Some people who take vitamins may feel queasy or even vomit after taking a dose. Taking pills on an empty stomach may be the trigger for this discomfort. Change brands or consume vitamins with food to reduce feelings of queasiness. Your body needs some fat to absorb the vitamin contents, reports “Health” magazine.
Multivitamins with Iron
Vitamin supplements for premenopausal women typically contain iron, which is often the culprit behind multivitamin-induced nausea. Iron is an essential mineral, but it’s not easily tolerated on an empty stomach and pregnant women may have difficulty digesting it. Take vitamins that contain iron with food or talk with your doctor about alternatives. In a 2009 study in the “Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology,” women suffered less severe morning sickness when they avoided prenatal supplements with iron during the first trimester.
Flavonoid Additives
Some manufacturers add herbal supplements, including citrus bioflavonoids, to vitamin formulations. If you take birth-control pills or hormone replacement therapy, vitamins that contain bioflavonoids can cause digestive upset. Researchers suspect that the additive causes estrogen levels to surge, which can cause nausea, according to a 2010 study in “The American Journal of Therapeutics.”
Tablet Coatings and Binding Agents
A pill’s inactive ingredients can irritate the stomach lining in some people. Potential irritants include whey, sugar alcohols, xanthan gum and modified cellulose. Food may blunt the effect of binders and coatings, or obtain vitamins in gel capsule or chewable form. Gel capsules and chewable supplements for adults often contain fillers, but for some individuals, the formulations are easier to digest than standard pills.
Alternative Formulations
In some cases, taking vitamins with food isn’t enough to curb nausea. Whole-food vitamins, which combine powdered plants with vitamins, are an alternative to supplements that rely on artificial fillers and chemicals. “Since you’re combining the vitamins with real food, they will be absorbed better and shouldn’t cause gastric distress,” says naturopathic doctor Preeti Kulkarni in “Real Simple” magazine. Other options include liquid extracts and powdered formulations, which must be mixed with water or juice. With no filler ingredients, powdered and liquid vitamins may cause less stomach irritation.
References
- "Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology"; The Effectiveness of Discontinuing Iron-Containing...; S.K. Gill, et al.; January 2009
- "American Journal of Therapeutics"; Vomiting from Multivitamins: A Potential Drug Interaction; F. Greenway, et al.; May 2010
- Dr. Donnica; Multi Vitamins and Nausea; Dr. Donnica Moore; October 2006, M.D.;
- "Real Simple"; What You Need to Know About Multivitamins; Sally Wadyka
- "Health"; The Best Multivitamin for You; Valerie Kramer Davis; February 2008
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