This article was previously published on January 17, 2018 and has been updated with new information.
A survey in 2021first indicates that 80% of Americans are taking supplements – a sharp increase from the 52% reported in a 2012 JAMA report.2 A statistic that has remained steady since 1999. While at that point multivitamin use has fallen somewhat, from 37 to 31 percent, the new survey indicates that 75 percent of people take supplements. currently taking multivitamins. The use of vitamin D and omega-3 supplements has also continued to increase throughout the years.
In 2012, vitamin D use increased from just over 5% to 19%, and fish oil supplements increased from just over 1% to 12%. By 2021, however, a whopping 52% of Americans are taking vitamin D, where zinc and vitamin C are also common, at 22% and 40% respectively.
Some other popular supplements are probiotics, omega-3s, multivitamins, vitamin C, turmeric, calcium, and magnesium.3 In total, Americans spent about $21 billion on nutritional supplements in 2015.4 By 2019, that number had doubled to $42.6 billion.5
While dietary supplements are generally safe, when and how you take them – such as with or without food, or before or after exercise6 – can make a difference in both safety and effectiveness. Some supplements may also be contraindicated for certain health conditions or if you are taking a specific medication. In the following, you will find a helpful guide to the use of common supplements.
A quick guide to replenishment time
About the timing of vitamin and mineral supplements
Because multivitamins contain a wide range of water- and fat-soluble vitamins, and in some cases minerals, you typically take half your daily dose in the morning, with breakfast, and the other half with a meal. main meal (dinner for most people, or lunch if you’re fasting continuously). While you may not notice any ill effects if you take it on an empty stomach, taking a multivitamin with food is a safer way overall.7
For example, both the B vitamins and the lipid-free vitamin C can cause stomach upset and nausea when taken on an empty stomach, and fat-soluble vitamins are not good for you unless you take them with small amounts of fat. such as one or half an egg. An avocado. However, avoid eating too much fat because too much fat can interfere with the absorption of water-based vitamins.
When supplementing with each vitamin and mineral, you may need to be mindful not only of when to take them, but also their combination with other supplements you’re taking and their ideal ratios. Eg:
• Fat-soluble vitamin K2 is best added in your largest meal that contains fat. This can be during the day or at your evening meal. Calcium can be taken during the day, but magnesium is best taken at night, without food.
Unfortunately, the ideal ratio of vitamin K2 to D has yet to be determined, so there are no hard and fast rules here. Some experts suggest 200 micrograms of vitamin K2 per day will meet the needs of the “average” healthy person, but if you’re taking high doses of vitamin D, you’ll need a little more.8
Although K2 is not toxic, people who are taking vitamin K antagonists, which are drugs that reduce blood clotting by reducing the effects of vitamin K, should avoid vitamin K2 (MK-7) supplements.
• On the other hand, zinc should not be taken with calcium and/or iron supplements, as these can interfere with your body’s absorption of zinc.
• Similarly, avoid taking calcium or vitamin E with iron, as these nutrients interfere with iron absorption. Iron is also best supplemented on an empty stomach, mid-morning or mid-afternoon.9
• Magnesium, as one of the most important minerals to supplement that most of us lack, helps your body relax, best taken in the evening and can be taken with or without food. If you’re also taking calcium, take the two together.
If you exercise regularly, consider taking a calcium and magnesium supplement at a ratio of one part calcium to two parts magnesium in your pre-workout meal.ten While the ideal ratio between magnesium and calcium is believed to be one to one, most people get more calcium than magnesium from their diets; therefore, your magnesium supplement needs may be two to three times greater than calcium.
• Oral B12, which tends to be poorly absorbed, is best taken on an empty stomach to optimize absorption. This is less of a problem if you are taking the sublingual form of B12. B12 can interact with many drugs,11 including those for bone loss, cancer, gout, high blood pressure and acid indigestion, such as H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors, so check for contraindications before you start taking the medication on a regular basis.
Time to add fat and fiber
Fiber can inhibit the body’s absorption of fat, so most fiber supplements, including “green” supplements like spirulina and powdered kelp, are best taken separate. separate from any fatty acid supplements you may be taking. If you’re exercising, keep in mind that fiber supplements will slow the movement of food through your stomach and intestines.
