When Is the Best Time to Take Your Supplements?

The best time to take a supplement is the time you'll remember every day. That said, a few simple rules help.

Fat-soluble vitamins: with a meal

Vitamins A, D, E and K are absorbed along with fat, so take them with a meal that contains some fat – for example breakfast with eggs or yoghurt, or your main meal. The same goes for omega-3 oils.

Water-soluble vitamins: whenever suits

Vitamin C and the B vitamins dissolve in water. Many people take them in the morning with breakfast. Taking them with food can make them gentler on the stomach.

Iron

Iron is absorbed best with vitamin C (for example a glass of orange juice). Tea, coffee and calcium-rich foods can reduce absorption, so leave a gap of an hour or two.

Calcium and magnesium

These are often taken in the evening. If you take iron and calcium, take them at different times of day.

Multivitamins

Take with breakfast or lunch – and don't take two products containing the same vitamins without checking the total.

Live cultures

Follow the label: some are best taken with food, others before a meal.

Top tips

• Pair your supplement with a daily habit, like breakfast or brushing your teeth.
• Keep supplements somewhere visible but out of reach of children.
• Always follow the dose on the label.
• If you take medication, ask your pharmacist about timing and interactions.

Browse our vitamins and minerals.