A supplement by definition is something, such as a vitamin, that completes or enhances something else, such as the diet, when added to it.

In a perfect world, diets wouldn't need any supplementation, as the diet would provide an exact balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and several other micronutrients. Due to many factors including over farming of lands, genetically modified foods, pesticides, and limited or unhealthy diets most individuals are lacking essential nutrients from their everyday diet. In the long run, these deficiencies eventually lead to chronic health problems as the systems of the body do not receive the proper nutrition to continue functioning and an optimal level.

With this in mind, almost every individual in the modern world requires some form of dietary supplementation such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, or magnesium that would require a large increase in dietary intake of fish, dark leafy greens, and drastic changes in overall lifestyle and health practices. If healthy, organic, unprocessed food was cheaper and readily available to all, such as fast food is, then there may not be such a need for supplementation as everyone would be able to eat a healthier more balanced diet with ease.

Yet the dramatic rise in chronic disease over the past few decades has been strongly linked to nutritional and dietary deficiencies that could otherwise easily be eliminated with targeted and effective supplementation. This is why supplementing is so important, as it is one of the best ways to help mitigate the development of the chronic disease that currently plagues most of the world's population. 

Almost everyone can benefit from taking a liquid supplement as they provide a much superior nutrient delivery system compared to capsules or pills, yet there are a number of specific indications for using liquid supplements.

Age is one of the most common reasons to choose a liquid supplement, children under 12 years old and elderly individuals may not be able to properly swallow pills, especially larger ones, and can pose a serious choking hazard. Furthermore, tiny bodies or old bodies are not as effective at breaking down capsules and pills that are swallowed and therefore the absorption rate of nutrients drops drastically. 

Many individuals may have physical or disease limitations such as having gastric surgery or esophageal cancer that may require individuals to take a liquid supplement. Others may just have inadequate stomach acid to properly break down pills, which causes them to feel like they swallow a brick every time they take a supplement. This is why liquid supplements are readily used in clinical settings to deliver high concentrations of highly absorbable nutrients to depleted bodies. 

A third reason is that sometimes supplements such as iron or magnesium can cause gastric issues, such as diarrhea and constipation. This can often be avoided when using liquid supplements as the nutrient can be properly absorbed and the binders and fillers that would typically be left behind cannot agitate the digestive system. 

Finally, a great reason to consider liquid supplements is that they can be extremely cost-effective for larger families. For example, a mother who is shopping for supplements that she wants everyone in the family to take can simply buy a liquid formula and adjust the dose as needed based on serving size. This would be near impossible with capsule and pill-based formulas as every member of the family would need a different product to deliver the correct dosage of nutrients for their body.