For this reason, it’s best to take fiber at least three or four hours before exercising or competing. Also, drink at the end of the day. Psyllium, in its shell, is a great fiber supplement, ideally taken two hours after a meal with a full glass of water.
As for omega-3 supplements like fish or krill oil, they can cause indigestion if taken right before a workout, so consider taking them with breakfast, along with any multivitamin. you can use. Also keep in mind that krill oil supplements are contraindicated for people who are allergic to shellfish and should not take fish or krill oil if you have a clotting disorder or are taking anticoagulants.
Time of Enzymes and Probiotics
Enzymes such as bromelain, papain, trypsin and others are used not only as digestive aids, but also to promote muscle recovery and reduce inflammation. Depending on your goals, you will need to vary the timing. When taken with meals, they improve your digestion. For muscle building and/or anti-inflammatory effects, you’ll want to take them on an empty stomach after your workout, in the morning or in the afternoon.
Probiotics help improve your gut microbiome by providing beneficial bacteria. It’s best taken on an empty stomach, two to three hours before your first meal or after your last meal of the day. Also keep in mind that to reap the benefits of a probiotic supplement, you need to cut back on sugar and processed foods. Otherwise, you’re basically just throwing your money away.
About the time of antioxidants
As a general rule, antioxidant supplements like resveratrol, astaxanthin, vitamin E, and ubiquinol (a reduced version of Coenzyme Q10) are fat-soluble and are best taken with a high-fat meal. It is best to take ubiquinol in divided doses with a fatty meal, while vitamin E and astaxanthin can be taken once daily with a high-fat meal to increase absorption. Supplements containing resveratrol can be taken on an empty stomach.
If you are an athlete or exercise regularly, several studies have shown that taking antioxidant supplements immediately before exercise works to reduce insulin sensitivity. It also interferes with the body’s ability to protect itself against oxidative damage. As noted by nutritionist and fitness trainer Ben Greenfield:twelfth
“By blocking the body’s need for natural antioxidant activity to help adapt to stress and respond to exercise, consuming antioxidants with high doses of an antioxidant alone (such as vitamin C or vitamin E) may reduce the benefits of exercise.
For this reason, antioxidant drinks and capsules should A) full spectrum… and B) be consumed only in moderation, and not as a consistent part of a pre-workout or pre-workout diet or regimen. during exercise. Takeaway message: Take your antioxidant supplement with a pre-race meal and just before a very tough workout. Otherwise, limit antioxidants to low to moderate consumption and try to consume as far as possible from an exercise session. “
Do you really need all the supplements you’re taking?
As a general rule, the better and healthier your diet is, the fewer supplements you’ll need. Eating real food, ideally organically grown to avoid exposure to pesticides, is really the most appropriate way to ensure you’re getting all the nutrients your body needs.
Vegetarians and vegans, who may think they are on the best diet possible, are probably one of the few people who really have to really pay attention to their nutritional needs, because Many important nutrients are found only in animal foods.
The omega-3 fats DHA and EPA of animal origin are just one example. B12 is another really important substance that vegans overlook, which can wreak havoc on your health. Over time, chronic B12 deficiency can lead to serious, irreversible conditions, including depression, dementia, neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases, and fertility problems fertility, heart disease and cancer – all things a vegan diet is said to prevent.
That said, supplements can be quite beneficial if you know or suspect you may be deficient in a particular substance and/or if you are trying to address a particular health issue. Just keep in mind that the more supplements you take, the more complicated it gets to get it right. Are you taking each at the most opportune time and in the correct combination – and in the right proportions – with the other nutrients?
Eating a whole-foods diet eliminates most of these problems, as your body knows exactly what to do with the nutrients it gets from food, regardless of the hour or combination (although there may be a case for ideal food combinations and mealtimes). If you’re taking a few supplements but still eat mostly processed foods, make this the year you start making changes.
That said, to make sure you’re getting the most out of the supplements you take, make a list and check when and how best to combine each. While I’ve provided you with a few examples above, you’ll find more examples in the infographic provided at the top of this article and below.
