Which is the standard size range for human-use capsules?

• A. No. 000 to No. 5
• B. No. 0 to No. 9
• C. No. 3 to No. 8
• D. No. 1 to No. 4

Answer: (A)

Capsule size is all about how much drug the shell can hold—the fill volume. In humans, there is a standard set of sizes that covers a wide range of doses while still being practical to swallow and manufacture. As the numbering goes, higher numbers mean smaller capsules, so the full practical human-use range spans from the largest commonly used capsule down to the smallest commonly used capsule. This broad span lets formulators fit a wide variety of dosages into a capsule form.

The range that includes both the largest standard size and the smallest standard size used in human dosing best describes this practical set. Other options omit either the large end, the small end, or include sizes not typically used for human capsules, so they don’t match the common practice.