Vitamins are an effective way to add nutrients to your diet that may be lacking. You can take them as soon as you wake up or before bed, but the best time to take vitamins really depends on the vitamin.
Taking these supplements in the morning can be a good strategy for staying consistent, but taking them on an empty stomach can have some downsides. Here's how a nutritionist tells you to maximize your vitamin intake and avoid an upset stomach.
Water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins
Before deciding to take vitamins without food, it's good to know how your body absorbs them.
"You need to figure out if they're water or fat," says Crystal Scott, RD, a registered dietitian at Top Coaching Nutrition.
According to the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, water-soluble vitamins include vitamin C and B-complex vitamins. These are vitamins that your body absorbs quickly and does not store. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are considered fat-soluble, meaning they dissolve in fat and can be stored in the body's tissues.
“If you're taking water-soluble vitamins like B and C, you can take them on an empty stomach. They probably won't cause gastrointestinal problems,” says Scott. "Fat-soluble vitamins must be taken with food and reabsorbed."
As the name suggests, a fat-soluble vitamin is most effective when taken with a fat source. This allows them to be stored in the body, otherwise the nutrients would pass through your digestive system.
Before taking any type of supplement, it's a good idea to talk to a healthcare professional. They can help you understand exactly what you're putting into your body and the best way (if any) to take it.
You can take vitamins on an empty stomach
1. Your stomach may hurt
Stomach pain is a common side effect after taking vitamins without food. According to the Cleveland Clinic, vitamins can irritate the stomach as they pass through the intestines if there is nothing covering them.
You can avoid this by eating at least one snack before taking your supplement, such as toast or a small piece of fruit. This also applies to people who usually skip breakfast.
"It doesn't mean you have to eat a big meal, you can eat something small to avoid gastrointestinal upset," says Scott.
2. You may have other gastrointestinal symptoms
In addition to stomach pain, side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may occur. Yes, being diligent about vitamins can backfire if you take too many at once or skip real meals.
Scott recommends keeping track of how many supplements you take. So if having them together causes gastrointestinal problems, consider separating them.
"[It] can feel like you're taking B vitamins in the morning and then iron and vitamin C later," says Scott. "B vitamins in general are something you definitely want to take on an empty stomach, especially for people who may be deficient in vitamin B12 just for maximum absorption."
Because B vitamins are water-soluble, you can take them at any time of the day with or without food. For those who are deficient in B12, taking it on an empty stomach will allow for faster absorption.
3. May interfere with absorption of vitamins
As Scott points out, some vitamins (usually fat-soluble) need a little extra help to be absorbed by the body.
She recommends taking fat-soluble vitamins (remember: A, D, E, and K) with a fat source like avocado or coconut oil.
Remember that supplements should not be the only thing you rely on in your daily diet. According to the Cleveland Clinic, most vitamins occur naturally in foods such as calcium in dairy products, green leafy vegetables and sardines, or iron in red meat, legumes and shellfish.
So how harmful is it to take vitamins on an empty stomach?
It all depends on the types of vitamins you have in your cabinet and how your body handles them. Water-soluble vitamins should be fine without food as long as you don't consume too much of them.
But if you have stomach issues, a breakfast like apple slices and peanut butter or avocado toast can help. If you don't take them early in the morning, change your schedule and try taking your vitamins in the evening.
Gastrointestinal problems can be a sign of a more serious problem than taking vitamins on an empty stomach. If you have stomach pain and taking vitamins with food doesn't help, talk to your doctor about diagnosing the problem.