So, you have decided that it is time to start filling your own capsules.
What’s next? It may seem like there is a lot to get into, but in reality, it’s quite simple.
A few common questions you may ask yourself before you start…
Do I have to fill these by hand? That could take A LOT of time!
What kind of capsule should I get? Do I really need to spend more money to get vegetarian…or is gelatin okay too?
And the most popular question… What size capsule do I need?
Let me walk you through this to try and make the process a little smoother. Now, the above questions need to be answered before you go ahead and start filling, so let’s get down to it.
First off, at this point, you probably have an idea of what you want to put in the capsule. And to put your mind at ease, no you do not have to fill these by hand.
That’s messy, inconsistent, and honestly just a pain in the you know what. That’s why we have a capsule filler for each size capsule we offer.
Before we get into the capsule fillers, let’s dig into which type of capsule you need first.
Vegetarian or Gelatin Capsules?
This is the easiest question to answer. Are you a vegetarian, vegan, or you simply do not like eating meat?
Well, then go with the vegetarian capsules. Vegetarian capsules are comprised of two main ingredients: 100% plant derived Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC) and water.
HPMC is a vegetable cellulose, therefore, it contains no animal byproducts at all and will be sure to meet any dietary, cultural or personal preference.
Now, if you do not have any problem eating meat, then the gelatin capsules will suit you perfectly. These capsules also contain limited ingredients and they are 100% Pharmaceutical Hide Bovine gelatin and water.
They also contain the added benefit of consuming gelatin, which has its own healthy properties like helping strengthen your bones, improves skin, helps maintain heart health among others.
Deciding on what type of capsule is a personal preference. Are you a vegetarian or gelatin type of person?
Which Size Capsule Do I Need?
Next, let’s lock down the size of the capsule you need. This tends to be the toughest to answer because there are so many variables.
To start, it always helps if you have an idea of how many milligrams (mg) you would like to take.
(Just a side note: We cannot assist with the dose you need as every individual is different and each is taking the herbal supplement for their own personal health and health journey, so the outcome searched for is slightly different. We also are not in the business of giving out dosages. We provide you the herbs to assist you in living a healthier life.)
Now, back to the sizing.
Let’s get specific here and say you want to take 1000 mg of turmeric powder. This in no way is a dosage for you, but just an example for this article. This falls into line with our size 00 capsule, which holds 600-1100 mg., but also our 000 capsule, which holds 800-1600mg.
So, which size should you get?
To answer this question, you need to know a little bit about the density of your powder. Is the powder you're taking more like flour, or is it closer to table salt?
If it is closer in consistency to flour, then your powder is less dense and would require a larger capsule...so you would want size 000 capsules.
The range in milligrams that a capsule can hold also depends on whether or not you are using a tamper. I’ll get more into the tamping later on, but essentially, you would fill the capsule all the way up and tamp, or compress, the powder as far into the capsule as you can, so you can fill more.
Back to the turmeric capsule example. Turmeric is a denser powder, so if I wanted 1000 mg, then the size 00 would work perfectly. I can fill the capsule, tamp it, fill it, tamp, and fill one more time to get as much as I can out of it and...BOOM... you got yourself approximately a 1000 mg turmeric capsule.
This is not an exact science and if you need to know the exact milligram in each capsule, then your best bet is to weigh out each capsule after it is filled.
You can check out our handy size chart here.
What's the Best Way to Fill My Capsules?
Alright, so you know what type of capsule to fill and now you have an idea of what size you would like. You’re all set right?
Well, not exactly. If you plan to fill by hand, then you are all set. If you want to make your life a little easier, I would suggest checking out the capsule fillers.
There are two main at-home capsule fillers, The Capsule Machine and the CAP-M-QUIK and each has their own pros and cons.
The Capsule Machine
Let’s dig into The Capsule Machine first. This one is slightly smaller and fills 24 capsules at once. It is also a little cheaper at $18.95 per unit. We call this semi-automatic because its main feature is it will close all the capsules at the same time.
The process of filling the capsules can be done in three easy steps.
Step 1: Load the machine with your empty capsules.
Step 2: Pour your powder onto the machine and spread it (using the spreading card that is included) into the empty capsules.
Step 3: Press both parts of the machine together, which will close all 24 capsules at the same time.
Voilà...capsules are made!
The Capsule Machine is only offered in size 1, 0 & 00, so if you need to use a size outside of those three, you will need to check out the other capsule filler, which is...
The CAP-M-QUIK
The CAP-M-QUIK capsule filler fills 50 capsules at a time and retails for $26.50. You can also get the version that comes without the tamper, which sells for $21.95.
This one is all manual and you will need to put the top of the capsule on each one. This may seem like a pain, but in reality, it is the same process and you are just putting the top of the capsule off to the side in a bowl as opposed to in another part of the filler.
You may be thinking you don’t need the tamper. And you may not at first, but it is always nice to have just in case you find yourself wanting to push the powder a little further down, so you can squeeze in a little more.
Think of it as a car charger. You don’t necessarily need it, but when you have 5% battery left and you still have 30 minutes in the car, you'll be glad that you have it.
So, let’s recap briefly.
First off, you made the decision to make your own supplements. That in itself is a fun new journey you are about to go on.
We talked about which type of capsule you may want. Are you a vegetarian or gelatin person?
We also tried to lock down the sizing. It’s not exact, but it should be enough to get you started.
We last spoke about the capsule fillers we offer. They certainly make the process easier, but are not exactly necessary to make capsules.
So, there you go.
Enjoy the journey and the endless combinations at your fingertips!