Best Time to Take Vitamins and Supplements: What’s the Difference?
Every vitamin is different and your body may respond to each vitamin in a different way. The body may absorb them differently under certain circumstances and affect the way the substances break down. So what are the best times to take vitamins and supplements?
Ultimately it depends on the type of vitamin and possibly even any other vitamins or medications you may be taking. It may be best to take some vitamins and minerals in the morning, while others may make you feel tired during the day and others may interrupt your sleep at night. If you’re taking any vitamin supplement, make sure you’re taking it at the right time of day to take advantage of all its benefits.
Before you take any vitamins or supplements, make sure to consult a doctor for approval. They may cause side effects and are not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease or health condition.
Fat-Soluble vs. Water-Soluble Vitamins
Like we said earlier, the body may respond to some vitamins differently than others. That is, some are fat-soluble and some are water-soluble. Basically they differ in how they’re absorbed, stored and secreted.
Fat-soluble vitamins dissolve in fat and travel through the bloodstream. The body stores excess fat-soluble vitamins in the liver and fatty tissue to use later. It’s best to take these vitamins with food (x).
Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water and don’t need to travel through the bloodstream. Instead, the body uses them immediately and then gets rid of them in urine. But because they’re not stored, you have to replenish the stores regularly. You can take these on an empty stomach—30 minutes before or two hours after you eat (x).
Best Times to Take Vitamins and Supplements
Vitamin A
There are two dietary forms of vitamin A: preformed vitamin A (retinol, retinyl ester) and provitamin A carotenoids (beta-carotene, alpha-carotene). Vitamin A plays a role in immune function, vision, reproduction and cellular growth. It also helps support heart, lung and kidney function (x).
When to take it: You can take vitamin A either in the morning, afternoon or in the evening. There is no evidence that one time of day is better than the other. However, it is fat-soluble, so take it with a source of fat in a meal.
B Vitamins
One of the main roles of B vitamins is to help break down food for the body to use as energy. There are several types of B vitamins:
- Thiamine HCl (vitamin B1)
- Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
- Niacin (vitamin B3)
- Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5)
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6)
- Biotin (vitamin B7)
- Folic acid (vitamin B9)
- Vitamin B12
When to take them: It may be best to take these in the morning, since most people take B vitamins as a multivitamin. There is some evidence that vitamin B6 may cause vivid dreams and interfere with sleep (x). However, if they don’t interfere with your sleep it should be fine to take them at night. B vitamins are water-soluble. However, take BulkSupplements niacin (vitamin B3) powder with meals.
Vitamin C
Also called ascorbic acid, vitamin C acts as an antioxidant in the body to protect the cells from free radical damage. It also plays a role in collagen production, as well as immune system function (x).
When to take it: Vitamin C is water-soluble, so you don’t need to take it with food. However, some people report an upset stomach or diarrhea with large doses. If this is the case, taking it with food may help. Typically you can take it at any time of day on an empty stomach.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is important for maintaining strong bones by supporting calcium absorption. Research associates vitamin D deficiency with rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. It also plays a role in immune function to protect the body from bacteria and viruses (x).
When to take it: Vitamin D3 is fat-soluble, so it’s best to take it with some fat in a meal. There is no evidence whether it’s best to take it in the morning, afternoon or evening. Some people report difficulty sleeping too late in the day in large doses, but there is not enough research to draw a definite conclusion (x, x).
Vitamin E
In the body vitamin E acts as an antioxidant to prevent disease from free radical damage. It’s also involved in immune function, cell communication and blood circulation (x).
When to take it: Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, so take it with meals. You should be able to take it in the morning, afternoon or evening.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is important for preventing blood clots and bone health. Severe deficiency is rare but research associates it with bruising and bleeding problems, as well as an increased risk for osteoporosis (x).
When to take it: Vitamin K is fat-soluble, so take it with meals. There is no evidence whether it’s best to take it in the morning, afternoon or evening.
Where to Buy Vitamins & Supplements
Are you interested in trying any of these vitamin supplements? They are available for purchase at BulkSupplements.com. The company is an industry-leading manufacturer and distributor for pure dietary supplements that also supplies pure ingredients to other brands. All products at BulkSupplements.com are manufactured and tested according to current and proper manufacturing practices. Contact BulkSupplements.com to place an order today.
Bottom Line
When it comes to the best times to take vitamins and supplements, it all depends on what you’re taking. Some vitamins are fat-soluble, meaning they absorb in fat, and others are water-soluble, meaning they dissolve in water. The body stores excess fat-soluble vitamins in the liver, but it uses water-soluble vitamins immediately and then gets rid of them in urine. If a vitamin is fat-soluble, take it with food, but if it’s water-soluble, take it on an empty stomach.