If you’re formulating empty capsules for children for pediatric use, choosing the right capsule for your product is a key decision. First and foremost, what size is best if you want to create child-friendly capsules? If you want to go to market with easy-to-swallow empty capsules for children, an overly large capsule is not going to work.
However, once you’ve selected a capsule size, there are still other decisions to be made for your pediatric capsules. Should your capsules be gelatin or vegetarian? What’s the best way to create flavor-masked capsules for children? And are there any other options that can optimize the appeal of kids’ empty capsules?
Here’s what you need to know…
Empty capsules, including capsules for children’s medication and supplements, are available in a range of sizes, all of which are standardized throughout the industry. As the chart below
illustrates, capsule size numbers are inversely related to capsule size. The numbering system starts with 000 for the largest capsule, and goes to 4 for the smallest capsule.
When choosing a size for empty pill capsules for kids, there are three important factors to consider:
1. Capsule capacity – Capsule capacity is a function of the volume and mass (i.e., weight) of your fill material.
The mass is the number of milligrams of formulation per dose. Density = Mass (g) / Volume (ml).
Once you know these numbers, the easiest way to determine what size capsule is needed to hold your formulation is to use CapsCanada’s interactive capsule size calculator.
Alternatively, you can use a chart like the one above. Find the line for the density that is closest to your formulation’s density. Then, looking at that line, find the capsule size that is closest to, but not smaller than, your formulations’ weight. This will tell you what size capsule is needed to hold one dose of your formulation.
2. Swallowability – If your goal is to create easy-to-swallow capsules for children, be aware that you may have to split your dose into more than one pill.
Generally speaking, smaller size capsules, especially sizes 3, 4 and 5, are the best choice for empty capsules for pediatric patients. Anything bigger than that can negatively impact compliance because children are likely to find larger capsules difficult to swallow and/or off-putting (“But Mom, that big pill looks too scary!”).
The answer here depends on your formulation and product type. For example, vegetarian capsules for kids are often the best choice for nutraceutical products, such as capsules for kids vitamins. This ties in to trends in the nutraceutical industry overall, where consumers (including parents) are often looking for more “natural” products. Using vegetarian capsules can therefore expand the market for your pediatric vitamins or supplements.
For pharmaceutical products, the best choice often depends on the formulation. For example, gelatin capsules are the best option for oxygen-sensitive active ingredients, while vegetarian capsules are the best option for hygroscopic formulations.
Palatability – which is influenced by taste, smell and texture – is generally far more important to kids than it is to adults. If the bitter taste or unpleasant smell of your formulation comes through the capsule, many children will refuse to swallow it.
CapsCanada offers the ultimate solution for flavor-masked capsules for children: Flavored capsules. Our unique FLAVORED-CAPS don’t just mask unpleasant tastes and smells. The capsules themselves taste and smell pleasant and delicious. Available in a variety of kid-friendly flavors, such as berry, fruit and bubblegum, these pediatric capsules provide an excellent option for differentiating your product and increasing compliance.
Another way to increase your product’s appeal – and therefore compliance – is to make use of custom printing. With CapsCanada you can print radially or axially on the capsule’s body and/or cap, in fine detail. For example, your custom capsules for kids can feature imprints of cartoon characters.
While all capsules must meet government health and safety standards, how do you ensure that the capsules you’re considering are truly non-toxic capsules for children? You look closely at the capsules' ingredients and manufacturing. This is where we really excel.
All our capsules are made in cGMP facilities in North and South America. For our gelatin capsules, which are made from superior-quality bovine hide gelatin, we are the only capsule manufacturer that owns its source of raw gelatin. This provides an extraordinary level of quality assurance.
In addition, something that is noteworthy about both our gelatin and vegetarian capsules is what they do not contain. These child-safe capsule solutions are Kosher and Halal certified, Non-GMO, BSE-free and free of preservatives, prions and all common allergens. In addition, our HPMC vegetarian capsules have received vegan registration from the Vegan Society.