Thread by @TheRootCauseCo

Supplement ABSORPTION

Why When And How You Take Your Supplements Matters

// A Thread //

In an ideal world, all of the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients you require for health would be obtained from dietary sources.

Unfortunately, the typical diet falls short of addressing our needs, so supplementation is often necessary in order to obtain sufficient amounts.

Bioavailability is the degree/rate at which a compound is absorbed into your system or is made available at the site of activity.

Vitamins/minerals have very different absorption rates regardless of whether they come from a tablet, liquid, powder, or food.

There are factors that can and will influence a supplement’s effectiveness; poor gut health, inflammatory foods, and even your coffee (more on this in a future thread).

Where you get your supplements from matters too.

For example:
Studies looking at the melatonin content of supplements vary widely from what is listed on the label.

Melatonin content did not meet within a 10% margin of the label claim, from 83-478% more.
physiciansweekly.com/study-finds-th…

Stress has also been shown to suppress the immune system and the body’s absorption of nutrients.

When stressed, your fight or flight response is turned on, your adrenals are turned up and your digestion is halted; which dramatically compromises how your supplements get absorbed

Timing:
Spacing out your supplements: not in one large dose, because the body can only absorb a limited amount of a supplement at one time and the rest is excreted.

In addition, the higher the dosage of a supplement taken at one time often the lower the absorption rate.

Vitamins and minerals not only interact with one another but can also affect the absorption and effectiveness of certain medications.

Your Cheat Sheet:

Take Together:
•Calcium & Vitamin D & K
•Iron and vitamin C (absorption).
•Magnesium and Theanine
•Vitamin D and Magnesium
•Zinc and B6
•Sulforaphane and Selenium
•Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and fat (absorption).

Your Cheat Sheet:

Space Apart:
•Vitamin C & B12 (absorption)
•Vitamin E and Vitamin K
•Calcium, Iron, Zinc, Magnesium, Copper - Large doses may inhibit absorption
• Zinc and Copper
• Iron and Green Tea

Note that these are some oversimplifications. The synergistic and antagonistic complexities of these vitamins and minerals are far more complex and are different for each and every individual.

Always consult your holistic practitioner or dietitian/nutritionist before starting a new supplement to ensure it won’t interact with any medications you may be taking.

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