A recent study by researchers from Johns Hopkins University found that taking pills while lying on your right side shortens the time it takes for the drug to be absorbed.

The study was published in the Journal of Fluid Physics, and the Johns Hopkins University website wrote about it.

Before entering into the details, we confirm that the information here is for general knowledge, as some people cannot take the medicine while lying on the side, and may face the risk of suffocation, so consult your doctor before changing the position in which you take the medicine.

When do pills start to work?

Senior author Rajat Mittal, an expert in fluid dynamics, said: “We were very surprised that the situation had such a huge impact on the rate of pill dissolution... I never thought if I was doing it right or wrong, but now I will definitely think about it every time. I take a pill."

Most pills do not start to work until the stomach has expelled its contents into the intestine.

So the closer the pills get to the lower part of the stomach, called the antrum, the faster they begin to dissolve and empty their contents into the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine.

The team tested 4 modes.

Taking the pills while lying on the right side was by far the best, as the pills reached the deepest part of the stomach to achieve a dissolution rate 2.3 times faster than the standing position.

According to JHU researchers who examined the mechanics of drug dissolution and the natural anatomy of the stomach:

Taking a pill while lying on your right side shortens the amount of time it takes for medicine to be absorbed.

pic.twitter.com/4UehpqEfbv

— Johns Hopkins University (@JohnsHopkins) August 16, 2022

Lying on the left side is the worst

In contrast, lying on the left side was the worst.

The team was very surprised when they discovered that the pill took 10 minutes to dissolve on the right side, 23 minutes when taking the drug while the person was standing, and more than 100 minutes when lying on the left side.

"For the elderly or the bedridden, whether they are turning left or right, it can have a huge impact," Mittal said.

Stomach conditions, such as gastroparesis caused by diabetes or Parkinson's disease, had similar effects on drug dissolution as body position when taking the drug.

Gastroparesis is a condition where the stomach cannot empty in the normal way.

Food passes through the stomach more slowly than usual.

It is thought to be the result of a problem with the nerves and muscles that control how the stomach empties.