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When's the Best Time to Take Supplements?

We all know that it takes a village to keep our bodies going. For many of us, we thought exercise and a healthy gut diet plan was the key. However, there’s one more instrumental cog in the wheel that keeps a healthy person churning. That supplement is…supplements. Unfortunately, many people aren’t getting the most out of their vitamins. This missed opportunity is much in thanks to poor timing. So, what’s the best time to take supplements? Let’s figure it out!

Why You Should Find Out the Best Time to Take Supplements

best time to take supplements
So…which one is it?
Vitamin B, prenatal vitamins, and probiotics are all different ways to improve your health naturally.

However, they’re all unique formulas. Therefore, taking your vitamins might not be a one-size-fits-all approach…or at least not a one-time-fits-all.

The minerals in your supplement have distinct characteristics. That’s why you sought these supplements out in the first place.

So, for them to work optimally, you need to figure out the best time to take supplements. Otherwise, you may not receive the benefits you desired.

What is the Best Time to Take Supplements

Approximately 76% of adults take supplements 1. Unfortunately, many are going about it all wrong. They’re popping their Vitamin C the same time they’re taking their Vitamin D. Seems harmless, but you’re doing your body a disservice. Together is not the best time to take supplements of differing solubility. Here’s the best time to take supplements.

Best Time to Take for Taking Fat-Soluble Supplements

Fat-soluble supplements like to blend in with other nutrients. That’s the point of fat. Healthy fats are intended to absorb as many vitamins and minerals as possible.

Take fat-soluble vitamins with healthy fats

When you consume nutrient-rich foods with healthy fats, the lipids will engulf the vitamins. As the solid food particles meet the hydrochloric acid in the stomach, the fats take the brunt of damage. In turn, the nutrients are free to enter into the bloodstream.

Furthermore, fats stick to our adipose tissue around the gut. Eventually, our body will draw energy from these fats, releasing the nutrients from its grasp.

Example of fat-soluble supplements include:

  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamin E
  • Vitamin K

Fat-soluble vitamins enjoy other fats, as they aid in the absorption. One of the best meal options for these types of supplements includes wild-caught salmon with sweet potatoes. You can also get loads of benefits from consuming kale and feta salad with extra virgin olive oil and apple cider vinegar.

Best Time to Take Water-Soluble Supplements

The best time to take water-soluble supplements is on an empty stomach. You don’t want these supplements to sit on top of a pile of food ready to digest. Otherwise, they will oxidize before hitting the bloodstream. Eating before taking water-soluble vitamins pretty much render them useless.

best time to take supplements
Start your day with water-soluble supplements

The best time to take supplements that are water soluble is:

  • Upon Waking
  • Half-Hour Before Eating
  • Two Hours After Eating

The reason you take water-soluble supplements on an empty stomach is that it needs to get acclimated with the water in your system. Once the carbon clings to the nutrients, the rest gets flushed out through your urine.

The most common water-soluble supplements include:

  • Thiamin (Vitamin B1)
  • Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
  • Niacin (Vitamin B3)
  • Pantothenic Acid
  • Vitamin B6
  • Folic Acid
  • Vitamin B12

Unlike fat-soluble vitamins, water-soluble supplements don’t get stored in fat. They are used by your cells immediately, with the excess being eliminated from the system. Therefore, dosages of water-soluble vitamins may be higher than their fat-soluble counterparts.

Best Time for Taking Prenatal Vitamins

97% of women at childbearing age take prenatal vitamins during pregnancy 2. There are so many hormonal changes going on in a woman’s body. Nutrients are zapped from bones, while minerals from nutrients are being gobbled up by the forming life. That’s why it’s so essential for many pregnant women to supplement.

Expecting moms should expect to take prenatal vitamins

When you’re carrying something as precious as life inside of you, you should take all precautions in ensuring optimal nutrients. That’s why you should find out the best time for taking supplements for expecting mothers.

A majority of vitamins and minerals in prenatal blends are water-soluble, including:

  • Calcium
  • Iron
  • Folic Acid

Many of these minerals work best with other water-soluble vitamins. For instance, Vitamin C improves iron absorption 3. Meanwhile, Vitamin D makes calcium more bioavailable 4.

An analysis about Vitamin D and calcium consumption stated,

“The body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium. Without enough vitamin D, one can’t form enough of the hormone calcitriol (known as the “active vitamin D”). This in turn leads to insufficient calcium absorption from the diet.”

NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resources Center

So, the best time to take prenatal vitamins is on an empty stomach, and perhaps with a multi-vitamin. If you can find a blend that’s fortified with these essential vitamins, even better!

Best Time for Taking Probiotics Supplements

While nootropic supplements and essential vitamins are an essential part of a wellness plan, we’re in the business of probiotics. So, figuring out when the best time to take supplements enriched with probiotics is important to us!

The best time to take probiotics supplements is on an empty stomach. Probiotics are living beings. They need a chance to survive. That’s why our probiotics supplements are enriched with inulin.



Probiotics with Inulin

Inulin is a dietary fiber that serves as prebiotics for probiotics. That way, the probiotics in Thryve Inside supplements grow strong before they even reach your system. We’ve set them up for success. It’s up to you to see these stomach bacteria through.

Thryve Probiotics and Microbiome TestingTake the guess work out of supplements

Our capsule is formulated to handle the harsh environment that is our stomach acid. That way, the probiotic bacteria inside can colonize in the colon and gut biome. You don’t want to add roadblocks to the colonization by taking your probiotics with food.

Once you take your best probiotics supplements, wait at least 15 minutes. Then, you can start eating. For one, probiotics will help you absorb nutrients 5. However, they will also aid your system in breaking down your foods. Just like us, probiotics are hungry beings. Once they’re done with the inulin in your capsule, they’re already onto the next meal!

Ready to get your gut health in check with probiotics? Let us help you by testing your stomach bacteria. That way, we can recommend a custom formula rich with intestinal flora your gut biome is missing. Biodiversity is the key to gut health, and for stepping up your nutrition game!

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Resources

  • 1 “2017 CRN Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements.” Council for Responsible Nutrition, 2017, www.crnusa.org/resources/2017-crn-consumer-survey-dietary-supplements.
  • 2 “Fewer than Half of U.S. Women Take Recommended Vitamins Prior to Pregnancy, According to March of Dimes New Prenatal Health & Nutrition Survey.” Fewer than Half of U.S. Women Take Recommended Vitamins Prior to Pregnancy, According to March of Dimes New Prenatal Health & Nutrition Survey | March of Dimes, 19 Sept. 2017, www.marchofdimes.org/news/fewer-than-half-of-u-s-women-take-recommended-vitamins-prior-to-pregnancy-according-to-march-of-dimes-new-prenatal-health-nutrition-survey.aspx.
  • 3 Hallberg, L, et al. “The Role of Vitamin C in Iron Absorption.” International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research. Supplement = Internationale Zeitschrift Fur Vitamin- Und Ernahrungsforschung. Supplement, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1989, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2507689.
  • 4 “Calcium and Vitamin D: Important at Every Age.” National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.bones.nih.gov/health-info/bone/bone-health/nutrition/calcium-and-vitamin-d-important-every-age.
  • 5 Krajmalnik-Brown, R., Ilhan, Z. E., Kang, D. W., & DiBaise, J. K. (2012). Effects of gut microbes on nutrient absorption and energy regulation. Nutrition in clinical practice : official publication of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, 27(2), 201–214. doi:10.1177/0884533611436116
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