# Vitamins and when to take them **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 18, 2017, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-and-when-to-take-them/796661 "2017-09-18T20:08:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2017, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-and-when-to-take-them/796661/1 "2017-09-18T20:08:55Z")
I know, probably an idiotic question, but I’m good at those. :o Husband and I are having a disagreement. Regarding when I take my vitamins. He says I have to take them in the morning before I eat or they won’t do anything. I can’t take ANYTHING on my stomach for a few hours (at least) after waking up so I won’t do it. I usually take my vitamins right before bed. Since they are pretty good tasking gummies, they’re like a little bedtime snack. Is there some reason that that’s bad that anyone is aware of? Neither of the bottles says they have to take them in the morning. It just says take them (Multivitamin and Vitamin D). This is not making them ineffective, is it? ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2017, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-and-when-to-take-them/796661/2 "2017-09-18T21:01:34Z")
From a brief search it seems like relevant literature is saying vitamins absorbed into the body stays there for days. Even water soluble ones like vitamin C. No need to worry about time of day. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-and-when-to-take-them/796661/3 "2017-09-19T16:34:59Z")
The bigger issue is timing versus food intake. Some people’s tummy is real sensitive to vitamins just sitting there dissolving with no food to buffer the concentrated chemistry. Those folks will do better to eat vitamins near a meal. Whether a few minutes before or after is probably immaterial. I’ve also found that I’m sensitive to certain buffers commonly used in multivitamins. Any variant of the bright red One-A-Day brand or an equivalent generic will roil my guts without food and still be unpleasant if taken with food. Other than that I’ve got the digestive system of a vulture; nothing fazes it. Competing brands that aren’t bright red give me zero tummy discomfort with or without food. We had a thread on this a few years ago and I was far from alone in reporting sensitivity to the red multivitamins. If the OP has tolerance issues to any kind or brand of pills she might try a different brand with substantially the same active ingredients. None of this should affect the vitamins’ benefit to the body; just how well you tolerate eating them. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-and-when-to-take-them/796661/4 "2017-09-19T20:21:56Z")
I take mine at night before bed. I have done this for as long as I can remember. Seems to be working for me. I’ve seen a lot of vitamin bottles say to take with food, presumably to counter upset tummy. Ask your husband for a cite for his assertions. I bet he can’t provide one that says the only effective way to take vitamins is in the morning on an empty stomach. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-and-when-to-take-them/796661/5 "2017-09-19T21:01:36Z")
Never take 'em – you’re just wasting money. (Unless your doctor has actually prescribed them for you.) ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-and-when-to-take-them/796661/6 "2017-09-19T22:09:10Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Never take 'em – you’re just wasting money. > > (Unless your doctor has actually prescribed them for you.) This is what I was going to say. The answer to your question is “never”. If you Dr has told you to take them for some reason, s/he will also advise when to take. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-and-when-to-take-them/796661/7 "2017-09-19T22:11:57Z")
Depends on the vitamin/supplement. Certain amino acids taken for mood have to be taken on an empty stomach to cross the blood brain barrier. Certain vitamins are absorbed better with foods (mainly the fat soluble ones). For others it doesn’t matter. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-and-when-to-take-them/796661/8 "2017-09-20T04:00:51Z")
Once a week, if that. Only take vitamins if you suspect a nutritional deficiency in one or more of them. If you’ve been eating crap all week, take one or just eat a bowl or two of cereal each week. Even a lot of junk food uses enriched flour that has basic vitamins, so even then it may not be necessary. Otherwise you are wasting money and peeing the rest out. As long as you eat reasonably, you have enough. As said, even water soluble vitamins stay in your body for a little while and whatever isn’t absorbed is peed out. IANAD. But my blood-work always comes back fantastic, and I eat like shit a lot, no vitamins needed. Edit: I take them every now and again, but just one or two multivitamins, to round out any nutritional gaps that may be present. Not really necessary though, more of a peace of mind thing. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-and-when-to-take-them/796661/9 "2017-09-20T04:42:34Z")
> [@anomalous1](#): > > Edit: I take them every now and again, but just one or two multivitamins, to round out any nutritional gaps that may be present. Not really necessary though, more of a peace of mind thing. Here is my strategy: I _assume_ that I’m getting approximately all the right vitamins and minerals, in more-or-less adequate amounts, from my daily diet. So I have a bottle of multi-vitamin-mineral supplement tablets – the kind that have 100% of just about everything, NOT the way-overkill megadose stuff – and I take _one half_ of one those a day. Just to fill in any gaps or deficiencies. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-and-when-to-take-them/796661/10 "2017-09-20T05:04:53Z")
