We all know how important vitamins can be for staying healthy. What many of us don't realize is that when and how you take them matters.
Many people wonder, "Can you take vitamins on an empty stomach?" In short, yes you can. However, it's not something I'd recommend.
While some vitamins are absorbed more efficiently on an empty stomach ... Others you will need and want to take with food. The difference ultimately depends on the specific vitamin.
If you know when to take your vitamins and what to take them with, it can be a game changer!
I'll cover all of this with you today. You'll learn which vitamins you could take on an empty stomach, which you shouldn't, and plenty of other tips!
Why Does Timing Matter When Taking Vitamins?
Yes, vitamins can help support our overall health. But, the way we take them can affect how well they are absorbed and used in the body.
Some vitamins are better to take with food, while others can be better on an empty stomach. The reason for this is actually due to a few different factors.
For one, some vitamins are fat-soluble and need a source of fat to be absorbed properly. Other vitamins are water-soluble and need to be consumed with water.
In addition to that, some vitamins are recommended to take with food. That's because they're known to cause digestive distress without food. If your goal of taking a vitamin is to be healthy and feel your best, you probably wouldn't want that either.
Let's take a closer look at which vitamins you should and shouldn’t be having with food.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins on an Empty Stomach
Some vitamins, known as fat-soluble vitamins, need dietary fat to be absorbed. This means if you don't consume them with fat, your body can't utilize them.
For example, vitamins like A, D, E, and K are all fat-soluble vitamins. Your body absorbs them with fat, and actually stores them in fatty tissue, the liver, and muscle.
For this reason, these vitamins are best taken with food, and not on an empty stomach. As a trainer and nutrition coach myself, I always recommend getting a good source of fat to my clients. This could be with avocados, fatty fish, whole eggs, nuts, peanut butter, red meat, and more.
Here are the fat-soluble vitamins, and a quick rundown of what each does:
Vitamin A: This vitamin can help support healthy vision, skin, and even immune function.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D plays an important role in bone strength and immune function.
Vitamin E: This vitamin is a powerful antioxidant that protects cells and supports healthy skin.
Vitamin K: Vitamin K is important for helping your blood clot and keeping bones healthy.
Water-Soluble Vitamins on an Empty Stomach
Water-soluble vitamins are the ones you need to have with water to absorb properly. These are vitamins such as vitamins B and C.
Believe it or not, these vitamins are actually more quickly absorbed on an empty stomach. At the same time, most people are able to tolerate them just fine without food.
However, water-soluble vitamins are just about the only vitamins that would make sense to take on an empty stomach. Still, even though these vitamins can be absorbed better without food ... The difference may not be tremendous.
Here are the water-soluble vitamins, and a quick rundown of what each does:
Vitamin C: This antioxidant can help support immune health and healthy skin. You've probably even heard to take this vitamin when you are sick.
B Vitamins: These vitamins can help support natural energy, brain function, and even red blood cell count.
Other Vitamins, Minerals, and Supplements to Avoid on an Empty Stomach
Some vitamins and minerals absolutely shouldn't be taken on an empty stomach. The same can be said about a lot of supplements. This is because certain vitamins, minerals, and supplements can upset your stomach without food.
Here are some of the more popular ones that are worth mentioning...
Iron
Iron is an important mineral found in every cell in the body. It also plays a role in carrying oxygen in the blood. Without food though, iron can be known to cause an upset stomach. For this reason, I always recommend taking iron with a meal.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral that helps with muscle and nerve function. Once again though, it's best to take with food.
Fish Oil
While fish oil is not a vitamin or mineral, it's a supplement that many people will take with their vitamins. Fish oil contains high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help lower inflammation. Specific fatty acids in fish oil known as EPA and DHA are even good for your heart and brain.
So, why do I recommend you take fish oil with food? Sure, it can make your stomach feel a bit off. But, the main reason I recommend this is to avoid the fishy taste, smell, and burps. This is something that many people can experience. You may even know exactly what I'm talking about! If you do, try taking it with food next time. This trick has been super useful for my clients and me.
Multivitamins
Multivitamins contain a wide variety of essential vitamins and minerals. This can include both water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, herbs, and more. The ingredients, and concentrations of those ingredients, will vary depending on the multivitamin.
With all that said, I would highly encourage you to take your multivitamin with some food and water. It's my method for ensuring that my body can make good use of all the diverse nutrients a multivitamin can have!
My Strategy For Taking Vitamins
So, can you take vitamins on an empty stomach? Sure you can, but that's not the most effective way to take them.
Water-soluble vitamins are the only vitamins that could make sense to take on an empty stomach. Even still, the degree to how much more your body can absorb this way may not be worth the hassle. In my opinion, you'd be splitting hairs at that point.
Plus, how many of us want to worry about taking all these different vitamins at different times? Most of us are really only concerned about looking and feeling our best.
This is why I personally recommend taking your vitamins with a meal and plenty of water every time. Think of it as a stress-free way to ensure you're getting what you need from the vitamins you take.
Does the time of the day matter? Not really. While some vitamins and minerals can be better to take at a certain time of the day ... It's more important that you take them and take them consistently.
Most of the people I work with choose to have their vitamins with breakfast. I do the same!
Take Your Vitamins and Stay Consistent!
As a reminder, most of the time, I would not recommend taking vitamins on an empty stomach. But, regardless of which vitamins, minerals, or supplements you take ... Take them consistently, or as recommended.
That way, you'll get the most out of the vitamins, minerals, or supplements you are taking!
If you're wondering which vitamins you should be taking, it depends. At the same time, I believe that a high-quality multivitamin is the best place to start.
At 1st Phorm, all of our products are founded on quality and measured on YOUR results! We know you don't take any shortcuts with the work you're putting in to reach your goals. That's why we don't take any shortcuts when it comes to the supplements to help you reach them!
That's also why I'm confident you'll love the multivitamin supplements we have to offer.
For women, we have two high-quality, gender-specific multivitamins. We have M-Factor Goddess and Prenatal Plus for new or expectant mothers.
For men, we have the gender-specific multivitamin M-Factor Men.
These are daily multivitamin supplements, formulated and dosed to help support whole-body health. Each gender-specific option even contains blends that can help support specific aspects of male and female health.
...But these aren't the only options we offer. We also have a complete daily nutrient supplement that not only has a full multivitamin but so much more!
In fact, I was able to condense quite a few of the different vitamins, minerals, and supplements I was taking by switching. It's called Micro Factor, and for me, it was love at first sight.
Micro Factor has a daily multivitamin, probiotic, essential fatty acids, fruits & veggie capsules, an antioxidant blend, and CoQ10! It also comes in either convenient, on-the-go packets or as a tasty, flavored powder you can mix with water.
You can get Micro Factor Packets or Micro-Factor Powder for yourself here!
I know we covered a lot today. With that being said, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out!
We have a full team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers and Nutrition Coaches right here in St. Louis, Missouri. Just give us a call at 1-800-409-9732 or send us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com any day from 6 AM to 10 PM Central. We'll be more than happy to help in any way we can!
