How to Take Supplements
Sometimes it can be hard to get pills or capsules to go down! You might find the following tips helpful:
- Relax first. Take a deep breath, and relax the muscles in your head, neck, and throat.
- Take 1 pill at a time.
- Try putting water in your mouth first, then putting the pill in your mouth.
- Tilt your head down instead of up, and lean forward before swallowing. This will help the capsule float on the back of your throat.
The following chart will help explain the best ways to take supplements, including which foods to take them with (or to avoid).
| With Food | Without Food | Other precautions | |
| Vitamin supplements (multivitamins, B Complex, choline, A, D, E, K, Iodine) | ✓ (A, D, E, K best absorbed with fats) | ||
| Zinc, C, Folate and B12 | ✓* | *Take zinc only with food to prevent nausea | |
| Iron Best absorbed if taken with Vit C rich foods or Vit C supplements Take away from calcium or calcium rich foods & most medications | ✓ | Best NOT to take Magnesium, Calcium, Zinc, Copper and Iron together as they ‘compete’ for absorption – however, you will find them together in many multivitamin supplements and this may be unavoidable. Best not to drink green tea or red wine at the same time as Iron supplement (tannins will reduce iron absorption) | |
| Calcium | ✓ | ||
| Magnesium | ✓ | ✓ | (with or w/o food) |
| Amino Acids (NAC*, L-glutamine, tyrosine, taurine, L-lysine) | ✓ | *NAC on an empty stomach may cause heartburn for some individuals, take with food if needed | |
| Probiotics w/ lactobacillus and bifidobacterium | ✓ | ||
| Probiotic w/ Sacc. Boulardii | ✓ | ✓ | (with or w/o food) |
| Digestive Enzymes and/or Ox Bile | ✓ As you start to eat your meal | ||
| Betaine HCL | ✓ In the MIDDLE of meals (not before or after) | ||
| Bitters | ✓ 10-15 min PRIOR to meals |
Special thanks to Lisa Vasile at 4 Better Health, Inc for this handout.
