The Science of Supplement Timing: When to Take Vitamins and Sports Supplements

In romance and comedy, timing is everything. With fitness and nutrition, there’s typically a bit more wiggle room — any time is usually a great time to do more cardio, fit in a resistance workout, or swap processed foods for whole ingredients.

When it comes to supplements and vitamins, however, paying attention to supplement timing can help you get the optimal results. Here’s what the science says about the best timing for supplements.

When to Take Vitamins

The ideal supplement timing for vitamins can vary depending on which vitamins you’re taking. And as always, it’s important to talk to your doctor before beginning any supplement.

Multivitamins

It can be helpful to take a multivitamin with a meal so the fat-soluble vitamins can be more easily absorbed. Some people feel nauseous when taking certain vitamins or minerals on an empty stomach, so taking them with food may also help to curb that — plus, making it part of your routine, like with breakfast every morning, can help you stay consistent.

Zinc, magnesium, vitamin D

On the other hand, the best time to take a zinc supplement, magnesium supplement, or vitamin D supplement may be at night, since these nutrients — either alone or when combined with other ingredients — have been linked with sleep quality.

Iron

Research suggests that the best time to take iron supplements is in the morning on an empty stomach with a beverage high in ascorbic acid, like orange juice. These factors allow your body to absorb more iron.

When to Take Sports Supplements

Follow these guidelines to get the most out of your performance supplements.

1. Protein

There’s some flexibility when it comes to protein supplement timing, “but research suggests that consuming protein post-workout can help optimize recovery and muscle growth.”

Sipping a protein shake like Beachbody Performance Recover after a tough workout will help supply your muscles with additional protein they need for growth and repair.

You can also consume a shake at any point in the day if you need help reaching your daily protein intake goals. However, we recommend limiting your consumption to two shakes a day in order to avoid any unwanted side effects.

2. Pre-workout

How soon before your workout should you take a pre-workout supplement? Downing it right outside the gym doors might not be optimal, but neither is taking it too long before your workout.

In the case of Beachbody Performance Energize, which is designed to improve energy and performance, you’ll feel the benefits most within 30 to 60 minutes after taking the supplement.

3. Hydration drink

While you should be drinking water throughout the day to stay hydrated, a hydration supplement like Beachbody Performance Hydrate is designed to help you replenish electrolytes lost through sweating.

The best time to take Hydrate is during or after exercise to help fight fatigue and assist with recovery. For longer workouts, you can take a packet of Hydrate for every 30 minutes of exercise.

4. Greens powder

There’s never really a bad time to eat whole fruits and vegetables, which should be a fundamental part of every meal. Likewise, if you’re taking a greens supplement like BODi’s Power Greens Boost to help fill in any dietary gaps, any time of day is the right time.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.