Choosing the right supplements for yourself or your family can be tricky. There is often a huge range of similar products to choose from as well as conflicting advice from different sources. Having chosen a suitable product, the question of how often to take it and when to take it arises. Getting this part right can make a big difference to how well your supplements work for you. In fact getting this part wrong can cause new problems to arise.

When do you take your supplements?

Questions to consider when deciding when to take a given supplement include:

• Should I take it before or after food?

• What concentration of the active components is present in the product ? This will help to decide how many times per day to take it

• Is it water soluble or fat soluble? This will also help to decide how many times per day to take it.

• Is there a possibility of interactions with prescribed medications or other supplements

• If I take it in the evening could it interfere with my sleep?

• What dosage of a given active component do I need to achieve a therapeutic effect?

Pharmacokinetics what's that?

Pharmacokinetics is the study of a medicinal substance’s journey through your body from its absorption into the blood stream to the point at which it is all used up by our body. Unfortunately there isn’t a lot of information available on the pharmacokinetics of vitamins and herbs. However the following general rules of thumb can be applied when deciding how many times per day and when to take your supplements:

• B vitamins, multi vitamins and coenzyme Q10 are best taken in the morning as they encourage energy production and are usually only needed to be taken once per day.
• Fat soluble supplements such as vitamins A,E,D,K, fish oil, krill oil and coenzyme Q10 are best taken with a meal that contains some fat for optimal absorption
• Herbs are best taken away from food for optimal absorption and more than one dose per day is usually needed
• Supplements should be taken away from medical drugs and the possibility of interactions should always be considered
• Vitamin C is usually needed more than once per day as the body uses it relatively rapidly. Also we can only absorb around 1200mg at one time and we may need 3 or 4 grams per day depending on why it is being taken.

These are just some examples of factors that should be considered after you have chosen your supplements. Discussing your individual needs with a naturopath, nutritionist or herbalist will help you to fine tune your supplement regime to make it work more effectively for you. Want to know more? Talk to Naturopath Peter Radi…

Peter Radi – Naturopath and Nutritionist

Peter Radi is a naturopath, nutritionist and herbalist and has been in clinical practice since 2000. He is available for private consultations at the Mr Vitamins Clinic where he can provide you with more information to help you with your Supplements as well as personalised health improvement programs. Learn more about Peter here