Take total control over your health routine with NOW® Size "1" Empty Gelatin Capsules (Item N5171). These pharmaceutical-grade bovine gelatin capsules let you make your own custom vitamin, mineral, and herbal formulas right at home without artificial fillers, glues, or high retail markups. Each capsule dissolves quickly and gently in your normal stomach acid, releasing pure active powders in minutes for smooth, dependable nutrient uptake.
Quick Specs Snapshot
✓Active Form & Potency: Precision two-piece Size "1" hard gelatin capsules engineered to hold 250 mg to 400 mg of most nutritional and botanical powders.
✓Primary Cellular Target: Fast breakdown in gastric fluids, releasing pure nutrients directly to stomach and intestinal absorption sites.
✓Supply & Value Math: 500 empty capsules per bottle, cutting your supplement costs by 50% to 70% compared to pre-bottled retail brands.
✓Formulation Purity: Made strictly from 100% BSE-free bovine gelatin and purified water (H2O); free from gluten, soy, wheat, dairy, and artificial preservatives.
Buyer Guide & Capsule Form Comparison
Why the Gelatin Form Matters
Cheaper empty capsules sold by big-box stores and overseas discount brokers often cut costs by using low-grade animal scraps that turn brittle, crack during filling, or carry unpleasant odors and chemical residues. NOW® uses pure, pharmaceutical-grade bovine gelatin that stays flexible, snaps tightly shut with a precision locking ring, and dissolves smoothly in warm digestive fluids without causing stomach heaviness or gas [1, 2].
Ideal For Shoppers Who:
✓Prefer a slender, easy-to-swallow capsule (holding 250 mg to 400 mg) that never feels like a giant "horse pill."
✓Want to encapsulate custom herbal blends, targeted vitamins, or minerals at home without artificial lubricants, flow chemicals, or tablet binders.
✓Want high-volume economy with 500 durable capsules that snap together cleanly and will not crush in manual filling machines.
Consider Another Option If:
✘You follow a strict vegetarian or vegan lifestyle (choose NOW Veg Capsules in "0" or "00" sizes made from plant cellulose).
✘You plan to pre-fill water-based liquids or tinctures (liquid water dissolves gelatin within minutes; only fill dry powders or thick oils right before swallowing).
✘You need to pack more than 400 mg to 500 mg of bulky powder into a single pill (upgrade to Size "0", "00", or "000" capsules).
Every order is backed by VitaNet®, LLC's unconditional 100% money-back guarantee—even on opened bottles, with return shipping covered—so you can test the size, fit, and filling quality completely risk-free.
How Gelatin Capsules Break Down in Your Body
When you swallow a gelatin capsule, your body processes it through a simple, natural digestive pathway [1]. Gelatin is an edible protein made from natural collagen [1]. The moment the capsule enters your stomach, two natural factors go to work: normal body warmth (37°C / 98.6°F) and natural stomach acid (hydrochloric acid, or HCl) [2].
Rapid Gastric Dissolution (5 to 15 Minutes)
Unlike rock-hard compressed tablets that take 30 to 60 minutes to slowly crumble, thin two-piece gelatin shells absorb stomach fluids almost immediately [2]. The walls soften, separate, and dissolve within 5 to 15 minutes of reaching the stomach [3]. This rapid breakdown releases your loose powder evenly so it can dissolve quickly across your digestive tract for maximum nutrient uptake [2, 4].
Natural Protein Digestion into Pure Amino Acids
After the capsule opens, your digestive enzymes (such as pepsin) break the gelatin protein down into basic, harmless amino acids—chiefly glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline [1, 4]. Because gelatin is completely biodegradable and digestible, the capsule shell digests just like normal food, leaving behind zero synthetic plasticizers, artificial polymers, or chemical residues to irritate your gut lining [3].
Scientific References:
Gullapalli, R. P., & Mazzitelli, C. L. (2017). Gelatin and non-gelatin capsule dosage forms. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 106(6), 1453–1465.
