Best Time of Day to Take Vitamins: Breaking Down the Science

Key Points:

• The time of the day vitamins are taken affects how well they’re absorbed.
• The time of the day vitamins should be taken depends on whether they’re fat-soluble or water-soluble.
• Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed best if taken with fatty foods, while water-soluble vitamins are best absorbed when taken with water.

Vitamins are an essential part of a healthy diet. From boosting immunity to promoting bone growth, kids need vitamins for healthy development. 

Vitamin supplements are widely available to ensure that they get enough of these crucial micronutrients. If you’re wondering what is the best time of day to take vitamins, this blog post is for you.

Read on to learn about the different kinds of vitamins, the best time to take them, and why it matters.

Best Time of Day to Take Vitamins: An Overview

There’s a lot of debate on whether it’s better to take vitamins in the morning, during the day, or at night. For the most part, most people do it arbitrarily. Why does it matter to take vitamins at a particular time?

The time of the day vitamins are taken affects how well they’re absorbed and their potential for side effects. There are a few factors that go into deciding when vitamins should be taken. 

The type of vitamin is one of these factors. Whether it’s fat-soluble or water-soluble, the type of vitamin determines its chemical properties. Another important thing to consider is how the vitamin interacts with food or other chemicals.

Let’s explore more about the best time of day to take vitamins.

What’s the Best Time of the Day to Take Specific Vitamins?

The best time of day to take a vitamin depends mostly on whether it's fat-soluble or water-soluble. The biological function of the vitamin also plays a tiny role.

Here, we’ll break down the science behind these vitamins in relation to when they should be taken.

Water-Soluble Vitamins

As the name suggests, water-soluble vitamins are those that can dissolve in water. There are a total of nine water-soluble vitamins.

Water-soluble vitamins include thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), folate (B9), cobalamin (B12), and ascorbic acid (vitamin C).

Water-soluble vitamins aren’t stored in the body. Your kids need to consume them regularly to prevent a deficiency. 

B Complex Vitamins

One of the most important health benefits of B complex vitamins is their role in energy production. B complex vitamins help in the breakdown of carbs to produce energy.

Since B complex vitamins speed up the body’s metabolism, the best time of day to take them is in the morning when the body needs to boost its energy production. 

Remember, late in the evening, the body needs to slow down its metabolism to prepare for rest. Taking B complex vitamins at this time can interfere with sleep. According to some scientific evidence, B complex vitamins such as vitamin B6 lead to poor sleep quality. 

Because they’re water-soluble, B complex vitamins can be taken with or without food. Taking them with a glass of water will quicken their absorption.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant with several health benefits. It’s one of those vitamins you must ensure your kids get enough of.

There are different forms of vitamin C. Ascorbic acid, liposomal vitamin C, and calcium ascorbate are the most popular forms.

Most recommendations favor taking vitamin C at any time of the day, with or without food. However, if you notice any stomach irritation, only give your kids vitamin C supplements with food.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Fat-soluble vitamins are those that dissolve in fat. There are four fat-soluble vitamins: vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K. 

The body usually stores fat-soluble vitamins. This is a good thing as it may take time before the body runs out of these micronutrients. On the flip side, fat-soluble vitamins can accumulate to toxic levels in cases of overdose.

Most cases of overdose are due to the overuse of supplements. Ensure you stick to the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for your child’s age group.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is available as retinol, retinal, and retinyl esters. It’s important for several health benefits, including good vision, boosting the immune system, promoting healthy skin, and hair development.

The best time to take vitamin A is after a meal, especially one containing fatty foods. Vitamin A dissolves in the fat and this facilitates its absorption from the gut.

Vitamin A supplements are commonly derived from fish oil. Always look out for any allergies to fish oil. 

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is required for the absorption of calcium, a mineral that promotes bone development. If your kids lack vitamin D, they could suffer from a disease called rickets, which comes about as a result of poor bone health.

Both children and adults can suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is better absorbed when taken with the mineral magnesium, which is available in several whole-food sources.

Studies show that vitamin D is better absorbed when taken with fat-containing foods. Vitamin D can be taken at any time of the day.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that promotes immune function and heart health. Even though its deficiency is rare, vitamin E is found in a lot of supplements.

