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Vitamins and supplements are all the rage right now. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 59% of American adults report taking at least one dietary supplement over a 30-day period, which is more common among women than men. So you might be wondering if you should jump on the bandwagon too. And if you're already participating, you may have questions about when is the best time to take your vitamins. Is it better to take vitamins in the morning or evening? Or which vitamins should not be used together?
Before filling your cart and cupboard with all the vitamins and supplements you have, "it's best to consult with your doctor and/or nutritionist," says Sue-Ellen Anderson-Haynes, RDN, founder of 360Girls&Women. You want to be sure that you are taking supplements safely in accordance with your personal health condition and treatment regimen, and this will also ensure that you can receive advice on the correct dosage. A doctor or nutritionist can also help you choose a quality brand; In general, it is best to look for recognized third-party testing certifications that can verify the quality of the product you are purchasing (for example, NSF and USP ensure that the supplement does what it claims and does not contain unacceptable impurities (levels).
It's also important to remember that while taking a multivitamin can be a good step to maintain a healthy lifestyle, certain individual supplements can help fill nutritional gaps in people who are deficient in certain vitamins. It cannot be replaced. Eat a healthy, balanced diet. “Vitamins and nutritional supplements should be considered simply as complements to good food. "There are many reasons to rely on the 'food first' mantra when it comes to getting the most nutrients," says Marisa Moore, RDN, author of Plant Love Kitchen . “Whole foods are synergistic, meaning the nutrients they contain often work together to improve absorption and effectiveness; Whole foods also contain fiber, antioxidants, and other phytonutrients not typically found in supplements. And while it’s almost impossible to get too many vitamins and minerals from food, it’s easier to overdo it with supplements.”
Here's what you need to know about the best time to take vitamins and how to optimize certain supplements to get the most benefit from your body.
When is the best time to take vitamins?
Multivitamins
There is no right or wrong answer, it depends on a number of factors. "The best time to take vitamins varies from person to person," says Laura Yu, RD, a certified intuitive eating consultant in New York City. “It also depends on the dosage and medications you are taking, as some nutrients may interact with some medications, which may take some time.” This is a prime example of why it is best to consult a doctor or nutritionist before starting a vitamin program.
No matter what time of day you decide to take your multivitamin, try not to take it on an empty stomach. Some people may experience nausea or stomach upset more often when taking vitamins on an empty stomach. And “taking supplements with food helps slow their absorption. Gradual absorption is ideal because our bodies can only absorb and use so much of a particular nutrient at one time,” explains Taylor Wallace, CEO of Think Healthy Group, LLC. . and Associate Professor, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC. At the same time, food can help protect the stomach lining from irritation and help dilute the supplement so the body can absorb and use it, Yu added.
These people may benefit most from taking a multivitamin, according to the National Institutes of Health, so call your doctor if you feel:
People over 50
Woman about to get pregnant
Pregnant women
People suffering from malnutrition, malnutrition or food insecurity
Vitamins C
You can take vitamin C when you feel most comfortable. This vitamin acts as an antioxidant and helps repair your body's tissues and also promotes collagen production to maintain healthy skin, tendons and ligaments. If you're hoping to get more of these benefits by taking higher than recommended doses of vitamin C, don't worry: It's water soluble, so you'll end up taking too much.
Vitamin D
There is no evidence that taking vitamin D at any particular time of day will affect its benefits, but one factor that may influence your decision is that vitamin D is fat-soluble, meaning that you take it with meals or snacks containing fat. Maybe. promote its absorption. Vitamin D plays a role in many important functions of your body, including bone health, inflammation control, and immunity (important during cold and flu season).
Vitamin D3
Vitamin D3
Vitamin D-3
Vitamin B
Any time of day will do, but early morning is best if you need a little speed. This group of vitamins helps release energy from carbohydrates to keep you energized and also plays a role in good brain health. But again, taking too many B vitamins won't give you a huge boost of energy or make you a genius; they are water soluble, so you will simply excrete what your body doesn't need.
vitamin A
Again, take vitamin A if you want (feel the urge), but since this vitamin is fat soluble, it's best to take it with one of your meals or snacks. Be sure to include foods that contain healthy fats in your diet, such as avocados or nuts and seeds. Vitamin A plays a role in immunity, organ function and is key to reproductive health.
Vitamin E
There is no magic time to take this important ingredient for vision health, but taking it with food may be a smart move since it is a fat-soluble vitamin. Vitamin E is also important for healthy blood, skin and brain. You should consult your doctor before taking vitamin E supplements as they may be dangerous for people who have had a stroke or heart attack.
Prenatal vitamins
You can take them at any time, but since prenatal vitamins are generally considered an important part of a healthy pregnancy, take them when you remember to. “I firmly believe that all women who are pregnant (or will become pregnant in the near future) take a prenatal vitamin that contains 100% of the daily value of all nutrients,” says Wallace. A number of nutrients found in prenatal vitamins play an important role in the healthy growth and development of the fetus.
Bottom line. There is no official "best time" to take a vitamin, whether it's a multivitamin, a single supplement, or a prenatal vitamin. But because some people may experience stomach upset when taken without food, and some vitamins are fat-soluble (meaning fat helps them be absorbed), you can take your vitamins with a meal or snack.
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