Nearly half the UK population take vitamin supplements, but experts say when and how you take them changes how effective they are.
Iron: Around three-quarters of women are at risk of iron-deficiency anaemia, mainly due to iron loss during their monthly periods.
- Take on an empty stomach an hour before bed (and two hours after supper) and combine it with vitamin C or A.
- Vitamin C can help your body absorb iron as it bonds to iron particles, helping them to dissolve more completely in the gut. Vitamin A can also improve iron absorption.
- Look for iron supplements that contain vitamin A, or its precursor beta-carotene.
- Take iron supplements on alternate days, as a 2017 study found that more iron is absorbed taken this way.
- Avoid taking with dairy, tea or zinc pills. Certain foods, especially dairy - including milk-based drinks, can block iron absorption. And since tea sipped with a meal can inhibit the absorption of iron by up to 90%, take your iron pill with water. And zinc competes with iron because both minerals need to attach to the same 'transporter molecules' in the gut.
Calcium: Many menopausal women take calcium to help prevent the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis. Calcium is often combined in a pill with magnesium, which is also good for bones.
- Take a supplement (ideally also containing magnesium, vitamin D and vitamin K) with food.
- Taking calcium with food will also enhance absorption. Look for products with calcium citrate, which is better absorbed than calcium carbonate.
- Avoid taking with zinc or iron pills.
Vitamin D: In the winter months, around half the UK population is low in vitamin D, a nutrient vital for healthy bones and strong immunity. This is because we make vitamin D via sun exposure on our skin.
- Take 10mcg during the winter, in the evening with food (or largest meal of the day) containing fat.
- Vitamin D is better absorbed if taken with a meal that contains some fat, such as avocado, egg yolks or olive oil.
- Avoid taking with vitamin E pills; as both are absorbed in the same way.
Vitamin C: Important for the immune system and vital for healthy skin and bones. It is a water soluble nutrient that we can absorb in doses of up to 400 mg. Any excess above this is not stored by the body, but passed out in urine.
- Take in the morning on an empty stomach.
- If taking doses larger than 400 mg (e.g. during a cold), split these throughout the day.
- A standard supplement will give you more than enough vitamin C so no need to take liposome-encapsulated products.
- Best absorbed on a completely empty stomach, e.g. before breakfast, as absorption can be hindered by proteins and fibre in food.
Fish oil: A rich source of two omega-3 fats (EPA and DHA) that have proven benefits for a wide range of illnesses including low mood, heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Take with food that contains fat, which triggers the pancreas to release enzymes that help break down the omega-3 oils into fragments small enough to be absorbed through the gut wall.
- Avoid taking before a workout or sleep to avoid unpleasant fishy burps.
B vitamins: The group of eight B vitamins (including B6, B9 (folic acid), and B12 are vital for healthy blood, nerve function and energy levels. They are water-soluble.
- Take first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Choose a supplement with a blend of different B vitamins.
- Take a blend of B vitamins. Taking folic acid alone can trigger or mask a deficiency in vitamin B12.
- Avoid taking last thing at night as high vitamin B6 doses can interfere with sleep. Avoid taking with food, as vitamin B12, in particular, binds to the food we eat and can then end up passing straight out of the gut as waste without being absorbed.
Probiotics: These are 'good bacteria' that make up part of our gut microbiome - the community of bacteria that plays a vital role in our digestive health and immune system. A poor diet or medication such as antibiotics can kill off good bacteria, helping bad ones to survive, increasing the risk of gut infections or digestion problems. Probiotic supplements aim to replenish levels of good bacteria. As they are live bacteria, they need to reach the gut intact.
- Take: half an hour before eating. Take before a meal containing some fat.
- Avoid: taking with hot drinks, juices or alcohol.
Magnesium: Useful for bone health.
- Take: if using alone for a relaxing effect, take at bedtime.
- Take care: If you take calcium, then magnesium may help ease anxiety, restless legs, muscle cramps, migraine and improve overall sleep. You should take roughly twice as much calcium as magnesium.
How to take supplements
- Swallow with a big glass of water. Fluid intake is important to dissolve the tablet, especially for water-soluble nutrients such as B vitamins and vitamin C.
- Avoid coffee, tea and energy drinks (these also contain caffeine) as caffeine can interfere with the absorption of nutrients. And it's best to wait for an hour after drinking coffee to take supplements.
- Taking a multivitamin could be a waste of money, as some of the nutrients can compete for absorption. And as they contain both water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins, taking them on an empty stomach means you don't absorb much of the fat-soluble ones, while taking them with a meal may impair absorption of water-soluble ones.
- Don't eat nuts before taking minerals (e.g. iron, calcium and magnesium). Phytic acid found in nuts, beans and bran binds to minerals in the gut, meaning that they won't be properly absorbed. This only affects absorption of nutrients eaten at the same meal.
Source: Are you taking your vitamins the right way - or just wasting your money? Experts say that when you take them can determine how effective they are by Caroline Jones, Daily Mail, 28 Feb. 2022
