When I started adding supplements to my diet, I made sure to take them first thing in the morning, before breakfast, so I wouldn’t forget. But I started noticing some stomach upset within an hour of taking my morning regimen. I would have a wave of nausea and even cold sweats for a few minutes. Then the feeling would pass, and I would be fine for the rest of the day. 

I soon realized it was because I was taking vitamins on an empty stomach.

If you’re one of the millions of Americans taking vitamins and other supplements for your health, then you might have conducted some trial and error on how best to do it. What to take, when to take them, and how to take them to ensure optimal absorption and minimal side effects.

The first question you might have asked is, “Can you take vitamins on an empty stomach?”

Many of the nutrients in a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement can be difficult to digest. Under certain conditions, any nutritional supplement can cause slight stomach issues. For example, taking vitamins on an empty stomach can cause some individuals to experience nausea or other symptoms.

The most common advice for avoiding the symptoms of taking supplements on empty stomach is, unsurprisingly, to avoid taking vitamins on an empty stomach. But there are some supplements that can be taken without food.

This guide discusses what happens if you take vitamins on an empty stomach and which vitamins you should and should not take without food – and how to know the difference.

What types of vitamins are you taking?

You might remember from high school health class that there are different types of vitamins. Not just different letter names, but different solubility types. There are two types of vitamins: water-soluble and fat-soluble. 

Fat-soluble vitamins – vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K – dissolve in fat and are best absorbed alongside a small amount of fat in your diet. In one study, participants who took a vitamin D supplement with a fat-containing meal had 32-percent more vitamin D in their bloodstream than the participants who ate a fat-free meal with vitamin D.1

Because taking fat-soluble vitamins on empty stomach can impact your body’s ability to absorb the vitamin properly, it is recommended to take these with food – something as simple as a slice of buttered toast or a drizzle of olive oil on your salad – to help ensure proper absorption. 

Can you take vitamins without food?

Some vitamins are okay to take without food because they are water soluble. Although there are not many vitamins to take on an empty stomach, the water-soluble vitamins need water to be optimally absorbed and therefore food is not required for absorption. The water-soluble vitamins include vitamin C and the whole B complex: thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin/niacinamide (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), folate (B9), cobalamin (B12), and biotin. In the case of vitamin C and the B vitamins, empty stomach ingestion can still cause temporary nausea, especially the B vitamins, even when absorption is not an issue.

Many multi-vitamin/mineral supplements contain both water- and fat-soluble vitamins. Therefore, it is generally a good idea to take supplements with a meal that includes at least a little fat. Wash everything down with water to ensure proper hydration while your body gets to work digesting the nutrients.

Is it bad to take vitamins on an empty stomach?

In general, taking vitamins on an empty stomach is not bad for you. But be sure to take any supplement as recommended on the product label or as directed by your health-care practitioner.

You might experience an upset stomach if you take too many supplements at once. Many supplements require you to take several capsules for a full serving, but that does not mean you have to take them all at once. If you find one daily serving is too many capsules to take at one time, then you can split the serving and take it multiple times during the day. Take half the dosage at breakfast and half at lunch, an afternoon snack, or dinner.

Can you take mineral supplements on an empty stomach? 

We’ve spent a lot of time talking about vitamins, but what about minerals? A mineral’s absorption also depends on how “soluble” the mineral is. Solubility depends on how acidic the stomach’s absorption environment is. The more acidic the environment, the more soluble and the better absorbed the mineral will be.

So, do you need to take minerals with food? Not always.

Here’s what to look for:  The keyword with mineral supplements is “chelated.” Chelated minerals have been bound or encircled with an amino acid. The chelation process makes the mineral more readily absorbable. Chelated minerals translate to increased absorption and decreased side effects, like an upset stomach.

Iron is one mineral that many individuals, especially women, take in supplement form. Although iron can be absorbed on an empty stomach, many experience GI issues when taking an iron supplement without food. If you do experience GI symptoms from taking iron on an empty stomach, then take it with a meal.

The takeaway

So, should you take vitamins on an empty stomach? As you have read, it depends on the types of vitamins and minerals you take. Are they water soluble or fat soluble? Chelated or not chelated?

In general, taking supplements with food is a safe bet – either with or after a full meal or alongside a small snack. If you are unsure of the best approach, then talk to your health-care professional to determine how best to supplement your diet to ensure proper absorption and avoid uncomfortable symptoms of taking vitamins on an empty stomach.

Reference

  1. Dawson-Hughes B, Harris SS, Lichtenstein AH, et al. Dietary fat increases vitamin D-3 absorption. J Acad Nutr Diet 2015;115(2):225-230. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2014.09.014.