Training & Nutrition - When to take vitamin pills?

Ok, I take vitamin pills daily but I would like to know when is best? In the morning when you wake and have breakfast? Or in the afternoon around the 16:00 power up time? Or is it better to take before you sleep as I know your body heals best when it's sleeping so I would think it would be best then.

Anyways, some input would help. Thanks in advance.

Most are best taken with a meal. Vitamins A,D,E & K are fat-soluble and are absorbed best when there is some sort of fat content in your stomach (whether it be from ingesting a meal that contains a small amount of animal fat or vegetable fat).

Vitamins C and Vitamin B are water soluble. Vitamin B needs an acidic environment for absorption (but does not require to be taken with fat). If you are taking antacids or some other sort of buffer that reduces the acid content in your stomach, you won't fully absorb the B vitamins.

Calcium is thought to be best taken at night before sleep for best absorption of this bone building supplement.

I say, google "vitamins" on the internet and you should be able to learn alot about them. As always, be careful where or who you are getting your information from, but vitamin absorption should yield similar answers across the board.

It is different if you are taking just a one-a-day versus several different pills.

Calcium at night? Do you have a source? I am not saying it is wrong but since absorption is enhanced with Vitamin D, I figured it would be best with a D-containing meal (or if the calcium supp is + D then I suppose it doesn't matter).

I thought Calcium is best absorbed when thereis magnisium (sp?) around. Perhaps I should have given a bit more info on what I'm taking in the first post so others can help me out better.

I am taking one a day vitamin pills right now. I use Centrum (sp?) Forte and also Centrum (sp?) Preformance.

I alternate red/orange/red/orange every day. The preformance has ginsing in it. The other had lutien. The vitamin amounts look about the same other then the two special ingredients.


EDIT: I just checked the bottle and it says FORTE and /not/ Protega.

Calcium at night? Do you have a source? I am not saying it is wrong but since absorption is enhanced with Vitamin D, I figured it would be best with a D-containing meal (or if the calcium supp is + D then I suppose it doesn't matter).

For every study that says to take certain vitamins/minerals during the day - you will find one that says to take at night. Full stomach/empty stomach, and so on.

I have heard that Vit D is necessary to absorb calcium but does not need to be taken at the same time. I think that one of the benefits of taking calcium at night is for better sleep. However, I guess it really matters what kind of calcium supplement one is taking.

I think the key is not to take a load of vitamins at once, but spread them out through the day if you can. I just eat well and try to meet the recommended amounts through food.

Here is an article that talks about taking vitamins:
http://www.truestarhealth.com/tour/vitaminwhenhow.asp?code=house

I was told to take calcium in the evening too. Never really asked why though.

I hve some Sunrise brand tofu dessert packets here. I'll give the calcium thing a try at night before sleep and see how I feel.

I'll try taking the vitamin pill in the morning then with my cereal as I'll have a small meal then and the cereal I think has a little fat in it.