Morning isn’t always the best time.
THE GIST
People tend to pop all their vitamins in the morning, but you’ll get more nutrients from them if you take them at different times of day.
EXPERT INSIGHT
Focusing on the purpose of the vitamins you’re taking can help dictate when you should plan them into your schedule. For example, multi- and B vitamins give the body energy. You’re best off taking those in the morning so you can benefit from them while you’re awake, says Leigh Taylor Weissman, food and beverage manager for Equinox in New York City.
You should swallow A, D, and other fat-soluble vitamins during meals since fats optimize absorption, she says, while stress-relieving adaptogens do the most good when taken at night.
THE BOTTOM LINE
“Do your homework, but do what feels right for you,” says Weissman. If you don’t take supplements at the ideal times, you’ll still benefit from them—but in some cases you’ll get about five to 10 percent less nutrients than you would otherwise, researchers say.
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