Introduction to Lozenges in Nutraceuticals

Lozenges in Nutraceuticals:
Palatable, Targeted Delivery for Wellness and Relief

Lozenges are solid oral dosage forms designed to dissolve slowly in the mouth, providing localized or systemic delivery of active ingredients. In the nutraceutical sector, lozenges offer a unique bridge between functionality and consumer-friendly convenience. They are especially popular for immune support, throat-soothing products, energy boosters, and sleeping aids, where the buccal and oropharyngeal absorption route can deliver fast, targeted effects. As consumer demand grows for non-pill, taste-driven, and clean-label supplements, lozenges are gaining renewed attention for their flexibility and sensorial appeal. From a formulation standpoint, lozenges can accommodate a wide range of botanicals, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, probiotics, and adaptogens, making them a versatile tool for modern nutraceutical product developers.

What Is a Nutraceutical Lozenge?

Lozenges are solid oral units meant to be held in the mouth and dissolved slowly, releasing their actives locally (e.g., throat) or for systemic absorption via buccal/sublingual routes. Unlike tablets, they are not chewed or swallowed whole – they dissolve gradually over 5 to 15 minutes, allowing longer mucosal contact. Lozenges are a popular delivery format in nutraceuticals, offering both functional and sensory benefits. They come in several types, each with distinct production methods and characteristics. Compressed lozenges are manufactured through standard tablet compression techniques but are specifically designed for slow dissolution in the mouth. They are typically larger than conventional tablets to allow for prolonged release of active ingredients.

Molded lozenges are created by pouring a warm, pliable mixture into molds and allowing it to cool. This method produces lozenges with a softer texture that can often be chewed if desired, offering a different sensory experience compared to compressed forms. Lastly, hard candy lozenges, also known as troches, are produced using sugar-cooking processes similar to traditional confectionery. These lozenges dissolve slowly, providing a long-lasting delivery of actives while closely resembling the taste and texture of hard candies, making them especially appealing for consumer-friendly formulations.

Why Use Lozenges for Nutraceuticals?

Lozenges offer several important advantages as a nutraceutical delivery system, combining therapeutic efficacy with consumer convenience. One of their major benefits is the potential for mucosal or buccal absorption, which allows active ingredients to bypass first-pass metabolism and reach systemic circulation more quickly, leading to a faster onset of action for certain compounds. Lozenges are also highly effective for local action, making them ideal for treating conditions such as sore throat, cough, oral health concerns, or delivering probiotics directly to the mouth. Through strategic use of flavors and sweeteners, lozenges enable taste-masked delivery, improving the palatability of actives that might otherwise be unpleasant.

Their format supports longer contact time within the oral cavity, enhancing local efficacy and increasing the potential for absorption. Lozenges are also convenient and portable, requiring no water for consumption and offering a discreet, travel-friendly option for supplementation. Finally, their enjoyable taste and ease of use make them appealing to all age groups, with particular advantages for pediatric and geriatric populations who may struggle with traditional tablets or capsules.

Popular Use Cases and Active Ingredients

Lozenges are commonly used in nutraceuticals for:

• Immune support: Zinc, vitamin C, elderberry, echinacea
• Throat soothing: Honey, menthol, licorice, slippery elm, marshmallow root
• Cognitive or focus boosts: Caffeine, L-theanine, B-vitamins
• Energy: Ginseng, green tea extract, NAD precursors
• Oral probiotics: Streptococcus salivarius K12/M18, Lactobacillus reuteri
• Sleep support: Melatonin, L-theanine, valerian root, chamomile
• Mood/stress: 5-HTP, GABA, ashwagandha, saffron

Key Excipients Used in Nutraceutical Lozenges

Base Materials (for Structure & Mouthfeel)

• Sugar (sucrose, dextrose) – Traditional hard candy-style lozenges
• Sugar alcohols (xylitol, isomalt, sorbitol, erythritol) – Sugar-free alternatives; xylitol also supports oral health
• Gelatin, pectin, or gums – Used in molded or soft lozenges

