Making your own supplements with empty capsules and pure powders — a practical guide
Making your own supplements with empty capsules and pure powders
Not everyone wants a ready-made jar. Some people want to know exactly what is in it, no fillers or excipients they do not need, and the freedom to set their own dose — often at a considerably lower cost per gram as well. For that group, filling capsules yourself with pure powders is a surprisingly simple solution.
In this guide we explain how it works: which capsule sizes there are, which powders lend themselves to it, a step-by-step plan and — importantly — how to do it safely and responsibly.
Up front, in brief: filling your own gives you control, but it changes nothing about the rules of sensible dosing. Stick to the recommended daily dose on the label of the raw material or to the advice of an expert. More is not better.
Why would you do it yourself?
- No superfluous excipients. Pure powders are exactly that: the raw material, without fillers, anti-caking agents or sweeteners that you come across in some ready-made products.
- You set the dose yourself. One capsule more or less, or a powder you would rather stir into water or a shake — you stay in charge.
- Better value per gram. A bag of powder lasts a long time. For anyone who uses a raw material daily, that adds up over a year.
- Plant-based is possible too. Our empty capsules are made of pullulan (produced by fermenting tapioca), so vegan and without animal gelatine.
Capsule sizes: 0, 00 and 000 explained
The size determines how much powder fits in. The lower the number, the smaller the capsule. As a rough guideline (the exact amount depends on how heavy and how airy the powder is):
| Size | Contents (approx.) | Powder (approx.)* | Handy for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size 0 | ~0.5 ml | ~300–500 mg | smaller doses, easier to swallow |
| Size 00 | ~0.7 ml | ~500–800 mg | the most widely used "standard" size |
| Size 000 | ~1.0 ml | ~700–1000 mg | high doses in a single capsule |
* A guide figure — weigh it if in doubt, because a light powder weighs less than a heavy powder at the same volume.
With us you can choose, for example, pullulan empty capsules size 0 for more compact doses, size 00 as the all-rounder, or size 000 when you want a substantial dose in one capsule. These empty capsules belong to our Vitarium Select line.
Which powders lend themselves to it?
Almost any fine, dry powder can be filled. A few widely used pure powders from our Natuurlijk.fit range:
- Vitamin C powder (ascorbic acid) — a fine powder, also perfectly soluble in water if you would rather skip capsules.
- Magnesium bisglycinate powder — a much-requested form of magnesium in loose powder form.
- MSM powder — coarsely soluble, suitable for capsules and shakes alike.
- L-glutamine powder — neutral in taste, mixes easily.
Tip: powders with a pronounced taste (such as MSM) are better put into capsules; taste-neutral powders can just as well be stirred into water or a smoothie.
Step by step: filling capsules
- Work dry and clean. Wash and dry your hands, and work on a dry surface — powder and moisture are no friends.
- Pull the capsule apart into a long half (the body) and a short half (the cap).
- Fill the long half with powder. Press the powder down lightly with the back of a teaspoon if you want to get more in.
- Weigh a test capsule if you want a specific dose: fill one, weigh the powder, and you know how many mg go into each capsule.
- Close the capsule by pressing the cap firmly on until you feel a click.
- Store cool and dry, in a sealed jar or bag, out of reach of children.
Do you regularly fill larger quantities? Then a capsule filling plate (with which you fill dozens of capsules in one go) saves you a lot of time. For the occasional jar, doing it by hand works fine.
Safe and responsible dosing
This is the most important part, and it is short:
- Follow the recommended daily dose on the packaging of the raw material, or the advice of a doctor or expert. Filling your own is no licence to go higher.
- Some substances have an upper limit. Certainly for minerals and fat-soluble vitamins the rule is: more is not safer or more effective.
- Weigh if in doubt. A simple kitchen scale (0.01 g) takes the guesswork out.
- In doubt, on medication or pregnant? Then talk to your GP, pharmacist or practitioner first.
This guide is meant as a practical explanation, not as medical or dosing advice for your situation.
Prefer ready-made?
Filling your own is not for everyone, and it does not have to be. If you want the convenience of a weighed-out formula, there are plenty of options from Natuurlijk.fit — for example the fibre mix MultiFiber, FiberSynergy with baobab and acacia, or L-glutamine in capsules; you will find the whole Natuurlijk.fit range in one overview. And within Vitarium Select you will find ready-made essentials such as ZMA and Creatine monohydrate.
Finally
Whether you prefer to fill your own capsules or reach for a ready-made formula: it comes down to what suits you. If you want to think about how to build a well-considered basis, also read one multivitamin or a targeted stack. And if you want to understand what the claims on a label really mean, we have a separate explanation about that.
Empty capsules from Vitarium Select, filled with pure powders from Natuurlijk.fit — or simply a weighed-out formula, ready-made. Both are possible, and both fit the idea behind our shop: consciously choosing what suits you.