Plenty of health-conscious people take vitamins every day to ensure good health. Vitamins can be helpful tools to address any nutritional gaps in your everyday diet. But the vitamin aisle at the supermarket can be downright overwhelming. There are dozens of bottles on the shelves and numerous confusing choices. Once you've made your choice, you may wonder about the right way to take vitamins, how to fit them into your regular diet and which foods to eat with vitamin supplements.
Step 1
Speak to your doctor about vitamin supplements before you take them. Certain vitamins can be dangerous in excessively high doses, and some may not be right for you. Your doctor can help determine whether you need a multivitamin or separate single vitamin supplements. She can also provide information about appropriate vitamin dosages, potential side effects and any possible drug interactions.
Step 2
Obtain as many vitamins as possible through healthy foods. MayoClinic.com states that whole foods are the best source of vitamins and minerals, and that no one should use vitamin supplements as a substitute for healthy food. So before you consider supplements, make sure your diet is balanced and nutritious.
Step 3
Take your multivitamin with a meal, advises Arizona State University. If a multivitamin is part of your daily routine, taking it with food will maximize your body's absorption of the nutrients. Taking vitamins with food also helps with any stomach upset you might experience from the supplement. For the most part, the type of food is not so important, although iron is absorbed best along with a vitamin C-rich food, and calcium works best when taken with milk or another source of vitamin D.
Things You'll Need
- Vitamin supplements
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