According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, half of all U.S. adults regularly take vitamins or dietary supplements. But when should you take your vitamins? Be sure you’re taking your vitamins correctly for maximum effectiveness. Keep these 4 tips in mind:
- Take your multivitamin with a meal. Many vitamins—such as A, E, D, and K—need to be eaten along with fat for your body to fully absorb them.
- Maintain a good diet. Vitamins are meant to complement—not replace—a healthy diet. It’s important to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.
- Spread them out. Unless you’re taking a multivitamin, swallow your supplements throughout the day instead of all at once.
- Talk to your health care provider. Vitamins can have drug-like effects and can also work against each other, or make some prescription medicines more or less effective. Keep a list of your supplements in your wallet so it will be handy when you visit your health care provider. He or she can guide you on what vitamins to take, and when.
