Before you start taking vitamins and supplements, always talk to your doctor. He will be able to advise you on what's best for you based on your age and current nutritional needs. Whether you're in your 20s, pregnant or a senior citizen can affect what you need to take and how much. When in doubt, research a supplement before you start taking it. HelpGuide recommends buying dietary supplements only if you're sure that they're safe and that they work.
Step 1
Take calcium and magnesium as far away as possible from the time you take prescription medications. These two minerals can interact with diuretics, cancer and heart medication, and some antacids. If you take these prescriptions both in the morning and evening, take calcium and magnesium in the mid-afternoon.
Step 2
Take vitamin C and iron together, as this helps absorption. If you take iron pills by themselves, take them with a glass of orange juice.
Step 3
Split folate, vitamin C, niacin and B6 into at least two dosages a day. Your body cannot absorb too much of these vitamins at once, so you'll be better off taking a smaller dosage twice a day than a bigger dosage all at once.
Step 4
Take a maximum of 1,250 IU per day of vitamin A. Your body can't safely process more than that unless you have a medical condition or serious deficiency that requires large dosages.
Step 5
Buy multivitamins that recommend taking two or more pills a day. That way, you can split the dosage by taking one pill in the morning and one in the evening. If the multivitamin recommends only one pill per day, you're either taking large amounts at once or you're not getting 100 percent of your daily requirements.
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