Do you get confused as to when you should take your supplements?
Often as we get older, we read a lot about taking supplements. I am a big fan of supplementing and have been for many years. Especially as a long-term vegetarian, there are certain amino acids, minerals and even vitamins that I cannot get for a Vegetarian or Vegan diet, so to supplement with high-quality supplements help me a lot.
Now I am no expert on this; I am not a nutritionist, obviously not a doctor, but I am someone who has researched health for over 30 years, who lives and breathes this and is passionate about getting the latest information for myself and for all my clients and people around me.
There is a lot of confusion and an overload of information, so you need someone who is prepared to go through it all and give you the best bits to help you on your wellness Journey. That is what I do; take it or leave it; you choose.
One of the things I often hear amongst my Wellness Coaching clients is when do I take my supplements. Yes, it can make a difference as to when you should be taking them as some are fat soluble and some aren’t.
I have also had confusion around this over the years. So, I am writing this information guided by Dr Berg and his suggestions in hopes that this might clarify supplementation timing.
So, when is the best time to take your vitamins?
While you will do okay taking your supplements just about any time (save for a few minor exceptions), being intentional about the time of day you take them can be an effective way to optimize absorption and effectiveness and maximise their health benefits.
1. B Vitamins
When to take: Anytime
B vitamins, such as vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, and folic acid are water-soluble vitamins. This means that they don't need to be taken with food or with fat to be absorbed. You can take individual B vitamins or a B-complex any time of day you choose.
The one exception to this is with vitamin B1. This one is not water soluble, so it should be taken with food or fat.
2. Vitamin C
When to take: Anytime
Like B vitamins, vitamin C is water-soluble. This means that there is no best time to take vitamin C. You can take it whenever is convenient.
3. Vitamin A, D, E, K, K2 - Fat-Soluble Vitamins
When to take: With fat or food
The fat-soluble vitamins (like vitamin D, vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin K) are better digested with some healthy fats and food. You can take these with a meal so that your cells will absorb them better.
Even a little bit of fat counts. So if you drink bulletproof coffee (coffee with some fat added), you could take fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin D in the morning with your coffee instead of at mealtime.
4. Stomach supplements (acids, enzymes, and bile salts)
Acids: When to take: Just before a meal
Stomach acidifiers like acids, betaine HCL, or apple cider vinegar pills should be taken just before your meal. They help increase acid levels in the stomach, which helps us absorb vitamins, minerals, and nutrients and improves our digestion. That's why it's most helpful to take your dose before you eat, rather than after.
If you are taking apple cider vinegar in liquid form or with water, it is okay to take that any time of day.
Enzymes - When to take: Just before a meal.
The purpose of digestive enzymes is to help improve digestion when you eat. Enzymes should be taken right before eating so that they can help you break down your food.
Bile salts
When to take: Just after a meal
Bile salts are alkaline, meaning that they will lower the acidity of the stomach when you take them. You want your stomach to be acidic when it is digesting food, so don't take bile salts before your meal. Take them after, instead.
5. Greens –
When to take: Morning is okay, with a meal is ideal. You can take a green supplement any time of day, including in the morning. But if you really want to maximize the absorption of this kind of dietary supplement, you can take it with food.
This is because one of the nutrients found in greens is chlorophyll. This specific phytonutrient is fat-soluble. So if you want to maximize the results and extract a bit more nutrients from your supplement, take it with some fat at mealtime.
6. Vitamins D3/K2
When to take: Without dairy or calcium
Vitamins D3 and K2 are used to help remove excess calcium from the body. They may be wanted in cases of kidney stones or when there is too much calcium in the arteries or joints.
You don't want to take dairy with these because you don't want there to be extra calcium in the body when these vitamin supplements go to work. Keep the body void of excess calcium so that D3 and K2 can suck it out of the soft tissues that need to be rid of it instead.
7. Herbs and teas
When to take: Anytime
Herbs, whether in supplement form or in teas, can be taken any time of day that you choose. They should work just as well with or without meals.
8. Electrolytes
When to take: On an empty stomach
Electrolytes work better on an empty stomach because you will have higher acid levels. Minerals need acid to be best absorbed.
9. Calcium
When to take: Anytime not right before a meal
When you take calcium, it will dilute your stomach acid. If you take your dose right before eating, this will make your stomach less acidic. That can interfere with proper digestion and the absorption of other nutrients.
10. Probiotics
When to take: Before bed
Probiotics are supplements that work well taken before bed. Make your dose of probiotics a part of your evening routine.
11. Chelators
When to take: On an empty stomach
Chelators such as EDTA or IP6 should be taken on an empty stomach. You don't want to have good minerals from your food or other mineral supplements in your body at the same time as chelators. Chelators work by pulling out excess toxic minerals in the body. You want them to go through and pull out the things you don't want, not the healthy minerals you just ingested. So let them do their thing on an empty stomach.
If you are going to take supplements with food, your first meal of the day is best.
When choosing vitamins and supplements, try to choose whole-food complexes rather than cheap, synthetic brands.
Should you take a multivitamin? In many cases, you don't need a multivitamin. Especially a synthetic generic multivitamin from the pharmacy that will give you many things you don’t need, plus toxic things too.
So, there you have a complete guide to when to take your supplements. Obviously, the bottom line is that we want to get most of our nutrients from real food. Food is medicine, so eating well is key to a healthy, wellbeing lifestyle. I will add that I stay off sugar, starches, and processed food. Keep switching it up; you will feel much better for it.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Namaste Yogis.
Amber
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