Vitamin Supplements, as the name suggests are a supplement, meaning an add on to the diet, however, for most healthy individuals, the vitamin and mineral intake MUST come from their diet. I will make another article going over the many clinical/medical reasons for avoiding supplement intake, especially, if you are someone who is healthy and without any serious chronic health concerns. Now, if you are someone who has been prescribed or recommended to take a vitamin supplement, in order for you to get the maximum benefits, in other words enhance the “bio-availability” of the supplement, certain factors much be considered. For example, when supplements are taken with certain foods, like, foods rich in fiber, chances are the supplement will bind with the fiber and become less available or in some cases unavailable for absorption in the blood stream. Similarly, taking a supplement with tea or juice, especially grapefruit juice can interfere with the bio-availability of the supplement. Another factor that affects vitamin supplement absorption in the blood stream is the levels of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, reduced production or concentration of this acid can lead to lower absorption of certain vitamins, leading to in some cases, severe nutritional deficiencies.
So, that brings me to the important question, what would be the best time of the day to take your supplement? Firstly, I would recommend that you have your health professional provide you with such individualized recommendations based on other OTC and prescribed medications you may be consuming, because, certain medications may bind, inhibit, or interfere with the absorption of your vitamin/mineral supplement and lead to adverse reactions in the body. In certain cases, it may be the reverse, which is the supplement may interfere with the actions of the medication, thus, resulting in diminished performance of the drug or leading to unnecessary side effects. That brings me to the best time to take a supplement for most of us not concerned with reactions between supplements and prescribed drugs, the rule of thumb is to always take your supplement or meds with plain water to avoid nutrient-nutrient and nutrient-drug interactions. Secondly, it is a good practice to avoid drinking tea, coffee, milk, or other forms of beverages within a two hour period of having consumed your supplement. Another factor that must be considered is if your supplement may be a time-released formula, if so, again, the best recommendation is to visit with your health professional because you do not want the release of the vitamins and minerals to interfere with other drugs especially, when asleep. Try to avoid taking supplements on an empty stomach, especially the ones that have fat soluble nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, & K, since these require some fat in the diet for absorption but also, can result in indigestion and irritating the stomach lining causing discomfort. Additionally, with any fat-soluble vitamin there is a risk of toxicity from excess build up. The best time to take a supplement can come down to personal preference, however, taking it right before bed time may be the most lucrative because when we are asleep, our body is in growth and repair mode and therefore, due to the production of certain hormones like the growth hormone, absorption and utilization of these supplements is maximized.

As always, please note this article is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any health conditions but merely an educational platform. Any suggestions you follow must be consulted with your health professional and should be followed only after you have been recommended to do so.
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