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Glossary

What is enteric coating?

Written by the Full Measure editorial team, which sells supplements. Approved for publication by the Full Measure owners. Updated .

Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below. How we write these

Quick answer

An enteric coating is a layer on a tablet or capsule that stays intact in stomach acid and dissolves further along, in the small intestine. It is made from polymers that dissolve only above a certain pH. Makers use it to shield an ingredient from acid, or to keep an ingredient off the stomach lining.1,2,3

Key facts

  • NIH describes enteric coated tablets as designed not to dissolve in the stomach but to dissolve in the small intestine.1
  • Enteric coated products are a type of delayed release dose form.4
  • A 2019 review found that the effect of enteric coating on absorption is debated and depends on stomach pH, stomach emptying time and the coating polymer.3
  • Hypromellose acetate succinate is one pH-sensitive polymer used to keep contents away from acid.5

How the coating works

The coating is made from polymers that stay solid in acid and dissolve once the surroundings become less acidic. Stomach acid leaves them intact, so the tablet or capsule passes through the stomach whole and opens in the small intestine.1,2,3

Because people differ in stomach pH and in how fast the stomach empties, the point at which a coating opens is not the same for everyone. The 2019 review lists these factors, along with the choice of polymer, as reasons enteric coated products give varied results.3

A coating or an acid-resistant shell

A coating is a layer added over a finished tablet or capsule. The alternative is a capsule whose shell is itself made of an acid-resistant polymer, or of a gelling polymer that lets the contents out as it wears away. A 2022 review found that not all such ready-made capsules pass the drug tests for delayed release.2,4

Enteric coating on supplement labels

You may see enteric coated, delayed release or acid resistant on a label. The first describes a coating and the others describe the timing of release. None of these phrases is a health claim, and none tells you how much of the ingredient you will absorb.3,4

The coating material itself is an ingredient, so it appears in the ingredient list with the other non-dietary ingredients.6

Questions people ask

Does enteric coating change absorption?

It changes where and when an ingredient dissolves, and sometimes how fast it is absorbed. NIH notes that enteric coated potassium chloride tablets are absorbed less rapidly than liquid forms. Whether total absorption changes depends on the ingredient.1,3

What is enteric coating made of?

Polymers that resist acid and dissolve at the less acidic pH of the intestine. Hypromellose acetate succinate is one example of a pH-sensitive polymer used for this purpose.2,5

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Sources

  1. Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. Potassium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated June 2, 2022. Opened 2026-10-07.
  2. Franc A, Vetchý D, Fülöpová N. Commercially Available Enteric Empty Hard Capsules, Production Technology and Application. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2022;15(11):1398. Opened 2026-10-07.
  3. Maderuelo C, Lanao JM, Zarzuelo A. Enteric coating of oral solid dosage forms as a tool to improve drug bioavailability. Eur J Pharm Sci. 2019;138:105019. Opened 2026-10-07.
  4. NCI Thesaurus, NCI Enterprise Vocabulary Services, National Institutes of Health. Delayed Release Capsule Dosage Form, code C42902. Opened 2026-10-07.
  5. Wang JL, Southard B, Jara MO, et al. Viability of Lactobacillus acidophilus in Thin-Film Freeze-Dried Powders Filled in Delayed-Release Vegetarian Capsules in a Simulated Gastric Fluid. AAPS PharmSciTech. 2023;24(7):193. Opened 2026-10-07.
  6. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Section 101.4: Food; designation of ingredients. eCFR, current as of October 2026. Opened 2026-10-07.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.