NaturalMedications

How to take supplements

What are supplements? Supplements can be vitamins, minerals, herbs or other plants, amino acids (building blocks of protein), or any parts of these substances.

To ensure the supplements are absorbed into the body and not just flushed straight, follow these tips:

Take supplements at room temperature with cool water. Hot drinks can destroy nutrients; iced drinks slow absorption.

Don't drink tea or coffee within 15 minutes of taking a supplement as they can interfere with nutrient absorption.

Take the supplement with or without food according to the following guide:

With food Without food With or without food

It is generally considered best to take vitamins with a meal since the digestive juices you produce at mealtime enable you to absorb the maximum amount of the nutrient. So popping a vitamin first thing in the morning is not always best, wait until you have had something to eat.

Herbal remedies and probiotics, usually require an empty stomach for maximum effectiveness. This means 20-30 minutes before meals, or two hours after.

Types of supplements

Supplements are available in capsule, powder, tablet and liquid tincture form.

If you have difficulty swallowing tablets you can try crushing them.

If using capsules, try to obtain non-gelatin ones. Check the manufacturer's label.

Powders and liquids are particularly suitable for children, the elderly and anyone convalescing, as they're easily absorbed by the body.

Try to obtain supplements with the least amount of fillers, coatings and artificial colorings and those with natural, as opposed to synthetic, ingredients.

Supplements in tablet form tend to be less effective. Manufacturers make tablets because they are cheaper and more of the raw materials can be compressed into one pill than capsules. However, this compression produces heat which can destroy many of the active ingredients.

Supplements are extremely good to take they provide you with a quick way to repair and sustain your body in a healthy manner. But megadoses of certain vitamins and most minerals are harmful and can result in toxic reactions.