Breaking Health Myths
Myth: It doesn’t matter how you swallow a pill as long as it gets where it needs to go.
There are various routes through which drugs are taken; skin, nose, eyes and mouth, to mention a few.
Each route having specific purposes, advantages, and disadvantages.
However, the oral route is one of the most often used and this is due to a few reasons. First, the oral route is most convenient, safest and least expensive. Also it is because most drugs come in the form of liquids, tablets and capsules.
And although there are diverse ways of taking pills orally and many may think the best form of taking drugs orally is whatever way that is most convenient. But this is a mere MYTH.
Most people have convenient ways of taking pills. Some prefer to take it in it's solid form with water, some crush, some take with foods and even drinks.
Some pills are designed to be taken in whatever form but fact is that the way you take most drug does matter and this goes beyond convenience.
The reason it does matter on how you take a drug is because it can greatly affect its effeciency and even become dangerous.
The size and amount of pills, for example, are designed so the pill dissolves over a specific amount of time in your system, most likely not all at once. So crushing or chewing such a pill will affect its performance. So If you have trouble swallowing whole pills, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the alternatives they recommend.
In the same vain, most capsules are intended to be swallowed whole and this is so the medicine isn’t absorbed until the stomach acid breaks down the capsule shell. So crushing, peeling or chewing a capsule will most likely do more harm than good.
Also when it comes to taking drugs with food or drinks, it is definitely not advised. And this is because of what is called "food-medication interaction".
For example, dairy products such as milk and yogurt can interfere with certain medications like antibiotics as these antibiotics may bind to the milk and form an insoluble substance that the body is unable to absorb.
It should be noted however that this article is never a substitute for medical advice. Therefore, it is best advised to pay attention to drug labels and prescription when it comes to taking drugs the right way.