The Best Time to Take Vitamins Might Surprise You
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It’s generally recommended that you try to get all of your nutrients from food, but that doesn’t always work out. If you’re on a specific diet or have an underlying health condition, sometimes it’s just not possible to go this route. That’s where supplements come in.
But when is the best time to take vitamins? And does timing matter based on what type of vitamin you’re taking? There are a few things to consider here.
Meet the experts: Keri Gans, R.D.N., author of The Small Change Diet and podcast host of The Keri Report; and Jim White, R.D.N., A.C.S.M. Ex-P, owner of Jim White Fitness and Nutrition Studios.
Whether you’re taking a multivitamin or vitamins for brain health, the timing can sometimes determine their efficacy. Below, experts advise when to take vitamins, including the best time to take vitamin D, vitamin C, multivitamins, and more.
Is it better to take vitamins in the morning or at night?
“The best time to take vitamins depends on the vitamin you are taking,” explains Jim White, R.D.N., A.C.S.M. Ex-P, owner of Jim White Fitness and Nutrition Studios. Whether or not a vitamin is water- or fat-soluble usually dictates when and how it should be taken, but some vitamins also have a certain effect on the body that helps determine when you should add it to your routine.
“For example, B vitamins may help with energy production so it may make more sense to take it in the morning,” White says. The opposite is often true when taking magnesium for sleep.
But, as a general rule of thumb, the best time to take vitamins is whatever time you will remember to take them, explains Keri Gans, R.D.N., author of The Small Change Diet and podcast host of The Keri Report. “For some people that is in the morning with breakfast, and for others it’s in the evening when they get ready for bed.”
Ahead, find the best time to take a variety of vitamins based on each’s composition.
Vitamins B, C, and biotin (water-soluble vitamins)
Water-soluble vitamins can be taken any time of day, with or without food, White says. The best time to take water-soluble vitamins would be whenever you’re most likely to remember to take them. Additionally, “Water-soluble vitamins are not stored in your body tissue so they need to be regularly consumed,” White adds.
Common water-soluble vitamins include:
vitamin C
B vitamins
biotin
Vitamins A, D, E, and K (fat-soluble vitamins)
“Fat-soluble vitamins are different from water-soluble vitamins because they need to be consumed with a meal containing fat to help break it down,” White explains. “However, they can also be taken at any time throughout the day,” as long as they are consumed alongside a meal containing fat.
Common fat-soluble vitamins include:
vitamin A
vitamin D
vitamin E
vitamin K
How do you know if you need a vitamin?
It depends on your personal circumstances. In general, it’s best to talk to a registered dietitian or doctor to find out if you actually need a vitamin. (However, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that pregnant people take a prenatal supplement—and you don’t need to see your doctor first for that.)
For everyone else, it’s best to consult a healthcare professional first. “In many instances, a blood test may help determine if you are deficient in certain nutrients,” Gans says. “Other times, symptoms, such as bloating or constipation, may lead you to seek out a supplement, like a probiotic.”
Nutritionists usually recommend taking a food-first approach (i.e. trying to get all of your nutrients from food vs. a pill), and there may be tweaks you can make to ensure you’re getting everything you need form your diet, Gans says. “For optimal nutrition, it is helpful to consult with a registered dietitian to help determine what supplements you may or may not benefit from,” she says.
When is the best time to take multivitamins?
Multivitamins generally contain both fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins, Gans and White explain. It’s best to follow the rules for fat-soluble vitamins and take them any time of day you’ll be able to consume a meal containing fat.
What’s the best time to take prenatal vitamins?
Like many other vitamins, you don’t necessarily need to take your prenatal vitamins at a designated time. However, if you’re dealing with nausea and morning sickness, it may help to take your prenatal vitamins with food, Gans says. (If you’re really struggling to get these down, talk to your ob/gyn for personalized advice.)
Can you mix up the time of day when you take vitamins?
Every vitamin is different, but the goal of taking vitamins is usually to keep consistent levels in your body. With that, taking your vitamin at a certain time of day can help.
But that doesn’t mean you’re screwed if you take your vitamin in the morning one day and the night the next here and there. It’s just recommended that you try to be consistent about when you take it in general.
“The most important thing about taking vitamins is to take them when you remember and to take them daily,” Gans says. “For example, in the morning at breakfast, during lunch at your desk while working, or at bedtime when you wash your face and brush your teeth.”
If you feel like your designated vitamin-taking time just isn’t working for you, it’s more than OK to switch it up to something new.
Can I take vitamins on an empty stomach?
There is no specific rule against this, our experts explain. “Taking vitamins on an empty stomach is an individual thing—some people have zero side effects, while others do,” Gans notes.
However, White notes that water-soluble vitamins tend to be better tolerated on an empty stomach, but recommends that fat-soluble vitamins and multivitamins be taken with food “to prevent an upset stomach and help increase vitamin absorption.”
For those who take an iron supplement, taking it on an empty stomach for optimal absorption is recommended, per the Mayo Clinic. If you also take calcium, be sure to take it at a separate time from your iron supplement to make sure your body fully absorbs both.
Disclaimer: Dietary supplements are products intended to supplement the diet. They are not medicines and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure diseases. Be cautious about taking dietary supplements if you are pregnant or nursing and be sure to consult your doctor before taking new supplements (or providing them to a family member) in any situation, as they can interfere with medication.
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