Your Well-Being Guide: Knowing the Best Times To Take Vitamins

Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that your body needs to function properly. Most people can get them from eating a well-balanced diet, but many still choose to take supplements to help meet their daily needs and support their overall health. What many people may not know, though, are the best times to take vitamins, depending on the type.

At a base level, some vitamins are best taken on an empty stomach, while some need to be taken with food. In addition, there are other nutrients, such as fish oil, that may benefit from being taken under certain conditions. Learning about the best time of day to take fish oil, along with other vitamins and supplements, can help you maximize their absorption and effectiveness in your body, giving you the most bang for your buck.

What Are the Best Times To Take Vitamins?

There are a few things to consider here. The first is whether the vitamin is water-soluble or fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins are not easily stored in your body and do not need fat to be absorbed. They include vitamin C and all of the B vitamins (including thiamine, riboflavin, folate, B12 and more). Fat-soluble vitamins, on the other hand, require fat to be absorbed and are easily stored in your fat tissue, liver and muscles. These include vitamins A, D, E and K. Because fat-soluble vitamins require fat for absorption, they are best taken with meals containing fat, whereas water-soluble vitamins do not need to be taken with food.

Here, we will highlight more about what you need to know to take four popular supplements: vitamin B12, fish oil, magnesium and zinc.

What Is the Best Time To Take Vitamin B12?

As mentioned, vitamin B12 is a type of water-soluble vitamin. Fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk and other dairy products contain this vitamin. Additionally, some breakfast cereals, nutritional yeasts and other food products are fortified with vitamin B12. As for the best food source of vitamin B12, consider clams and beef liver. Vitamin B12 has many important functions in your body, including:

• Supporting the central nervous system

• Forming red blood cells

• Creating DNA

• Energy metabolism (turning the food you eat into a form of energy your body can use)

Due to its role in creating energy and stimulating your nervous system, some experts believe it's best to take vitamin B12 in the morning in order to prevent it from interfering with sleep. Seeing as it does not require fat to be absorbed, it is best taken on an empty stomach, such as about 30 minutes before breakfast, or about two hours after you've eaten. Taking vitamin B12 with a large glass of water is also recommended to help prevent any potential digestive upset.

What Is the Best Time of Day To Take Fish Oil?

While fish oil isn't a vitamin, it contains omega-3 fatty acids that play an important role in many crucial functions in your body. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in foods, such as fish and flaxseed, and in dietary supplements, such as fish oil. This makes it a popular and beneficial supplement to take. There are three types of omega-3 fatty acids: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Fish oil supplements generally provide a combination of EPA and DHA omega-3s, which are better used by the body compared to ALA.

Some of the ways that fish oil can benefit your health include the following:

• Reducing inflammation*

• Supporting heart health*

• Supporting brain function*

• Supporting mental health*

• Protecting against some types of cancers*

Some research shows that omega-3 fatty acid supplements should be taken with food for best absorption into the body. Notably, it also reports that all omega-3 supplements should be taken whole, without being crushed, dissolved or chewed in the mouth. You can choose to take fish oil supplements any time of day and with any meal that works best for you, whether it be breakfast, lunch, dinner or even a snack.

What Is the Best Time To Take Magnesium?

Magnesium is a type of mineral found in legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains and green leafy vegetables. It serves as a cofactor for enzymes and is required for more than 300 essential processes in your body. Because of its wide-ranging health impacts, it's an extremely important nutrient that you want to make sure you ingest properly.

Magnesium is critical for regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, blood pressure and making protein, bone and DNA. In addition, it may be linked to health benefits such as:

• Improving blood sugar levels*

• Lowering blood pressure*

• Supporting quality of sleep*

Magnesium supplements are best taken with meals to help prevent stomach upset and diarrhea, but can be taken at any time of day. This mineral also may play a role in helping calm your body and supporting restful sleep, when taken over time.*

What Is the Best Time To Take Zinc?

Like magnesium, zinc is another important mineral found in many food sources, mainly meat, fish and seafood (especially oysters). Its many important functions include:

• Helping the immune system fight off bacteria and viruses

• Serving as an antioxidant to protect your body from harm

• Supporting normal growth and development

• Supporting wound healing

• Producing proteins and DNA

• Helping your sense of taste and smell

When it comes to the time of day to take zinc, there is no exact answer. It seems that no matter when you take this mineral, it will be metabolized the same way. It also does not seem to matter much about whether zinc is taken with or without food. So, when and how to take zinc supplements can be based on your preferences and convenience, taking into account any possible side effects.

Meeting Your Health Goals

Your body absorbs and uses nutrients in different ways. Taking vitamins and other supplements the wrong way can limit their effectiveness, so the best time to take vitamins is an important thing to consider.

However, there's limited research on the best time of day to take some vitamins and other supplements. So while some nutrients should be taken with food and others can be taken without it, it's often up to you to determine what works for your daily routine and lifestyle.

It's always important to read supplement label directions and to reach out to a healthcare provider for other questions about dosing, timing and more. This can help you make informed decisions and choose the right vitamins to meet your individual health needs and goals.

Clinically reviewed on Sept. 8, 2023.

Sources:

• "Vitamin B12 — Fact Sheet for Health Professionals." NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, December 22, 2022. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-HealthProfessional/.

• "Omega-3 Fatty Acids — Fact Sheet for Consumers." NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, July 18, 2022. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-Consumer/.

• "Magnesium — Fact Sheet for Health Professionals." NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, June 2, 2022. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/.

• "Zinc — Fact Sheet for Health Professionals." NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Accessed October 11, 2023. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional.