It’s no surprise if your cabinet is filled with supplements. A 2019 survey showed that 77% of Americans are consuming some sort of dietary supplement, such as vitamins and minerals.
But there’s a lot you should consider before swallowing your pills. If you’re taking supplements with no real plan or guidance, you could be making some mistakes that’ll backfire over time. It matters what types of vitamins you take and, potentially, when you take them.
Advertisement
Here’s everything you need to know:
Before even getting into the “what” and “when” of certain supplements, talk to your doctor.
Not everyone needs to take supplements.
“Ideally, it is best to get our essential vitamins and minerals from a well-balanced diet as these are more potent and better absorbed compared to supplements,” said Disha Narang, a board-certified endocrinologist at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital. But sometimes your doctor may discover that you need a little extra help if you’re deficient.
The Food and Drug Administration does not monitor dietary supplements for safety and quality like other drugs, so it is best to approach them with caution when adding them to your routine.
Advertisement
“The fact that supplements are not FDA approved means that there is limited evidence for supporting their safety and effectiveness, since there is no oversight by the FDA or other agencies,” Narang said.
That’s why it’s important to speak to a health care provider about your specific case. They can recommend products you actually need and what to avoid, as some can interfere with other medications and be harmful to your health.
Advertisement
Taking your vitamins at a certain point in the day won’t improve how well they work.
Now let’s say you have a deficiency or it’s recommended that you take a few dietary supplements. Great! So when should you take them?
Broadly, that’s up to you. There is currently no scientific evidence that says taking vitamins at a specific time of day can enhance their effectiveness. However, “the key is to take your vitamins at the same time every day for consistency,” said Supriya Lal, a registered dietitian based in New York City.
That said, what you take your vitamins with ― such as food or water ― does matter, since it impacts their absorption in your body. So the general timing of taking supplements isn’t important, but the type of supplements and what else you do when you take them is.
Try taking water-soluble vitamins in the morning.
Vitamins that are soluble in water, such as B vitamins, are not stored in our bodies. “Our body takes how much water-soluble vitamins it needs to function and flushes the rest out,” said Lal.
Advertisement
These vitamins are best absorbed without food in your stomach, which means you could take them an hour before a meal or two hours after a meal. Lal recommends taking water-soluble vitamins first thing in the morning, as some B vitamins have been studied to interfere with sleep.
Take any fat-soluble vitamins with a snack.
Fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D and E, are stored in fat cells upon absorption. “Many of the foods we eat –– particularly fruits and vegetables –– are filled with vitamins A, E and K, so most of us do not need those supplements,” Narang said. Moreover, taking large doses of fat-soluble vitamins can be toxic to your body.
For people who do need to take fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin D, it is best to take them with food. “I recommend taking them with a meal or snack containing healthy fats or oil, such as avocado toast or cheese,” Lal said. So perhaps that’s when you have a mid-morning or afternoon snack, or maybe it’s with breakfast.
Time your multivitamins around a meal.
Multivitamins contain a combination of water-soluble vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins and minerals, such as iron, copper and calcium. Mineral intake can vary ― some are OK to be taken on an empty stomach, while others are recommended to be taken with food to avoid gastrointestinal distress, Narang said.
Given that multivitamins have water-soluble vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins and minerals, having one alongside a meal will increase the likelihood that the fat-soluble vitamins and minerals within it are absorbed, Lal said.
Advertisement
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.