How to Take Vitamins Correctly

28 octobre 2025

3 min de lecture

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Do you regularly take nutritional supplements, but you don’t see any effect? Maybe you are not taking them correctly. Some vitamins and minerals do not combine well with each other, some are best absorbed during a meal, while others are best absorbed on an empty stomach. Let's sort it out together!

Points clés

Do you regularly take nutritional supplements, but you don’t see any effect?
Water-soluble vitamins
Fat-soluble vitamins

Pour qui

Ceux qui explorent Vitamins and minerals à travers vitamins, vitamin C.

Pourquoi c'est important

Cet article vous aide à vous orienter rapidement, puis à passer à une collection ou une série si vous souhaitez aller plus loin.

Auteur de l'article

Dr. Natalie

General Practitioner, Allergist-Immunologist

Water-soluble vitamins

This list includes C, B1, B2, B3 (PP), B6, B12, folic acid, pantothenic acid, and biotin.

Water-soluble vitamins should be taken 30 minutes before a meal since food and any beverages other than water impair their absorption. You should wash them down with water only — not with milk, tea, or juice.

B vitamins help to produce energy, so take them in the morning. B1 should be taken separately from all others. B12 conflicts with B1 and C, iron and copper, but is compatible with B5 and B9. Vitamin C interferes with the absorption of B12 — so if they must be combined, take them at least 2 hours apart. Vitamin C also removes copper from the body.

Fat-soluble vitamins

In order for the body to get vitamins A, D, E, and K, they must be combined with fat-containing foods. Milk, yogurt, and avocados are ideal. If they are taken on an empty stomach, however, they can cause an upset stomach.

It is better to take the fat-soluble vitamins separately since they reduce the effects of each other by about 10-50 %. This is especially true for vitamin K. An exception is vitamin A, which is best absorbed in combination with vitamin E.

For maximum effect, vitamins D, E, or K should be taken a few hours before or after taking other fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamin D is best taken in the evening.

Fat-soluble vitamins tend to build up in the body, so be sure to follow the dosage prescribed by your doctor.

Mineral supplements

Minerals should usually be taken with food. The exception is iron, which is better absorbed on an empty stomach. It should not be combined with calcium or foods high in calcium, or with zinc or magnesium. You should drink water or, even better, citrus juice with iron as iron and vitamin C have a restorative effect. However, do not take it with tea, since tannin reduces iron absorption.

If you feel nauseous after taking iron on an empty stomach, drink it right after a meal. But then exclude eggs, dairy, and other calcium-containing foods from that meal.

Take it, as a rule, to take iron in the morning and calcium in the evening, because calcium has a calming effect. The body will get more calcium along with vitamin D.

High doses of calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc from supplements can reduce the absorption of carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lycopene, and astaxanthin from foods and/or supplements. It is better to take them at different times.

High doses of zinc are taken over a long period of time, as 50 mg or more per day for 10 weeks or longer may cause copper deficiency. If zinc and magnesium must be combined, take zinc in the morning and magnesium in the evening, as it improves sleep.

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids

The balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the body is crucial. Their proper ratio determines immune system health, blood vessel health, good blood circulation, and the supply of essential nutrients to the body. These fatty acids should be taken with food.

In high-quality dietary supplements, omega-3 fatty acids should be in their active form — specifically, in the form of EPA and DHA fatty acids. Check that the product contains as few components as possible so as not to interfere with the effects of omega-3 on the body. Omega-3 and omega-6 combine well with vitamin E.

Watch your vitamin levels with Ornament. Activate your vitamin panel and find out exactly what you're missing.

Compatibility with medications

Even small amounts of vitamin K can reduce the effect of blood thinning medications, and taking more than 1,000 mg of vitamin E a day, by contrast, can increase the risk of bleeding.

Calcium, magnesium, or iron supplements taken within 4 hours of taking thyroid medication may lessen its effects.

And most importantly, you should not take vitamins at random just because you read about them on the internet or a friend recommended them. An overabundance of vitamins and minerals is as dangerous as a deficit, so any nutritional supplements should be taken after analysis and consultation with a specialist!

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