Vitamins and supplements are popular. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 59% of U.S. adults report taking at least one dietary supplement in a 30-day period, and this trend is more common among women than men. Masu. So, you may be wondering whether you should jump on the bandwagon too. If you’re already on board, when is the best time to take vitamins? Is it better to take vitamins in the morning or at night? Or what vitamins should not be taken together?
Before you fill your cart or cupboard with all the ready-to-use vitamins and supplements, “it’s best to talk to your doctor or registered dietitian,” says SueEllen Anderson Haynes, R.D., national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition. Masu. She is a nutritionist and the founder of 360Girls & Women. She wants to be able to safely introduce supplements depending on an individual’s health status and medication regimen. This also helps doctors and nutritionists choose quality brands. ; Generally, it’s best to look for recognized third-party testing certifications that can verify the quality of the product you’re buying (for example, check to see if a supplement contains what it says it has) Contains no unacceptable levels of impurities).
And while taking a multivitamin is good for you and supports a healthy lifestyle, certain standalone supplements can help fill nutritional gaps in people who are deficient in certain vitamins. However, it is also important to remember that they are not a substitute for vitamins. Continue to eat a healthy balanced diet. “Vitamins and supplements should be viewed simply as enhancements to good nutrition. There are many reasons to rely on a ‘food first’ mantra when it comes to consuming most nutrients,” says Marisa, RDN author.・Moore says. plant love kitchen. “Whole foods have synergistic benefits, meaning the nutrients they contain often work together to increase absorption and effectiveness. It also contains fiber, antioxidants, and other phytonutrients. And while it’s nearly impossible to get too much of a certain vitamin or mineral from food, it’s easy to get too much of 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 for your body.
When is the best time to take vitamins?
multivitamin
There are no right or wrong answers. It depends on various factors. “The best time to take vitamins varies from person to person,” says Laura Iu, M.D., a certified intuitive eating counselor in New York City. “It also depends on the dose and the medications you’re taking, as some nutrients can interact with certain medications and may require specific timing.” This is a prime example of why it’s wise to consult your doctor or nutritionist before starting any vitamin therapy.
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Regardless of the time of day you take your multivitamin, avoid taking it on an empty stomach. Some people may experience nausea or stomach discomfort if they take vitamins with nothing in their stomachs. And, “Taking supplements with meals can help slow absorption. Our bodies can only absorb and utilize so much of a particular nutrient at a time, so it’s ideal to absorb it gradually.” ” explains Dr. Taylor Wallace, CEO of Think Healthy Group, LLC. George, Washington, DC. He is also an adjunct clinical associate professor at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Food, on the other hand, helps protect the stomach lining from inflammation, and also helps dilute the supplement so your body can absorb and use it, Iu added.
According to the National Institutes of Health, these people may benefit most from taking a multivitamin, so tell your doctor if:
- People over 50 years old
- women planning pregnancy
- pregnant woman
- People with nutritional deficiencies, poor diets, or food insecurity
vitamin C
You can take vitamin C whenever it’s convenient for you. This vitamin acts as an antioxidant, helps repair tissues in the body, and helps produce collagen, which supports healthy skin, tendons, and ligaments. If you want to take more vitamin C than the recommended amount to enjoy even more of these benefits, don’t worry. Vitamin C is water-soluble, so excess amounts are excreted in the urine.
vitamin D
Although there is no evidence that taking vitamin D at certain times of the day affects how vitamin D works, one factor that may influence your decision is that vitamin D It is fat soluble. That means taking it with a meal or snack that contains vitamin D. Fats can aid in its absorption. Vitamin D plays an important role in many of the body’s important functions, including bone health and controlling inflammation and immunity (important during cold and flu season).
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Vitamin B group
Any time of the day is fine, but if you want to slow down a bit, morning is the best time. This group of vitamins not only releases energy from carbohydrates to keep you going, but they also play a role in brain health. But again, taking too many B vitamins won’t give you a special energy boost or turn you into a genius. B vitamins are water-soluble, so those that are not needed by the body are simply excreted.
vitamin A
Again, take your vitamin A whenever it’s convenient for you (noticing a trend?!). However, since this vitamin is a fat-soluble vitamin, it is best to time your intake with either a meal or snack. Be sure to include foods that contain healthy fats, such as avocados and nuts and seeds. Vitamin A plays a role in immunity, organ function, and is key to reproductive health.
vitamin E
There’s no magic hour to take this vitamin, which plays an important role in visual health, but since it’s a fat-soluble vitamin, it may be wise to take it with meals. Vitamin E is also essential for blood, skin, and brain health. It is especially important to check with your doctor before deciding to take vitamin E supplements, as vitamin E supplements can be dangerous for people who have had a stroke or heart attack.
prenatal vitamins
Although you can take these at any time of the day, prenatal vitamins are generally considered to be an important part of a healthy pregnancy, so take them at a time that is most convenient for you to remember. “I strongly believe that all women who are pregnant (or may become pregnant in the near future) take a prenatal vitamin that contains 100% of their daily intake of all nutrients. ” says Wallace. It plays an important role in the healthy growth and development of the fetus.
Conclusion: There’s no official “best time” to take vitamins, whether they’re multivitamins, standalone supplements, or prenatal vitamins. However, some people experience stomach upset when taking vitamins without eating food, and some vitamins are fat-soluble (fat helps absorption), so taking vitamins with a meal or snack It might be better to be biased towards that.
Lisa is an internationally renowned health writer whose work has appeared in Good Housekeeping, Prevention, Men’s Health, The Oprah Daily, Woman’s Day, Elle, Cosmopolitan, and Harper’s Bazaar, Esquire, Glamour, The Washington Post, WebMD, Medscape, Los Angeles Times, Parade, Health, Yourself, Family Circle, and Seventeen. She is the author of eight of her best-selling books, including The Essentials of Theater.
Stephanie (she/her) is a registered dietitian, NASM certified personal trainer, and director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab, which is responsible for all nutrition-related content, testing, and evaluation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nutrition from Pennsylvania State University and a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from New York University.she too good housekeeping Fitness and exercise experts are always on hand. Stephanie is dedicated to providing her readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living. She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big girlfriend. fit Greek family.
