If you take your vitamins, especially fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E, with a meal containing fat such as butter, margarine, oil, eggs, meat, poultry or fatty fish like salmon, they will be better absorbed than if you did not, according to Dr. Andrew Weil, author and director of the program in integrative medicine at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
Multivitamins
To keep the vitamin level in your body consistent, break your multivitamin in half and take half in the morning and half at night, advises Michael Roizen, M.D., chairman of Cleveland Clinic's Wellness Institute. Water-soluble vitamins B and C are excreted in your urine within 12 to 16 hours after you take them.
Prenatal Vitamins
BabyCenter recommends taking your prenatal vitamin on a full stomach or just before bed. Taking your prenatal vitamin after eating helps prevent nausea associated with the iron added to prenatal vitamins. Breaking your prenatal vitamin in half and taking it after meals in divided doses is also recommended.
Calcium Supplements
For maximum absorption, take your calcium supplement, other than calcium citrate, with food, the New York State Department of Health recommends. You can take calcium citrate with or without food. Spread your calcium intake throughout the day by taking 500 mg or less at a time for best absorption. If you also take an iron supplement, take your calcium supplement two hours before or after the iron supplement.
Vitamins in Food
Regardless of when you take your vitamins, vitamin supplements do not replace your need for a healthy, well-balanced diet. The vitamins naturally found in food are best absorbed because they occur in conjunction with other nutrients that enhance their absorption. A registered dietitian can help you follow a nutritionally adequate diet. Vitamin supplements taken at certain times of the day with regard to your meals may be beneficial if you suffer from digestive problems, malabsorption or food allergies that prevent you from consuming an adequate diet. Check with your doctor regarding which vitamins are right for you.
References
- Today Health; Why Should I Take a Vitamin for My Health?; Dr. Andrew Weil; September 2005
- Cleveland Clinic Health; Multivitamins: Your Insurance Policy for an Imperfect Diet; September 2009
- BabyCenter: Is My Prenatal Vitamin Making Me Nauseated?
- New York State Department of Health: Commonly Asked Questions About Calcium Supplements
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