What is the disadvantage of taking capsules? Exploring limitations and concerns

October 12, 2025 •

4 min read

While capsules offer certain benefits like faster absorption, a 2022 survey by Harris Interactive found that up to 40% of American adults have experienced difficulty swallowing pills, including capsules. This highlights just one potential disadvantage of taking capsules, among other factors such as cost and stability concerns.

Quick Summary

Capsules have drawbacks including higher cost, shorter shelf life due to environmental sensitivity, and lower dose capacity compared to tablets. They cannot be split for flexible dosing and may contain animal products, limiting use for some individuals.

Key Points

Shorter Shelf Life: Gelatin capsules are sensitive to heat and humidity, which can compromise their integrity and lead to a shorter expiration date compared to tablets.
Higher Cost: Capsules, especially softgels, are often more expensive to manufacture than tablets, a cost that is frequently passed on to the consumer.
Dosing Limitations: Capsules cannot be split or crushed, which makes dosage adjustments impossible without pharmacist approval and increases risks for modified-release formulations.
Lower Dose Capacity: Due to their fixed size, capsules may hold less medication than tablets, sometimes requiring patients to take multiple pills to achieve the necessary dose.
Dietary Restrictions: Standard capsules often contain animal-derived gelatin, making them unsuitable for vegetarians, vegans, or those with specific dietary restrictions.
Swallowing Challenges: Capsules can float in the mouth, creating a unique swallowing challenge for some individuals, requiring alternative techniques or a different medication form.
Risk of Altered Release: Opening or tampering with a capsule, particularly an extended-release one, can disrupt its intended drug delivery mechanism and cause potential harm.

Capsules are a popular and effective way to deliver medication, often praised for their faster absorption and ability to mask unpleasant tastes. However, like any pharmaceutical formulation, they have specific disadvantages that patients and healthcare providers must consider. These drawbacks can impact cost, stability, dosage flexibility, and suitability for certain individuals.

Environmental Sensitivity and Shorter Shelf Life

One of the most significant disadvantages of capsules, especially those made from gelatin, is their sensitivity to environmental conditions such as heat and humidity. Gelatin capsules can become brittle and crack in very low humidity or soften and stick together in high humidity. This susceptibility makes proper storage crucial and can lead to a shorter shelf life compared to the hardier, more stable composition of tablets. If capsules are not stored correctly, their integrity can be compromised, potentially affecting the medication's potency and effectiveness. While vegetarian capsules made from materials like hypromellose (HPMC) offer greater stability, they do not completely eliminate these concerns.

Higher Cost of Manufacturing and Filling

The production process for capsules is often more complex and expensive than that for tablets. This is particularly true for softgel capsules, which contain liquid or semi-solid ingredients. The higher manufacturing costs are frequently passed on to the consumer, making the capsule form of a drug more expensive than its tablet counterpart. This cost difference can be a significant factor for patients taking long-term medication or those with budget constraints.

Dosing Inflexibility and Lower Capacity

Capsules offer limited flexibility when it comes to adjusting dosage. Unlike many tablets that can be scored and easily split, capsules must typically be taken whole. Patients should never attempt to split or crush capsules without a pharmacist's explicit approval, as doing so can alter the medication's absorption and release properties, potentially leading to a dangerous overdose or reduced efficacy. For medications that require precise, adjustable dosing, this can be a major disadvantage. Furthermore, the volume within a capsule is finite. This means that for higher-dose medications, manufacturers may not be able to fit the required amount of active ingredient into a single capsule, necessitating larger, more difficult-to-swallow capsules or requiring patients to take multiple pills.

Concerns for Vegetarians, Vegans, and Religious Restrictions

Most standard capsules are made from gelatin, a protein derived from animal products like cows and pigs. This makes them unsuitable for individuals adhering to vegetarian, vegan, or certain religious diets. While plant-based alternatives are available, they are not used for all medications and may not be readily accessible or cost-effective in all regions. Patients with these dietary or ethical restrictions must be diligent in checking the ingredients or discussing alternatives with their pharmacist.

