According to the most recent 2023 YouGov figures, 47% of the British population consume multivitamins or dietary supplements.
There are certain factors that can help with the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals but not everyone is taking their vitamins in a way that is going to give them the optimal benefit.
The UK’s leading vitamin brand Vitabiotics has revealed the best practices for taking vitamins and some may surprise you:
- Take your vitamins with your main meal: This can help with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin D, and helps to reduce any potential digestive discomfort. Generally, our biggest meal of the day is dinner.
- Swallow tablets or capsules with plenty of cold liquid: It is not recommended to take tablets or capsules with hot drinks, as not only could you burn your mouth if you take too large a sip, but this may also cause the tablet or capsule to disintegrate too early.
- Avoid certain nutrients: It’s best to avoid taking certain nutrients, such as iron, alongside tea or coffee. The tannins these drinks contain may inhibit the absorption of minerals, such as iron.
1. Should we all really be taking a multivitamin or are there circumstances where diet alone is enough to provide all vitamin/mineral needs?
A healthy and balanced diet, incorporating a diverse selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, wholegrain foods, and healthy sources of protein, ensures a good balance of essential nutrients. However, there may be occasions when achieving this ideal diet may be challenging for some of us. A good, well-formulated multivitamin can be taken on a daily basis to help safeguard the diet and plug any nutritional gaps of key vitamins and minerals, to support our health.
2. What are the vitamins we should all really be getting more of?
Vitamin requirements will vary depending on the individual, including their age, diet and lifestyle. Vitamin D is particularly important, as it helps to support normal immune function, calcium absorption and the maintenance of normal bones and teeth. The UK Department of Health recommends that everyone (over the age of 4 years) should consider taking a supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D especially during the autumn and winter.
Also if you have dark skin – for example, if you have an African, African-Caribbean or South Asian background – you may also not make enough vitamin D from sunlight. So it is recommended you also consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the year.
Specifically for babies and children, the Department of Health recommends that babies from birth to 1 year of age should have a daily supplement containing 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D year-round if they are breastfed or formula-fed (but are having less than 500ml (about a pint) of infant formula a day, as infant formula is already fortified with vitamin D). And that children aged 1 to 4 years old should be given a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the course of the year.
Vitamin C is another important nutrient that plays many beneficial roles, including the normal function of the immune system, the normal formation of collagen for normal skin function and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that cannot be stored or made in the body, so a regular intake is required. A supplement can help safeguard your diet, if it is not rich in vitamin C.
The B vitamins, which are actually a group of eight different vitamins, provide a number of benefits to our health. Vitamin B3 (niacin) contributes to normal energy metabolism, vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) contributes to normal mental performance, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity and vitamin B7 (biotin) contributes to the maintenance of normal hair.
3. What happens to your body when you start taking multivitamins?
Vitamins are absorbed into your system within a couple of hours but the time it takes to feel the benefits of these can vary depending on several factors, including your current nutritional status and the nutrient you are taking. Vitamins B and C are water-soluble, and are not stored in the body – we excrete these when we urinate. These vitamins are generally absorbed more quickly. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble, meaning they require fat for absorption and can be stored in the body’s fat tissues. It may take longer to feel the effects of fat-soluble vitamins because they need time to accumulate in the body. We recommend taking your supplement daily, for at least 6 weeks, to notice any changes.
