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Can You Take Vitamin D on an Empty Stomach?

can you take vitamin d on an empty stomach

As you delve into a new supplementation route, you may be wondering, “Can you take vitamin D on an empty stomach?” or “Do you have to take a vitamin D supplement with a meal?”.

While you can take vitamin D supplements on an empty stomach, we at Vitamart recommend taking them with meals for optimal absorption and to avoid any unpleasant stomach issues.

As per our expertise, this is particularly significant since conventional vitamin D fat soluble supplements often need dietary fats to be properly absorbed by your body.

In this blog post, we'll explore whether you should take vitamin D on an empty stomach. We'll delve further into this by understanding why vitamin D is better absorbed with meals, discover the best timing for supplementation, and learn about morning versus evening intake for maximum benefits.

What this article covers:

Should You Take Your Vitamin D on an Empty Stomach?

Taking vitamin D on an empty stomach might lead to indigestion, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea. Additionally, you might not get the full benefits of your supplementation.

When considering the role of a vitamin D hormone, the best vitamin D supplements are designed to work in harmony with your body's natural processes. This includes vitamin D synthesis through direct sunlight exposure and digestion of fats with regular meals.

can you take vitamin d on empty stomach

Why Vitamin D Is Better Absorbed With Meals

Through our practical knowledge, we've found that taking vitamin D supplements with food is the most effective approach overall.

When you take vitamin D with a larger meal, especially one containing healthy fats like avocados, nuts, or fatty fish, you create the ideal conditions for absorption.

This is because vitamin D is fat-soluble, meaning it's made with fatty bases like coconut oil, for instance, and needs to bind with dietary fats to be properly absorbed by your body.

When you consume vitamin D with food, your body naturally produces bile acids and enzymes that help break down fats, creating the perfect environment for vitamin D absorption.

According to a study done by the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, taking vitamin D with meals containing dietary fats can significantly increase its absorption, subsequently enhancing blood levels by up to 50%​.

This is particularly important if you're living in Canada, where limited sun exposure makes vitamin D supplementation crucial for maintaining optimal well being.

That's why we urge you to consider the difference between vitamin D softgels vs tablets along with other supplementation options.

On one hand, vitamin D softgels often contain oil-based properties such as olive oil, MCT oil, or organic coconut oil that can better enhance absorption, especially when taken with food.

On the other hand, tablets are typically more affordable and boast a longer shelf life and higher bioavailability in comparison to softgels.

vitamin d softgels

When Is the Best Time to Take Vitamin D Supplements?

After conducting experiments with it, we've discovered that taking your vitamin D supplement with your largest meal of the day, such as lunch or dinner, can help maximise absorption.

Overall, we at Vitamart suggest establishing a consistent routine that works best with your schedule.

Whether you're rushing to work in the morning or winding down in the evening, the key is to pair your supplement with a meal that contains some nutritious fats.

Morning Vs. Night Supplementation

While both morning and evening supplementation are both viable choices, we believe that you can garner success by taking vitamin D in the morning with breakfast.

This typically works well if you eat foods or fortified products high in dietary fat like eggs, mushrooms, avocados, salmon, eggs, cereal or milk. Additionally, you can establish a consistent routine and ensure that you don't forget your daily dose.

However, if your breakfast tends to be light or fat-free, you might want to consider taking your supplement with a substantial meal such as lunch or dinner instead.

Keep in mind that vitamin D plays an integral role in your body's natural circadian rhythm through the regulation of melatonin. As such, this might negatively affect your sleeping pattern and result in insomnia, making evening supplementation less than ideal.

Overall, the most important factor is choosing a time that you can stick to consistently.

can i take vitamin d on an empty stomach

Conclusion

In this blog post, we revealed that taking vitamin D on an empty stomach can cause digestive and absorption issues. That's why taking it with foods and products containing healthy fats is best for optimal absorption.

We've covered the importance of timing, meal pairing, and supplement types to help you make the most of your vitamin D supplementation.

Now that you have the necessary knowledge, are you ready to optimise your vitamin D intake? Visit us now and explore our high-quality, affordable vitamin D Canada supplements that best fit your needs.

At Vitamart, we're here to help you maintain your health and wellness throughout every Canadian season!

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