Binders & Matrix Builders

• Acacia gum (gum arabic)
• Maltodextrin
• Microcrystalline cellulose (for compressed lozenges)
• Starch and modified starches

Sweeteners

• Natural: Stevia, monk fruit (luo han guo), honey powder
• Polyols: Xylitol, isomalt, erythritol
• Artificial (less common in natural products): Sucralose, acesulfame K

Flavors & Cooling Agents

• Mint, citrus, berry, cherry, ginger, anise, menthol, eucalyptus
• Essential oils (peppermint, lemon, clove, tea tree for functional benefits)

Colorants

• Natural color blends (e.g., beetroot, spirulina, turmeric, anthocyanins)
• Iron oxides or titanium dioxide in compressed formats (optional); (titanium dioxide not longer usable in the EU)

Lubricants

• Magnesium stearate, calcium stearate, or vegetable stearates for tableting

Preservatives (for molded or moisture-sensitive lozenges)

• Sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, or natural alternatives like rosemary extract

Formulation & Processing Considerations

Formulating lozenges for nutraceutical applications requires careful management of several key factors to ensure product quality, stability, and consumer acceptance. Heat sensitivity is a major consideration, particularly for hard candy lozenges, which often require heating to temperatures of 140–150°C – making this process unsuitable for some delicate active ingredients. Moisture content must also be tightly controlled, as it directly affects the lozenge’s texture, shelf life, and chemical stability. Achieving the right disintegration time is critical; lozenges should dissolve slowly and uniformly in the mouth, typically over a period of 5 to 15 minutes, to maximize therapeutic and sensory effects.

Effective taste masking is essential for consumer acceptance, often requiring the strategic use of flavors, sweeteners, and cooling agents to balance or obscure any off-tastes. A smooth, pleasant mouthfeel is another important quality marker – requiring careful selection of binders and fillers to avoid grittiness or rough textures. Also, pH compatibility must be considered, especially when working with acidic actives like vitamin C, as they can affect both the stability of the formulation and the final taste profile.

Challenges & Limitations

While lozenges offer many benefits as a delivery format, they also present specific challenges and limitations that must be addressed during formulation and production. One major constraint is dose limitation – typically, a lozenge can accommodate only around 200 to 500 mg of active ingredient, which may not be sufficient for high-dose formulations. Heat-sensitive ingredients pose another challenge, as they can degrade during the high-temperature sugar-cooking or drying steps required for hard candy lozenges. Additionally, lozenges are prone to moisture uptake, given their hygroscopic nature, which can lead to stickiness, texture degradation, or even microbial risks if not properly managed.

As a result, packaging requirements are critical; lozenges often need to be sealed in blister packs or foil wrapping to protect against moisture ingress and ensure shelf life. Finally, manufacturing equipment for lozenges – whether molded or candy-style – requires specialized machinery, such as molding lines or candy-pulling equipment, which may involve higher investment compared to standard tablet production.

Comparison with Other Formats

Examples of Nutraceutical Lozenges on the Market

• Zicam® Cold Remedy Lozenges – Zinc gluconate + flavor matrix for immune support
• Olbas® Pastilles – Herbal extracts + menthol for throat comfort
• NOW® Melatonin Lozenges – 1–5 mg melatonin with mint flavor
• Hyperbiotics PRO-Dental® – Oral probiotics in mint lozenge format
• Nature’s Way Sambucus Lozenges – Elderberry extract + zinc + vitamin C

Conclusion

Lozenges are an underutilized but powerful dosage form in nutraceuticals, offering a unique blend of function, flavor, and consumer convenience. With the ability to deliver actives directly to the oral cavity, enhance absorption, and provide an engaging user experience, lozenges can be ideal for immune support, oral health, stress relief, and sleep supplements.

For formulators, lozenges provide a versatile platform that can accommodate a wide range of actives – though careful attention must be paid to processing temperature, taste masking, and moisture control. For consumers, lozenges are easy to take, require no water, and often feel more like a treat than a supplement. As trends move toward on-the-go health, sensory experience, and non-pill formats, nutraceutical lozenges are well positioned to play a growing role in product portfolios.