When and how you take your supplements can affect how well they absorb and how effective they are. Here are the 11 ways to make your supplements work as well as possible.
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1. Take your supplements with food
Your body absorbs many of its vitamins better along with food, so it can be helpful to take them with a meal or a snack.
Taking fat-soluble dietary supplements, such as vitamins A, D, E and K, Coenzyme Q10, fish oils and evening primrose oil, with food that contains fat such as avocado, olive oil or milk also enhances their absorption.
Water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C or the B vitamins can be taken on an empty stomach with a glass of water.
2. Keep a lid on the caffeine
Caffeine can interfere with the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D. It is also a diuretic (meaning it makes you pee more) that can cause you to excrete water-soluble vitamins such as the B vitamins. Also, do not take a probiotic supplement with a hot drink like tea, coffee or hot chocolate, as the heat can kill off the active live bacteria.
3. Avoid washing them down with grapefruit juice
The effects of grapefruit juice on supplements has not been fully studied, but it is known to interfere with the absorption of some medications including some antidepressants, cholesterol drugs, blood pressure medication and some drugs used to treat abnormal heart rhythms.
However, if you're taking an iron supplement it's recommended that you wash it down with vitamin C-rich orange juice or cranberry to enhance its absorption.
The vitamin C in orange juice can help the absorption of iron, but grapefruit juice can interfere with certain prescribed medicines.
4. Look for the most absorbing ingredients
How well any given supplement enhances your health and wellbeing will depend on how well its active ingredients are absorbed in a form that can be used or stored in your body – known as a supplement's 'bioavailability'.
Some supplements come already paired with other ingredients that are known to increase their bioavailability (for example, turmeric twinned with black pepper or iron combined with vitamin C), but new technology can also increase how well a nutrient is absorbed.
For example, the liquid turmeric in Healthspan's Opti-Turmeric supplement is made through a process called micellisation, where the turmeric molecule is wrapped in a water-soluble shell to make it more readily absorbed by the body.
5. Time them right
Ideally most supplements should be taken in the morning, so you get the benefit of the nutrients within throughout the day. B vitamins, for example, are best taken first thing so they can help maintain energy levels during the day.
Vitamin D supplements should also be taken in the morning, as they can suppress melatonin production and make it harder for you to sleep. That said, always follow the instructions on the packaging, as some supplements, such as sleep-enhancing Valerian, are designed to be taken at night.
On waking
B vitamins: taking vitamin B on an empty stomach is said to help with absorption and, as these water-soluble vitamins are needed for energy, the earlier in the day you take them, the better.
Vitamin C: your body can't store this antioxidant vitamin, so a daily intake is important. It doesn't need to be taken with food but, ideally, it should be taken in small doses spread evenly throughout the day.
Probiotics: your bowel is more receptive to probiotics first thing, but not washed down with a hot drink; the heat could destroy the live bacteria. And watch your diet – a lot of processed, sugary foods could reduce probiotics' ability to create a more beneficial gut bacteria.
After breakfast
Iron and zinc: take these minerals with food, as swallowing them on an empty stomach can make you nauseous. Don't swallow them with tea or coffee, though, as the tannins these drinks contain can affect absorption.
Coenzyme Q10: this fat-soluble nutrient helps boost energy, so is best taken in the morning with a small snack containing healthy dietary fats (such as milk or toast with butter, nut butter or avocado).
At lunch
Fish oils: these can be taken at any time, but taking them with your midday meal leaves a gap between these and your morning supplements. They are best combined with dietary fat to maximise absorption.
At supper
Multivitamin and mineral: take with your evening meal or snack when your body can help utilise the combined nutrients more effectively.
At bedtime
Magnesium and calcium: these muscle-relaxing and calming minerals help improve sleep quality.
At any time
Vitamin D: this is a fat-soluble vitamin, so take with a meal or snack containing healthy fats.
Turmeric: this fat-soluble nutrient helps reduce inflammation and is better absorbed with food, so take with a meal or snack.
6. Get into a routine
Try to get into a consistent routine of taking your supplements at roughly the same time each day. This will help you remember to take them. If you do forget to take your supplements don't double up the dose the next day to compensate, as some nutrients can be toxic in high amounts.
7. Don't exceed the recommended dose
It can be tempting to think that if vitamins, minerals and botanical ingredients are good for your health, taking them in large amounts will be even more beneficial. This is not the case. You might just be wasting your money as any excess will be excreted through your urine, but more worrying is the evidence to show that certain nutrients (notably vitamins A and D and the mineral selenium) can be toxic when taken in excessive amounts.
Always buy your supplements from a reputable company and follow the dosage instructions on the pack.
8. If you take prescribed medication…
Check with your doctor or pharmacist that any supplements are safe to take alongside your medication. For example, if you take blood-thinning medication such as warfarin you should not supplement with vitamin K, as this nutrient is known to reduce the effectiveness of the medication.
Other supplements that should not be used with drugs to reduce blood clotting include Ginkgo biloba, vitamin E and large doses of omega 3 fish oils.
If you're taking prescribed medication, consult with your doctor or pharmacist to see if your supplements are also safe to take.
9. Check which supplements are safe for you
Some groups of people should avoid certain supplements. For example, pregnant women are advised not to take fish liver oil capsules, as the vitamin A content may be harmful to the baby. Smokers and ex-smokers are urged to be cautious about taking beta-carotene, as studies have linked it to an increased risk of lung cancer.
10. Give them time to work
How quickly your supplements produce noticeable effects can vary, and will depend on the nutrient you are taking and your individual requirements. Some people notice benefits almost immediately, while for others it can take up to three months. If you are severely deficient in a nutrient, for example, it can take longer for your body to return to optimal levels compared to someone who has a mild deficiency. Some vitamins and minerals can also take up to 90 days to have a beneficial effect, so be patient.
11. Look after your supply
Store your supplements in a cool, dry place and away from direct sunlight to maintain their efficacy. Also, do not use after their expiry date: expired supplements may have lost their potency, so you might not be absorbing as much of the nutrient as you think.