NOW Foods Empty Capsules Gelatin Double 00" 250 Gel Caps"

What this is

This is a resealable pouch holding approximately 250 empty gelatin capsules in the Double "00" size, supplied by NOW Foods for home encapsulation. The shells arrive empty — there is no vitamin, mineral or herb inside them, and nothing is included to put in them. The pouch has a net weight of 30 g (1.06 oz.), which is the weight of the empty shells themselves, and the front panel is marked "Bovine Sourced" and "Filled by Weight". A tear notch opens the pouch and a zip seal below it recloses between fillings.

Empty capsules are a supply item rather than something you take on their own. People buy them to put their own powdered ingredients into a swallowable shell, measured and blended to their own preference.

What the shells are made of

The ingredients are bovine gelatin and water — that is the complete formula printed on the pack. Gelatin is a protein derived from collagen in animal connective tissue, and it has been the traditional capsule-shell material since long before plant-based alternatives became common. A two-piece gelatin capsule is made as a longer body and a shorter cap that telescope together, which is what lets you pull one apart, fill the body and push the cap back on by hand.

Because these shells are bovine sourced, they are not vegetarian or vegan. NOW prints the alternatives directly on the back of this pouch: the same company supplies "1", "3", "0" and "000" sizes in gelatin, and vegetarian capsules in the "0" and "00" sizes for anyone who needs a plant-based shell.

The allergen statement on the back reads: not manufactured with yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, corn, milk, egg, fish, shellfish or tree nut ingredients, and produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens. The front carries a Non-GMO mark. There is no kosher symbol on this pouch.

How much powder a Double "00" holds

The pack states that these Double "00" capsules hold 700 to 900 mg of most vitamin or mineral powders. That is a range rather than a single figure because capsule capacity is fixed by volume, not by weight — the shell always holds the same amount of space, so how many milligrams fit depends on how dense and how finely milled your powder is. A heavy, compact mineral powder sits toward the upper end of that range, while a light, fluffy herb powder sits toward the lower end — which is why the pack qualifies the figure as applying to most powders.

How they are filled

You fill these by separating the two halves, loading powder into the longer body and pressing the cap back on. Most people either do it by hand with a small scoop, or use a capsule-filling tray that holds a batch of bodies upright so powder can be spread across them at once. Nothing of that kind is included here — this pouch contains only the shells.

The pack itself prints no filling directions, no storage instruction and no caution panel, so this listing does not invent any. For how much of a given powder belongs in a capsule, the instruction that applies is the one on the label of the powder you are filling, not anything written here. The NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database holds label records for tens of thousands of marketed products, if you want to see how a commercial panel is worded.

What goes in them

NOW lists the categories of powder it sells for filling empty capsules on the back of this pouch: amino acid powders, herb powders, green super foods, mineral powders, vitamin C powders, vitamin B powders, and a general "more powders" group. That list is a pointer to other products in the NOW range — none of those powders is included with this pack, and this pouch contains nothing but the empty shells.

If you are new to putting your own ingredients into capsules, the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements background on dietary supplements and what to know about them and the NCCIH overview of dietary and herbal supplement safety are sensible general reading. Neither source refers to this product or endorses any particular way of using it.

Who this size suits

A 250-count pouch suits someone making up a short run rather than stocking a year of batches — a first attempt at hand-filling, a single ingredient you only take seasonally, or a blend you are still adjusting before committing to a bulk pack. How far it goes depends entirely on how many capsules your own routine calls for.

The Double "00" takes a useful quantity of powder in a shell that is still straightforward to pull apart and refill by hand. NOW also supplies "1", "3", "0" and "000" gelatin sizes, so there is a printed range to move within if this one does not suit your powder. If you would rather not handle an animal-derived shell, look at the vegetarian options in our Capsules & Supplies range; if you are looking for something already made up and ready to take instead, browse Supplements.

Good to know

• These are empty shells, not a supplement in themselves.
• The shells are made from bovine gelatin, so they are unsuitable for vegetarian, vegan, halal and kosher diets.
• Gelatin softens in heat and humidity, so keep the pouch zipped and away from warm or damp spots. The pack prints no storage instruction of its own.
• Whatever you put in a capsule is what you are taking. The safety, dose and suitability of a filled capsule come entirely from the powder you choose, and are worth discussing with a healthcare professional the same way any supplement would be.
• Keep both the empty shells and anything you fill them with out of reach of children.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these capsules vegetarian?

No — these are gelatin capsules, and the gelatin is bovine sourced, so they are made from an animal-derived protein. The back of the pouch confirms the ingredients as bovine gelatin and water. NOW supplies vegetarian capsules in both the "0" and "00" sizes for anyone who needs a plant-based shell, and those are a separate product from this one.

How much powder does a Double "00" capsule hold?

Between 700 and 900 mg of most vitamin or mineral powders, according to the pack. The figure is a range because the shell holds a fixed volume rather than a fixed weight, so a dense mineral powder fills out nearer 900 mg while a light herb powder may only reach the lower end. Weighing your own powder once in a filled capsule is the only way to know the exact figure for the ingredient you are using.

Does anything come with the capsules to fill them?

No — the pouch holds only the empty capsule shells, with no powder, scoop, tray or filling device included. You supply the ingredient yourself, and any filling equipment separately. The back of the pack lists categories of NOW powders sold for this purpose, but those are separate products.

Why does the pack say "Filled by Weight"?

Because the pouch is made up to a set weight of shells rather than counted out one by one. Empty capsules are light and nearly identical, so weighing is the practical way to pack them; 250 is the nominal count for this weight of Double "00" gelatin shells.

How is this order packaged for delivery?

Your order ships in plain outer packaging. It will not show the Gear Isle name.

Product information compiled and reviewed by the Gear Isle product team. We transcribe product specifications directly from manufacturer packaging. Found an error? Tell us.

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. For adults 18 and over. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before use, especially if you have a medical condition or a known allergy to any listed ingredient. Keep out of reach of children.