Cole, E. T., et al. (2002). In vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetics of gelatin and HPMC capsules. European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 17(1-2), 49–57.
Chiwele, I., Jones, B. E., & Fell, J. T. (2000). The problems with gelatin capsules. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 203(1-2), 1–13.
Stegemann, S., et al. (2007). When poor bioavailability is not an issue: Gelatin capsules as efficient delivery systems. European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 30(2), 129–136.
Daily Filling, Timing & Usage Protocol
Optimal Timing & How to Swallow Comfortably
Always swallow your filled capsules with a full 8-ounce glass of cool or room-temperature water. Good hydration makes the smooth gelatin shell slick, allowing it to glide effortlessly down your throat into your stomach [2]. If you are encapsulating fat-soluble nutrients (such as CoQ10, Curcumin, or Vitamin D3), take your capsules with a meal containing healthy dietary fats (like olive oil, avocado, or eggs) to stimulate bile release and optimize intestinal absorption.
Circadian & Split-Dosing Strategy
Because Size "1" capsules hold 250 mg to 400 mg of powder, they are the perfect size for dividing your daily supplement intake into gentle morning and evening micro-doses. For example, you can take daytime energizers or B-vitamins with breakfast, and pack relaxing evening herbs or minerals for bedtime. Splitting your doses supports steady, balanced nutrient levels in your bloodstream all day long.
Smart Synergies & Powder Rules
✓Ideal Powders: Excellent for ground botanical herbs, mushroom extracts, amino acids, creatine, and pure vitamin or mineral powders.
✘Avoid Liquid Water: Never pre-fill gelatin capsules with water-based tinctures, tea, or juice. Water softens and dissolves gelatin walls within minutes.
✓Two-Hour Spacing Rule: If you fill your capsules with high-dose minerals like iron, zinc, or calcium, take them at least 2 hours apart from prescription medications or strong teas to prevent absorption competition.
Timeline of Expectations
Week 1: You quickly master your filling technique by hand or with a manual filling machine. You will experience smooth swallowing with zero bitter herbal aftertaste.
Weeks 3–4: Your personalized supplement routine runs like clockwork. You will notice substantial cost savings compared to purchasing pre-made retail supplement bottles.
Months 2–3+: You enjoy total control and confidence over your health. You know the exact purity, dosage, and quality of everything you put into your body, completely free of unwanted fillers.
Physical Profile, Capsule Size & Pure Ingredients
Capsule Format & Swallowability
Size "1" capsules measure approximately 19.4 mm in closed length and 6.9 mm in external diameter, with an internal volume of about 0.48 mL. This slender, compact profile makes Size "1" far easier to swallow than large Size "00" or "000" capsules. With a small sip of water, the smooth gelatin surface becomes instantly slick, gliding effortlessly down your throat without sticking.
Aroma, Taste & Clarity
These capsules are 100% transparent, crystal-clear, and completely odorless. They contain zero flavorings or dyes, fully sealing away pungent or bitter botanicals (such as valerian root, goldenseal, or cayenne) so you never taste them. The clear walls allow you to easily check your powder fill level and mixture consistency at a glance.
Only Two Ingredients Demystified
1. Bovine Gelatin: Sourced strictly from certified BSE-free beef collagen. It forms the clear, sturdy shell that protects your powder and dissolves gently at body temperature.
2. Purified Water (H2O): Carefully balanced during manufacturing (13% to 16% moisture content) to keep the gelatin shells flexible so they snap shut firmly without shattering.
Storage & Shell Care
Gelatin naturally reacts to air moisture. Keep your capsules stored in their tightly sealed original bottle in a cool, dry pantry between 59°F and 77°F (15°C to 25°C), with relative humidity maintained between 35% and 55%. Avoid humid bathrooms, damp basements, and hot car dashboards to keep the capsules from sticking together or becoming brittle.