Kids with health conditions that affect the absorption of vitamin E (such as cystic fibrosis) can benefit from supplements. 

Vitamin E supplements can be taken any time of the day. It's better to take vitamin E with meals rich in fatty food. However, studies show that as long as fatty foods are ingested any time during the day, vitamin E absorption is facilitated.

Too much vitamin E can cause side effects like fatigue, weakness, blurred vision, intestinal cramps, and diarrhea. Excess vitamin E also interferes with blood clotting and may lead to severe bleeding. Always ensure that you stick to the recommended doses of vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is another fat-soluble vitamin with several health benefits, ranging from blood clotting to bone development. Vitamin K is abundant in leafy greens such as kale, spinach, collard greens, and broccoli.

Vitamin K deficiency causes excessive bleeding. It’s common after birth since kids are born with low levels of vitamin K. Breastfeeding children are also at risk of vitamin K deficiency. 

You can take vitamin K supplements anytime during the day, preferably with fatty foods. 

Watch out for the interaction between vitamin K and other supplements or medications. For example, vitamin E supplements may interfere with the action of vitamin K. Vitamin K, on the other hand, interferes with blood-clotting medications. It’s important to consult your healthcare provider before giving your kids vitamin K supplements.

Multivitamin Supplements

Multivitamin supplements are those that contain a combination of different vitamins. Multivitamin supplements are preferred by many people since they pack a lot of nutrients per serving. They’re also more affordable compared to buying the different supplements.

Since most multivitamin supplements contain the B complex vitamins, it’s best to take them in the morning. Taking them later in the day can interfere with your child’s sleep quality.

Whether to take them with food or on an empty stomach is subject to debate since they contain both fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins. However, it's generally recommended to take them with meals. Taking them with meals also reduces stomach upset.

How to Choose the Best Vitamin Supplements

The best way to obtain vitamins is through a balanced diet. When it comes to kids, this is rarely the case. Getting your kids to stick to a healthy diet rich in whole foods and fewer snacks is a big challenge.

That’s why numerous vitamin supplements are available on the market. Vitamin supplements can help you ensure that your kids get enough of these essential micronutrients with minimum hassle.

But there’s a catch. The market is flooded with all sorts of products from different manufacturers. Since the FDA regulates dietary supplements differently from food and drugs, you never know if the quality of supplements you’re getting meets the right standards. Always do your research well before settling on a product.

What should you look out for in a good supplement? The best supplements are made from organic ingredients with no added sugars or other artificial components. With that in mind, where can you get the best, natural, health-promoting supplements for your kids?

You don’t have to look any further. Llama Naturals Plant-Based Multivitamin Gummies are your best bet. Llama Naturals Multivitamin Gummies contain 13 essential plant-based vitamins, carefully formulated for optimal absorption.

Learn the Best Time of Day to Take Different Vitamins

When it comes to keeping your child healthy, vitamin supplements are an important tool. Vitamin supplements can help your kids get enough of these nutrients and prevent any deficiencies.

Depending on the type of vitamin, each supplement is well-absorbed when taken at the right time. When it comes to the best time of day to take vitamins, choosing to do so in relation to meals and sleep time is highly recommended. Make sure you understand the science and learn what works best.

If you’re looking for the best vitamin supplements for yourself or a child, choose Llama Naturals Plant-Based Multivitamin Gummies. Llama Naturals’ whole-fruit gummy vitamins are made from real fruits and vegetables with no added sugar, flavors, or artificial sweeteners. The gummies provide essential nutrients without compromising on quality. Despite having no added sugar, the gummies also taste delicious. Choose Llama Naturals Multivitamin Gummies for the best vitamin supplements.

Llama Naturals is a plant-based nutrition brand that has created the World's First Whole Fruit Gummy Vitamins that are made with no added sugar and whole-food vitamins. They are USDA Organic, Vegan, Gluten-Free, free of common allergens, and are slow-cooked on low heat to retain rich phytonutrients & fruit flavor. It’s a win-win gummy vitamin that the whole family will love.