The Dope take on vitamins has always seemed weird to me. Most vitamins don’t matter if you take a little too much, and most don’t have tests to see if you have enough. And our food is less nutritious per calorie and often lacking in vitamins. So I don’t see why it hurts to take vitamins. Just don’t waste your money buying expensive ones that don’t do any better than the cheap ones. But, yes, time of day does not matter. There isn’t any vitamin that you don’t build up at least some levels of. Since we got our vitamins from food for most of our existence, of course there couldn’t be specific times. We are opportunistic omnivores–we can eat at any time. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-and-when-to-take-them/796661/11 "2017-09-20T12:26:09Z")
The subject of how overused and not completely risk-free vitamins and other nutritional supplements are in this country, and how infrequently the American diet is actually lacking in vitamins (we are in general a culture of nutritional excess not of deficiency) has been beaten to death here. Make it a GD subject since it is neverending. And it’s not really the question the op is asking. **Wesley Clark** ’s response is most on point. If for whatever reason you actually are someone who would benefit from a vitamin supplement then in general taking with a meal helps increase the absorption of the fat soluble ones and also otherwise avoid any upset stomach. From a more general perspective such also least poorly replicates how the body is evolved to get its nutrition: as part of complete real foods and meals. The amino acid supplement one is a bit more complicated as such is not being done to remedy any deficiency but by those who believe that well above normal intake of specific amino acids may have some benefit for them. _Theoretically_ at least there may be some competition for particular specific amino acid transporters and in those cases taking them on an empty stomach _may_ aid in absorption … of course in some cases other amino acids around theoretically might aid absorption … and some amino acid supplements can trigger GERD and other GI upset so taking with a meal can avoid that. In any case while the idea that for the typical American with the typical American diet gummy vitamins are effective for anything other than the manufacturer’s profit statements is weak indeed, the idea that they must be taken in the morning on a persistently empty stomach is _particularly_ off and without merit. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-and-when-to-take-them/796661/12 "2017-09-20T13:30:10Z")
Thanks everybody! My Doc has prescribed them, and while it very well could be a “placebo effect” kinda thing, I do feel better (in general) when I take them. So I suppose I’ll just keep on doing what I do and tell husband to put up or shut up. 🙂 Again, thanks!! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-and-when-to-take-them/796661/13 "2017-09-20T14:41:26Z")
If you doctor prescribed them then maybe you should ask the doctor that question? ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-and-when-to-take-them/796661/14 "2017-09-20T17:55:59Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > The subject of how overused and not completely risk-free vitamins and other nutritional supplements are in this country, and how infrequently the American diet is actually lacking in vitamins (we are in general a culture of nutritional excess not of deficiency) has been beaten to death here. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24724766](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24724766) > [@](#): > > OBJECTIVE: > Multivitamin/mineral (MVMM) supplements are the most common dietary supplements consumed in the United States; however, intake data specific to how MVMM use contributes to micronutrient intakes among Americans are absent from the current scientific literature. > METHODS: > This analysis aimed to assess contributions of micronutrients to usual intakes derived from MVMM supplements and to compare those intakes to the dietary reference intakes for US residents aged ≥ 4 years according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2010 (n = 16,444). We used the National Cancer Institute method to assess usual intakes of 21 micronutrients. > RESULTS: > Our results showed that 51% of Americans consumed MVMM supplements containing ≥ 9 micronutrients. **Large portions of the population had total usual intakes (food and MVMM supplement use) below the estimated average requirement for vitamins A (35%), C (31%), D (74%), and E (67%) as well as calcium (39%) and magnesium (46%). Only 0%, 8%, and 33% of the population had total usual intakes of potassium, choline, and vitamin K above the adequate intake when food and MVMM use was considered.** The percentage of the population with total intakes greater than the tolerable upper intake level (UL) was very low for all nutrients; excess intakes of zinc were the highest (3.5%) across the population of all of the nutrients assessed in NHANES. > CONCLUSIONS: > **In large proportions of the population, micronutrient sufficiency is currently not being achieved through food solutions for several essential vitamins and minerals. Use of age- and gender-specific MVMM supplements may serve as a practical means to increase the micronutrient status in subpopulations of Americans while not increasing intakes above the UL.** ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vitamins-and-when-to-take-them/796661/15 "2017-09-20T18:09:35Z")
Certain drugs should not be taken with calcium or iron, because the minerals can bind to the drugs and render them ineffective. This kind of thing is most common with tetracycline. Iron is absorbed better when taken with vitamin C; otherwise, the time of day or food doesn’t really matter. Taking supplements with food does reduce the chance of stomach upset.