Not manufactured with yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, corn, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, or tree nut ingredients. Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.
Big-box discount stores and unverified third-party online platforms frequently sell generic capsules from overseas factories that skip essential quality checks. Those discount capsules often contain heavy metal traces, industrial chemical residues, or unmonitored animal scraps. In contrast, NOW® holds its products to strict safety benchmarks:
✓16,000+ Lab Tests Per Month: NOW runs more than 16,000 physical, chemical, and microbiological tests each month across its advanced in-house analytical testing suites.
✓Parts-Per-Billion Heavy Metal Screening (ICP-MS): Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry, every raw lot is analyzed for lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury down to parts-per-billion (ppb) limits, clearing strict California Proposition 65 and USP safety ceilings.
✓Certified 100% BSE-Free Bovine Material: All bovine gelatin is certified completely free from Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy and sourced exclusively from monitored, healthy cattle herds.
✓Microbiological Pathogen Testing: Finished lots undergo full microbial culture testing to confirm the complete absence of hazardous bacteria, including Salmonella, Escherichia coli (E. coli), and Staphylococcus aureus.
✓ISO/IEC 17025 Accredited & UL cGMP Certified: NOW testing suites maintain independent ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, and manufacturing facilities are audited and certified for Current Good Manufacturing Practices by UL Solutions.
About VitaNet®, LLC — Trusted Nutritional Heritage Since 1995
VitaNet®, LLC is a family-owned discount vitamin and supplement curator founded in 1995. Drawing on over 31 years of direct human biochemistry expertise and hands-on retail curation, we operate our physical storefront at 887 Edison Street Northwest in Hartville, Ohio 44632. As a Better Business Bureau A+ accredited company, we stock factory-fresh inventory received directly from authorized manufacturers like NOW®.
Every order is backed by our unconditional 100% money-back guarantee. If you are ever unsatisfied for any reason, we will refund your purchase and pay for return shipping, even on opened bottles. Have questions about capsule sizing or filling? Call our Ohio-based customer support team directly at (330) 877-8786.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much powder fits inside a single Size "1" capsule?
A Size "1" capsule holds between 250 mg and 400 mg of most nutritional powders, with an internal volume of 0.48 mL. The exact weight depends on the physical density of the powder you are using. Light, fluffy herbs (like chamomile) will pack closer to 250 mg, while heavy, dense mineral salts (like calcium or magnesium) can pack up to 400 mg.
How does Size "1" compare to Size "0", "00", and Veggie capsules?
Size "1" is smaller and easier to swallow than Size "0" (400 mg to 600 mg) and Size "00" (700 mg to 900 mg). Bovine gelatin capsules are derived from beef collagen and dissolve rapidly in warm stomach fluid. Veggie capsules are made from plant cellulose (hypromellose) for strict vegetarians, but they typically cost slightly more per capsule.
Can I fill these gelatin capsules with essential oils or liquids?
You can fill them with thick dietary carrier oils (such as olive oil, black seed oil, or MCT oil) if you swallow the capsule immediately after filling. However, never fill them with water-based liquids, fresh juices, or alcohol tinctures, because liquid water softens and dissolves gelatin shells within minutes.
Will taking these empty gelatin capsules break intermittent fasting?
No. An empty gelatin capsule contains less than 1 single calorie and tiny trace amounts of natural protein. This negligible amount will not trigger an insulin spike or break a metabolic fast. As long as the powder you place inside has zero calories (like pure electrolytes or unsweetened herbs), taking it will not interrupt your fasting routine.
How does NOW test empty gelatin capsules for heavy metals and BSE?
NOW tests every incoming batch in its private, ISO/IEC 17025 accredited analytical laboratories. Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), chemists screen for lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury down to parts-per-billion (ppb) limits to surpass California Proposition 65 guidelines. In addition, all bovine material is certified 100% BSE-free and sourced exclusively from monitored, healthy cattle herds.
