The most important part of taking supplements is absorption. Anything that is not properly absorbed into your system is ultimately of no use to you.
It is generally considered best to take vitamins with a meal since the digestive juices you produce at mealtime enable you to absorb the maximum amount of the nutrient. Fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, and K require either animal or vegetable fat to be present in the stomach to be optimally absorbed. It is also a good practice to space your vitamins and supplements throughout the day, especially those that are water-soluble, such as the B-complex and vitamin C. If you are taking 3,000 milligrams a day of vitamin C, for example, you should take 1,000 at each of your three meals that day.
A few things to take note of: if you are taking both mineral supplements and a fiber supplement, consider taking them at different times of the day. The fiber makes it difficult for the minerals to be absorbed. Taking too much zinc at once can cause stomach cramps, so you might want to split your dose up, depending on how much you take. And if you are taking any essential fatty acid supplements, you should take your vitamin E at the same time.
Herbal remedies and probiotics, on the other hand, usually require an empty stomach for maximum effectiveness. This means 20-30 minutes before meals, or two hours after.