Potential for Swallowing Difficulties

While some people find the smooth shape of capsules easier to swallow than tablets, others experience significant difficulties. One issue is the floating tendency of capsules. Because capsules are lighter than water, they can float in the front of the mouth when a person tilts their head back to swallow, making ingestion challenging. An alternative technique, known as the 'lean-forward' method, can help by causing the capsule to float toward the back of the mouth, but it requires conscious effort and training. Large softgel capsules can also be difficult to swallow for some individuals.

Altered Drug Release and Tampering Risk

Tampering with capsules, such as opening them to sprinkle the contents, is risky. For extended-release or delayed-release capsules, this can be particularly hazardous. The protective shell or internal pellet coatings are designed to control the rate and location of drug release in the body. Breaching this system can cause the medication to be released too quickly, leading to a sudden, high dose that can increase the risk of adverse effects or toxicity. This makes capsules less suitable for patients who have trouble swallowing and need to alter their medication's form.

Capsule vs. Tablet Comparison

To better understand the trade-offs, here is a comparison between capsules and tablets:


Feature	Capsules	Tablets
Cost	Often more expensive due to complex manufacturing.	Generally less expensive to produce.
Stability	Sensitive to heat and humidity, leading to a shorter shelf life.	More durable and have a longer shelf life.
Dosing Flexibility	Cannot be split or crushed, offering fixed doses.	Can often be split or crushed for dose adjustments.
Dosage Capacity	Limited capacity, may require taking multiple pills for high doses.	Can accommodate higher doses of active ingredients.
Ingredients	Often contain gelatin (animal product), though vegetarian options exist.	Usually do not contain animal-derived ingredients like gelatin.
Absorption Rate	Often absorbed faster due to quick dissolution of the outer shell.	Generally absorbed slower, with potential for uneven disintegration.
Swallowing	Smooth, but can float and be difficult for some, especially large softgels.	Can be rough or have a bitter taste, but come in various forms (chewable, dissolvable).
Tamper Risk	Higher risk if opened; can alter controlled-release mechanisms.	Altering a tablet can also affect its properties, but is more common.

Conclusion

While capsules are a versatile and effective medication form, they are not without their disadvantages. Considerations such as cost, environmental sensitivity, and dosing inflexibility are important factors for both healthcare professionals and patients. For individuals with dietary restrictions, the use of animal-derived gelatin can be a significant drawback. Difficulties with swallowing, particularly the floating sensation of hard-shell capsules, can also be a challenge for some. Ultimately, the choice between a capsule and a tablet depends on the specific medication, the patient's individual needs and preferences, and any potential intolerances. Discussing these factors with a pharmacist or doctor can help ensure the safest and most effective treatment. For more tips on managing swallowing difficulties, resources from reputable health organizations like Harvard Health can be invaluable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Not always, but they are often more expensive to manufacture, especially softgels, which can lead to a higher cost for the consumer. The price difference depends on the specific medication and its formulation.

No, you should never split or crush a capsule without consulting a pharmacist or doctor. Altering a capsule can change its absorption rate, leading to an incorrect or potentially dangerous dose, particularly with modified-release medications.

You can try the 'lean-forward' technique, where you take a sip of water with the capsule and tilt your chin toward your chest as you swallow. If difficulties persist, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about alternative medication forms, such as liquids or dissolvable tablets.

Most standard capsules are made with gelatin derived from animal collagen. However, plant-based or vegetarian alternatives are available for some medications. If this is a concern, check the product label or ask your pharmacist.

The gelatin used in many capsules is sensitive to heat and humidity. These environmental factors can cause the shell to degrade, affecting the medication's stability and resulting in a shorter shelf life compared to tablets.

While capsules often protect against irritation caused by some active ingredients, the capsule itself or its contents can sometimes cause nausea or discomfort in some sensitive individuals. Taking the medication with food or milk may help reduce irritation.

In some cases, seeing an empty shell in your stool is not a concern, as it can indicate that the medication was properly released and absorbed. However, if you are concerned about whether your medication is being absorbed effectively, you should contact your healthcare provider.