Have you ever wondered if your supplements would be more effective if you took them at a certain time, or took them alongside something else?

In this blog, I’m going to cover the best times to take your supplements, and what benefits you can get out of doing so.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Vitamins A, D, E, K1, and K2 are all fat-soluble vitamins, which means they have to  be taken with fat. 

If you’re looking for healthy sources of fat, I recommend my Dr. Livingood Coffee.

It has coconut oil, collagen protein, and a little bit of butter, which will give you healthy fats and allow you to absorb both the fat and the vitamins more easily.

I would advise taking these in the morning, especially vitamin D. Vitamin D2 is synthetic, but vitamin D3 is the kind you get from the sun.

Sunlight is the best option for vitamin D absorption, but if you don’t get much of it, you can supplement it.

Putting in vitamin D3 with fat in the A.M. is going to protect your melatonin, which is important for putting you to sleep at nighttime.

I also recommend taking vitamins A, D, E, and K2 together, because there’s research showing that they help each other get absorbed. 

Taking them together also balances calcium in your body so that it doesn’t end up in your arteries or tissue.

It’s also good to take fat-soluble vitamins with minerals like zinc or magnesium, which will also enhance their absorption.

Water-Soluble Vitamins

Many common vitamins, including B vitamins, folate, and vitamin C, are water-soluble. That means you should be drinking a lot of water with them to make sure they get absorbed.

Make sure you don’t take too much of these vitamins, though!

Too high a dose of vitamin C can cause diarrhea. With B vitamins, you may get some nervous system kickback or yellow urine, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re taking too much.

These vitamins can be taken at any time as long as you take them with water—your body will use what it needs and get rid of what it doesn’t.

Greens

Greens contain plenty of essential nutrients. I recommend getting green leafy vegetables and foods in, but sometimes that can be difficult.

A greens powder is an easy way to get these extra vegetables in if you’re not eating them. 

The best time to eat greens or take greens powder is in the morning so that you can use the nutrients for energy throughout the day. 

You should also be taking in greens alongside fat, because there are several phytochemicals in greens that are fat-soluble.

Another good way to get greens is in a smoothie with coconut milk or oil, or almond milk.

A delicious recipe you can try is using my chocolate greens and including it in the Dr. Livingood coffee recipe.

Electrolytes

You can take electrolytes at any time, but the best time to take them is between lunch and dinner when you have an empty stomach. 

This will allow your body to absorb minerals more easily.

If you’re taking a magnesium- or calcium-specific supplement, you can alternate them with electrolytes throughout the day, but they also can be taken together.

They do compete a bit for absorption, but you’ll still get ample amounts of electrolytes and minerals.

Taking magnesium in the afternoon or at bedtime can help with relaxation if you’re having trouble sleeping.

You can also try taking apple cider vinegar before you take these supplements in order to optimize your stomach acid for better absorption.

Cholesterol-Lowering Supplements

You should take cholesterol supplements at bedtime, because cholesterol is primarily produced by your liver during the night. 

Taking cholesterol-lowering supplements before bed will help your liver push less absorbed LDL cholesterol into your bloodstream. 

GI Support

These supplements could be enzymes, acid, ox bile, or liver supporters. They can be taken at any time, but if you’re focused on enzymes and breaking down your food, take them before a meal.

If you’re taking a powdered form of apple cider vinegar, take it before a meal, because the acid is going to help you break down food more easily.

If you’re taking a GI supplement like ox bile because you don’t have a gallbladder or you have liver problems, take that GI support after meals to get the most benefit.

Detox Supplements

I use several of these, including activated charcoal and chelators. They’re best taken 2 hours before or after meals, medications, and other supplements. 

I do usually take my activated charcoal in the evening by itself, but sometimes I take my detox supplements at the same time as other supplements for convenience, and that’s completely fine.

Summary 

In general, you shouldn’t overthink your supplements—as long as you’re taking them, you’re getting benefits from them! 

These are just some ways that you can tweak when you take them, and what you take them with, to get a little more benefit out of them.

Remember, real health doesn’t come from a pill or a supplement—it comes from inside you!