Most people do not need to take vitamin supplements. They can get all the vitamins and minerals they need by eating a variety of healthy & balanced diet. But sometimes supplements can be useful for filling in gaps in your diet, i.e. B12 or D. If we do not get enough sun exposure during the day, gradually we find deficiency of Vitamin D & hence, supplements, we have to take D supplements to fill the gap.
How do you know what vitamins I’m lacking?
When you find some trouble doing daily activities ( falling energy, low hunger, less sleep, more cravings, irritability, dull skin, hair falls, wounds are slow to heal, burning sensation in the feet or tongue, bone pain… etc) you go to check the doctor. The doctor traditionally checks through blood tests.
How long should we take supplements in case of a deficiency of vitamins?
Generally it takes between 6 weeks and 3 months to correct most nutritional deficiencies.
6 Supplements you should not take at night!
There are several reasons why you should not take certain supplements at night. The reasons are
- A supplement could contain sugar or caffeine, which could cause sleep problems.
- Some vitamins are fat-soluble (A, D, E and K) and for better absorption should be taken with meals, but it is not recommended to eat large meals in the evening.
The following six dietary supplements are good to take in the morning or at noon.
- Vitamin D
– It is fat soluble. Better absorbed when combined with fatty foods.
– Recommended to take it with full meals should be avoided in the evening - Calcium
– Calcium and vitamin D work together. Optimal vitamin D levels are necessary to increase the efficiency of calcium absorption. So it is also recommended to take Calcium in the morning or noon time
– Calcium and magnesium compete for absorption. They should not be consumed at the same time. Magnesium, which promotes relaxation and is often recommended to be taken at night, so better take Calcium in the morning - Zinc
– Zinc competes with iron and calcium for absorption, which is why the recommendation is taken in meals which do not contain dairy made. - Vitamin C
– Is water soluble
– Easy to digest
– Vitamin C is acidic, so it is not recommended to take it in the evening. - Vitamins B
– All B vitamins play a role in converting food into energy.
– Best taken in the morning because they can give you energy during the day.
– B vitamins are water soluble; they can be taken without food at any time of the day. - Energy Herbs/Multivitamins
– Herbal supplements & Multivitamins that give energy to the body. That’s why they should not be taken at night
– Asparagus, Guarana, Ginseng etc.
It is always advisable to have a balanced meal. Every diet we follow, vegetarian, non-vegetarian or eggetarian, we get all the nutrients from our food in less or more proportions. We should know the right time, right potion & right cooking method to get full nutrients from our food.
