To get the maximum benefit from multivitamin supplements, it’s best to take them with food, particularly the highest-fat meals of the day. If your breakfast contains sufficient fat (butter, cheese, ham, eggs …), it will enable your body to correctly absorb fat-soluble vitamins, those that only release their compounds in fats – vitamins A, D, E and K.
Taking your supplements with a meal also reduces the risk of stomach ache or nausea which can occur when supplementing with iron or zinc, in particular.
You should take them at a different time: if, for example, you’re taking a significant amount of calcium, it can interfere with the absorption of the magnesium, iron, copper and zinc in your multivitamin supplement. Similarly, if you’re taking vitamins A, D, E and K, this can reduce the efficacy of these same vitamins when they form part of multiple supplements.
Finally, if you’re supplementing with vitamin B12, take it at least six hours apart from any other supplement: it’s better to take a smaller dose twice a day than one large dose.
As a general rule, it’s best to choose a multivitamin complex which provides the recommended daily amount for each of its compounds: taking more is at best pointless and at worst dangerous in the case of certain substances. One of the best-known is Daily 3: it’s unquestionably the most comprehensive, one-capsule-a-day, multivitamin available, offering doses and forms that are optimal for the body. It contains no less than 42 exceptional ingredients!
It’s always a good idea to discuss supplementation with your pharmacist: he or she can advise you on the right dose for your needs, and on any potential interactions with medication you might be taking.
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