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The dosage that I recently bought was 1000mg. Then a few days ago, I read that when it comes to water-soluble vitamins like Vitamin C, it is best to take it in smaller dosage since water-soluble vitamins are easily dissolved by water and can't be stored in the body. The kidneys remove the excess amount and it's excreted in the urine. That's why it's better to take them in smaller dosage throughout the day, the article said.
So I thought of splitting the tablets. But I googled for info first and learned that not all pills are safe to cut. Usually, the ones with scoring (the indented line at the center of a tablet like the one in the photo) are the only ones approved by the FDA which are safe to cut.
Specific vitamins and medicines that are not recommended for cutting are:
- Those marked "extended release" or "sustained release" which were designed to release to the body slowly over a period of time. Cutting them will destroy the structure of the tablet.
- "Enteric-coated" tablets. These have special coating so that they won't get dissolved until they reach your stomach (the coating is a protection from stomach acids). Cutting the tablets will destroy this special coating.
- Capsules - because by cutting the outer shell, the medicine (powder or liquid) will all be released.
The pharmacist or your doctor should be able to tell you if a certain tablet or pill is safe for splitting. But assuming it's safe, there are 2 things to remember:
1. It's ideal to use a pill splitter (not knife or scissors)
2. Only cut a tablet when you need to take it. Some tablets have a coating which is a protection from heat and moisture. If you cut several tablets in advance, they will get exposed and may be less potent over time.
Good thing I read first before I started splitting! Whew... Now I know I can't cut my Vit. C tablets into half. I just have to remember to buy in smaller dosage next time. :)
