Do you take nutritional supplements? You may be starting your day by swallowing a bunch of pills, while some dietary supplements work better at a later time in the day or, for example, lose their potency when combined with other vitamins. Here’s what you want to know about this.

This is how to get the most out of your dietary supplements.

The best time to take dietary supplements

It may sound logical to start the day with your dietary supplements, while in some cases it is better to do this later in the day. The vitamin supplement that is best taken in the morning is vitamin B. This increases your energy levels, so you will get the most out of it in the morning.

Food supplements for vitamins A, D, E and K can in principle be taken at any time, but because these are fat-soluble vitamins, it is best to take them in combination with fatty foods. If you do not start your morning with these, it is better to take these supplements later in the day. Of course, this does not have to be fatty food, but food with 5 grams of fat is sufficient.

The fact that it’s best to take these supplements with fatty food is because this stimulates your enzymes and bile, which moves the fat-soluble substances from your digestion to your liver.

Magnesium and iron in the evening

Magnesium can be laxative and iron can cause stomach upset. It is therefore wise not to take these supplements at a time when your stomach is still empty. It is best to take these supplements with food, preferably dinner, because the chance of irritation is smallest then.

Combining dietary supplements

For the dietary supplements iron, calcium and zinc there is not necessarily a specific time at which it is best to take them, but it is important not to take them at the same time. Calcium impedes the absorption of zinc and iron in your body. Make sure there is about one to two hours between taking iron or zinc and calcium. Vitamin D and magnesium, on the other hand, help the body absorb calcium. Vitamin C, in turn, helps your body absorb iron.