Why make your own supplements? There are many reports that as commercially sold supplements are not regulated, many do not contain the ingredients that they say they do. At the same time, I have read many good things about several natural treatments, such as turmeric for pain. Thus, it only makes sense to me to make my own supplements, so that I can reap the benefits of natural remedies and know exactly what is in the capsules I take. In fact, I have been making them for the past several years to help with back pain. Mr. Grump has recently started taking them daily and noticed benefit as well.
For the past four years, I have been using The Capsule Machine (see below photo). If you are new to supplement making and will be making small batches at a time, I recommend it for easy use and affordability. The Capsule Machine comes in a few different capsule sizes. I typically use 00 for the larger capacity, but is also available in sizes 0 and 1, which are both smaller than 00. This device is quite easy to use.
PROS to The Capsule Machine:
No initial setup
Easy to use
Quick to use (less than 5 minutes per batch typically)
Long-lasting (mine functioned well for over 4 years)
Seems dishwasher safe (except the included scraper)
Affordable (available for under $20 here)
CONS to The Capsule Machine:
Fits a relatively small number of capsules at a time
The included scraper is flimsy and does not last as long as the rest of the device
Steps to making supplements with The Capsule Machine:
1. Purchase the corresponding size capsules, pull them apart, and place each piece in the corresponding side.
2. Add the desired ingredients to the bottom half (with the larger piece of the capsule). Use the tamper to compact them
3. Then add more until you reach the desired amount of ingredients or you cannot fit more inside. (For turmeric capsules you will want to add two ingredients: ground turmeric and a bit of black pepper to increase the bioavailability of the curcumin.) You can use curcuma longa or curcuma caesia (see this post to learn more about the different types of turmeric).
4. Finally, place the top and bottom pieces together and squeeze. Congratulations, you have homemade supplements!
Unfortunately, my old trusty Capsule Machine has stopped working well recently, leaving me with half-closed capsules and spices spilled over the table. As I’ve wanted to increase my production to provide supplements for additional family and friends, I decided to look for a bigger capsule filling device rather than purchase another Capsule Machine. This Capsule-It caught my eye, as it boasts “semi-automatic” capsule placement and fills 100 capsules rather than 24 in The Capsule Machine. Additionally, it claims that these 100 capsules can be filled in under 8 minutes.
When the device arrived, I was pleased that it appeared to be made of sturdy plastic components. It required some minimal assembly, which, even with my uncoordinated hands, took less than 3 minutes. There were enough parts (labeled, fortunately) that I had to read the instructions. I could not just guess what to do with a decent chance of being right.
With the original Capsule Machine, I would separate the empty capsules one by one and place them into the corresponding sides of the device. This was somewhat tedious, but did not require counting. The instructions for the Capsule-It recommended separating all empty capsules first, placing them in the corresponding side, and shaking them so that they automatically fall into place. Although somewhat less tedious of a task, this required me to count to 100, which was a bit more difficult than expected. Also, the instructions noted that some capsules could fall into the plates the wrong way and need to be manually placed. On the first try, 8 required replacing on the bottom, and 12 required this on the top. Once this was accomplished, I was able to put the spill guard on the bottom/frame plate and add my turmeric/black pepper mixture.
Once I had added and tamped in enough turmeric/black pepper mix, it was time to close the capsules. Forgetting to read the instructions at this point, I attempted to add the top capsules/capping plate without adding the middle plate to hold the capsules in. This resulted in the top portion of the capsules spilling all over my table. Once I managed to find them all and replace in them in the correct plate, I used the middle plate (as instructed) to hold them in, and pressed the capsules together. Total time spent: 27 minutes. (Please note: subsequent batches have taken less time and I can now make 100 capsules with the Capsule-It in approximately 12 minutes. Although this is not as fast as advertised, it is somewhat faster than what I would be able to do with The Capsule Machine).
PROS to Capsule-It:
Larger capacity
Likely to be long-lasting, based on quality materials
Good quality scraper included
Affordable (available for under $50 here), when compared to other large capsule makers
Quick to use (with practice)
Capsules make a satisfying “clink” when they fall into place
CONS to Capsule-It:
Somewhat complicated to use, when compared to The Capsule Machine
Counting to 100 as you separate capsules can be tricky
Well, there you have it. Making your own supplements is easy and is much more affordable than buying them commercially. Want to learn more about the medicinal qualities of turmeric? This NIH study details the various ways in which turmeric has been studied medicinally.
Want to grow your own turmeric? Click here for a post on growing this wonderful edible, medicinal, and decorative beauty.
How do you use your turmeric supplements? Feel free to comment below!
