you live? Alternatively, would it be possible for you to cut the vitamin in half and take each half separately? ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/12 "2009-10-16T01:58:32Z")
I guess the Flintstones aren’t formulated for adults? Because those things are tasty tasty medicine! ETA - Centrum are plenty big, thank you. They aren’t _enormous_, but bigger than I like to take. I don’t like taking anything bigger than an aspirin these days. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/13 "2009-10-16T02:01:23Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > I guess the Flintstones aren’t formulated for adults? Because those things are tasty tasty medicine! I recall George Carlin claiming always to travel with Flintsones vitamins, to preclude any trouble with smart-ass cops looking for an excuse to hold him for a few days while they ran some tests. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/14 "2009-10-16T02:42:45Z")
Yes, those gummy ones, and better yet- but far more expensive- are the powders that dissolve. Other than Vit C, most chewables are for kids. ---
**Author:** ![Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d9b06d/32.png) [@Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichini_Sanshigo)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/15 "2009-10-16T02:55:43Z")
I use Flinstones chewables. The label seems to indicate that they can be taken by adults. I just need to find something with more calcium. At any rate, I’ve never been a big fan of gummy-anything. ---
**Author:** ![horsetech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dec6dc/32.png) [@horsetech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/horsetech)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/16 "2009-10-16T03:06:25Z")
CVS has a generic multivitamin that is round and relatively small. As for calcium, you could try Tums, which come in all sorts of flavors that mostly disguise the fact that you are eating chalk. I was under the impression that calcium citrate was more absorbable than calcium carbonate, but [this study](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11444420?dopt=abstract) suggests it doesn’t matter. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/17 "2009-10-16T03:18:18Z")
I use a powder but frankly wish it was sold as a pill. Suggestion for taking pills, tilt head back and draw the tip of your tongue along the roof of your mouth from front to back (try it without any pills). It opens up the throat so everything washes back and you are more likely to swallow normally out of reflex. ---
**Author:** ![Chicken\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chicken\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicken_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/18 "2009-10-16T03:57:25Z")
I take Centrum chewables. Just chew one somewhat and wash it down right away. Scooby Doo kid vitamins are pretty tasty, and if you look at the amounts of each vitamin, are surprisingly like adult dosages. I wish I could find a coated/chewable version of a B complex. B vitamins taste awful. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/19 "2009-10-16T05:00:55Z")
I have no trouble swallowing my daily Centrum Silver, or the even larger pill that the doctor prescribed to help me sleep better. But every so often I choke on my calcium supplement tablet, which is not as big. I have no idea why. ---
**Author:** ![shellofmyformerself](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@shellofmyformerself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shellofmyformerself)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962/20 "2009-10-16T05:04:37Z")
When I was pregnant I had major nausea and vomitting. I couldn’t take the pre-natals so my midwife suggested doubling up on children’s chewables (I took 4 a day, at different times). If they’re good enough for pregnant women, they’re good enough for anyone! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-multivitamin-thats-easy-to-swallow/513962.md?page=2)