By Corina Tan
Dietary supplements have become a part of people’s daily lives for decades. Their promise to restore and improve overall health and well-being can be found everywhere. Whether trying to combat a vitamin deficiency or lower risks of certain diseases, it feels necessary to take proactive steps to care of your health. Supplements come in many forms – pills, liquid or powders, although not all of them are as effective as they claim to be. One very important thing to consider when choosing and consuming supplements is that they do tend to work better if we understand what exactly they are and how they work with our bodies. There are substantial ways to ensure they work better and here are some of them.
Take them with food
Taking supplements on a full stomach aids the digestive process in absorbing vitamins and minerals. Taking them with food also reduces the chances of experiencing nausea which can be a common side effect. There are exceptions like iron which needs to be taken on an empty stomach, so ensure you find out exactly when to take a supplement from a pharmacist or doctor.
Take note of other medication
Medication interactions are an important point to consider when taking supplements. Some can make one or the other less effective, and even more alarming is when supplements amplify medication effects. Fish oil, vitamin E and gingko are natural blood thinners, so when you take any of them together with an anticoagulant, this makes your blood too thin and may cause internal haemorrhage. If you are on medication, always check with your doctor before starting a supplement.
Pair them
Some vitamins and minerals work really well together, and this can improve absorption and reduce side effects. For example, taking iron with Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron better and reduce typical side effects normally seen with iron.
Keep some apart
Some supplements are best taken separately as they compete with one another, and this reduces the effectiveness and absorbency. Calcium inhibits iron absorption so these should definitely be separated – iron in the mornings and calcium in the evenings.
Schedule them
Some supplements need to be scheduled for different times of the day due to how they work and what they are for. B vitamins are known to give people an energy boost, so they are best taken at the start of the day. Some supplements like Magnesium tend to have a calming effect so they are best taken in the evenings.
Go natural
Some vitamins like Vitamin E are more effective in its natural form and can be found on labels as ‘d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate’. Whenever considering vitamins, always go for the ones that occur in a natural form instead of a synthetic form. Natural forms of vitamins are more easily absorbed by the body.
Watch the caffeine
Coffee can interfere with absorption of vitamins and minerals and may also leach calcium from your bones. Minimise caffeine risks by limiting your caffeine consumption to no more than three cups a day and waiting at least 15 minutes after your coffee to take your supplements.
Optimal storage
Cultures in probiotics need to be stored cold to stay active. Likewise, omega-3 fish oil tablets should be kept in a cool, dark place. It is always advisable to ask about storage guidelines when purchasing supplements, so they continue to remain effective.
