Should you take vitamins on an empty stomach
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Should You Take Vitamins on an Empty Stomach?
Vitamin Absorption and Food Intake
Vitamin E Absorption
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning its absorption is significantly enhanced when taken with food, particularly meals containing fat. A study involving healthy Italian subjects demonstrated that taking vitamin E with dinner resulted in a substantial increase in plasma vitamin E levels (84%) compared to taking it on an empty stomach (29%)1. Additionally, the lipid peroxide–scavenging activity of plasma, which is an indicator of antioxidant activity, increased significantly when vitamin E was taken with food but did not change when taken on an empty stomach1. This suggests that for optimal absorption and efficacy, vitamin E should be consumed with meals.
Riboflavin and Thiamin Absorption
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) and thiamin (Vitamin B1) are water-soluble vitamins that also show improved absorption when taken with food. Research indicates that the gastrointestinal absorption of riboflavin is significantly higher when taken after breakfast compared to an empty stomach2. This is due to the specialized, saturable transport mechanisms in the intestines that are more effective when food is present. The same study suggests that thiamin, which shares a similar transport process with riboflavin, would likely exhibit improved absorption when taken with food as well2.
Practical Recommendations
Fat-Soluble Vitamins
For fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin E, it is highly recommended to take them with meals that contain some fat to maximize their absorption and effectiveness. This approach ensures that the vitamins are adequately absorbed into the bloodstream and can exert their beneficial effects more efficiently1.
Water-Soluble Vitamins
Water-soluble vitamins such as riboflavin and thiamin also benefit from being taken with food. The presence of food, particularly a standard breakfast, enhances the absorption of these vitamins, making them more available for the body to use2.
Conclusion
In summary, taking vitamins with food, especially meals containing fat for fat-soluble vitamins and a standard meal for water-soluble vitamins, significantly enhances their absorption and effectiveness. Therefore, it is generally advisable to avoid taking vitamins on an empty stomach to ensure you receive the maximum benefit from your supplementation.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
Bioavailability of Vitamin E as Function of Food Intake in Healthy Subjects: Effects on Plasma Peroxide–Scavenging Activity and Cholesterol-Oxidation Products
Vitamin E absorption is significantly increased when taken with food, and its bioavailability is significantly affected by food intake.
RCTEvidence in man for different specialized intestinal transport mechanisms for riboflavin and thiamin.
Absorption of riboflavin and thiamin in healthy adults is increased after breakfast, suggesting that both vitamins may share the same transport process.
Non-RCTVitamins, Are They Safe?
High-dose supplements of vitamins A, E, D, C, and folic acid may not always be effective for disease prevention and may even be harmful to the health.
Systematic ReviewNutrition intervention trials in Linxian, China: supplementation with specific vitamin/mineral combinations, cancer incidence, and disease-specific mortality in the general population.
Dietary supplementation with beta carotene, vitamin E, and selenium may reduce cancer risk and mortality rates in Linxian adults.
RCT
Highly CitedThe Combination of a Diversified Intake of Carbohydrates and Fats and Supplementation of Vitamin D in a Diet Does Not Affect the Levels of Hormones (Testosterone, Estradiol, and Cortisol) in Men Practicing Strength Training for the Duration of 12 Weeks
Diversified carbohydrates and fats intake and vitamin D supplementation do not affect hormone levels in men doing strength training, but may increase vitamin D metabolite levels.
Non-RCT
Rigorous JournalGastric emptying in the rat is inhibited by the duodenal ulcerogens, cysteamine and propionitrile.
Cysteamine and propionitrile inhibit gastric emptying in rats, potentially causing experimental ulcer formation by acting on a vagally dependent stomach property to accommodate increasing volumes of liquid.
Non-RCT
Animal StudyHighly CitedVitamin C, vitamin E, and multivitamin supplement use and stomach cancer mortality in the Cancer Prevention Study II cohort.
Regular use of vitamin C supplements may reduce stomach cancer mortality in North American populations with low stomach cancer rates, but regular use of vitamin E or multivitamins shows no significant reduction in mortality.
Observational StudyHighly CitedEffects of vitamin/mineral supplementation on the prevalence of histological dysplasia and early cancer of the esophagus and stomach: results from the General Population Trial in Linxian, China.
Vitamin/mineral supplementation with retinol and zinc may protect against gastric neoplasia in high-risk populations, but no significant protective effects were observed in this study.
RCT
Large Human TrialHighly CitedTHE EFFECT OF VITAMIN C ADMINISTRATION TIME ON ASCORBIC ACID TISSUE LEVELS
Administering vitamin C before meals can optimize its absorption and prevent tissue breakdown and urinary tract infection in spinal cord injured individuals.
Gastric emptying in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency
Vitamin B12 deficiency prolongs gastric emptying times, and this prolongation remains uncorrected after vitamin B12 replacement therapy.
Non-RCT