Why aren't you supposed to chew pills?!
Question: Why aren't you supposed to chew pills!?
Answers:
The above is correct, but allow me to elaborate!.
If you chew a pill that is meant to be released all at once, nothing will happen!.
If you chew a time released pill, such as dual-layered sleep aids, you do in fact release all of the medicine at once, which can sometimes be more than your body can handle!. It may not do anything right away, it may even take a few times to start, but it could start making you feel ill and could in the long run kill you from an overdose of whatever you're taking!.
Best not to chew pills unless you're instructed to!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
If you chew a pill that is meant to be released all at once, nothing will happen!.
If you chew a time released pill, such as dual-layered sleep aids, you do in fact release all of the medicine at once, which can sometimes be more than your body can handle!. It may not do anything right away, it may even take a few times to start, but it could start making you feel ill and could in the long run kill you from an overdose of whatever you're taking!.
Best not to chew pills unless you're instructed to!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
There are some pills that it is OK to chew!. However, some pills have a special coating that protects your stomach by not letting the med out til it is in your small bowel!. There are also some really odd pills that have the medication imbedded in a matrix so the med is very slowly absorbed and the actual matrix comes out the other end!. Neither of these type pills should be chewed!. Many capsules also should not be removed from the capsule and taken plain as it affects how the med is absorbed!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Some pills are enteric coated so they break down in the intestines instead of the stomach, if you chew them it can cause stomach upset, acid reflux and ulcers!. Other pills can be ok to crush or chew (but they taste awful!)!. And some are time released so you will get a little at a time if you chew them it gives you all the medicine at once and defeats the purpose of taking them!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
I'd like to add one more point to what Jared has said!. Another danger of chewing is that some pills are simply NOT MEANT TO HAVE THEIR CONTENT RELEASED IN YOUR MOUTH--by any means!! One such type is Tessalon Pearls!. Wonderful for coughs, but how they work is that after you've swallowed them, the clear, pearl-like little pill releases it's content in such a way as to NUMB the cough reflex!. Wonderful, right!? It truly is!. UNLESS IT'S CHEWED!! This can be terribly dangerous, as the numbing agent then numbs the swallowing part of the throat, which can cause choking!.
Benedryl and others can also cause a numbing of the throat (where you swallow), so that you cannot feel the swallow sensation!. This can really be frightening!.
Still others, if they're swallowed, do a break down EARLY, so that they are not absorbed where they are supposed to be in the body!. At times there will be the warning, "Do not chew" on the outside of the bottle, and they mean it!
And, okay, just a practical thing: if you chew some of them, well, frankly they're HORRIBLE!. Makes it almost impossible to swallow, they taste so bad!. So they have a bit of a sweet coating on them (some types) so you won't have a problem with them while they're still on your tongue!.
Interesting question! And fabulous answers by nearly everyone! Www@Answer-Health@Com
Benedryl and others can also cause a numbing of the throat (where you swallow), so that you cannot feel the swallow sensation!. This can really be frightening!.
Still others, if they're swallowed, do a break down EARLY, so that they are not absorbed where they are supposed to be in the body!. At times there will be the warning, "Do not chew" on the outside of the bottle, and they mean it!
And, okay, just a practical thing: if you chew some of them, well, frankly they're HORRIBLE!. Makes it almost impossible to swallow, they taste so bad!. So they have a bit of a sweet coating on them (some types) so you won't have a problem with them while they're still on your tongue!.
Interesting question! And fabulous answers by nearly everyone! Www@Answer-Health@Com
you are not suppossed to chew them because most pills are time released meaning that they distribute the medicine to your body in increments!. they are made to breakdown at time periods!. by chewing them you throw that off and release all the medicine at onceWww@Answer-Health@Com
Some pills have a chemical 'timer' in them and release the medication over a period of time so they work longer!. If you chew them, you may disrupt the timer effect which would be bad!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
because most medications are time released and by chewing it, it cannot be time releasedWww@Answer-Health@Com
No reason not to unless you have one of those prolonged release type pills!. Otherwise chew away!. They will work faster if you chew em up good!. Www@Answer-Health@Com
yeah extended release, plus they taste bad!. And take enamel off your teeth!. Www@Answer-Health@Com
why would you want to!?Www@Answer-Health@Com