In our section «Ask an expert a question», reader Maria asks:
«In the morning, before kindergarten, I try not to feed the child, so as not to spoil the appetite for breakfast in the garden. However, I give the child vitamin D and fish oil. Is it possible to give these and other vitamins on an empty stomach? And if not, how and when is it better to take it?»
— All vitamins and almost all dietary supplements are taken with a meal or after a meal. It’s no coincidence. They can be aggressive to the stomach and are worse absorbed on an empty stomach than with food.
Always check the instructions for taking the drug — they are written in each instruction. Fish oil when consumed on an empty stomach can provoke disorders of the digestive glands and stomach. In the situation described by the reader, vitamin D will not be able to fully assimilate without food, even though it is taken together with fish oil.
The combination of vitamin D and fish oil is good in itself. Vitamin D is fat—soluble, and a small amount of fat obtained with food is required for its assimilation. This just provides fish oil. Such a complex is best taken in the morning, at breakfast or lunch.
It is not recommended to take vitamin D before going to bed — it has an invigorating effect. Despite the fact that the vast majority of residents of large cities really have a vitamin D deficiency, before you start taking medications, it is worth taking tests for the level of vitamin in the body. Vitamin D accumulates in the tissues, and its overdose is toxic.
