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Best Time to Take Vitamins: Morning or Evening? With or Without Food?

By Rachel Link, RD, MS

February 10, 2025

You’ve done your research and chosen several vitamins, minerals and perhaps a multivitamin to take that you believe you can benefit from. Now you’re wondering: When is the best time to take vitamins?

Adding supplements to your routine can feel tricky, but once you have an understanding of when it’s best to take vitamins each day, such as first thing in the morning versus at night, you can make it a consistent part of your routine without much thought involved.

Additionally, timing when you take your supplements will give them the best chance of being properly absorbed — this way they provide the most benefits possible.

Of course, you should always consult your healthcare professional before beginning any new dietary or lifestyle regimen, including taking supplements. You should also always read and follow label directions for product use. 

Should you take vitamins in the morning or at night?

The ideal time to take vitamins and minerals really depends on the specific kind. Some are best absorbed with a meal, while others can be taken at any time of day. This will influence whether you take the supplements in the morning or the evening.

For example, “fat soluble” vitamins — which include vitamins A, E, K and D — should typically be taken with a meal, specifically one that includes at least a small amount of fat that supports absorption. Fats such as olive or coconut oil, whole-fat dairy, nuts, seeds, eggs and avocado can all help your body utilize fat-soluble vitamins.

You can take these vitamins with breakfast or dinner, but you may want to avoid taking them on a completely empty stomach. 

On the other hand, “water soluble” vitamins — including B vitamins and vitamin C — can usually be taken morning or night, with or without meals, since their absorption isn’t dependent on what foods you’re eating.  

Taking water-soluble vitamins on an empty stomach, such as first thing in the morning or between meals, might help your body absorb them best, but the caveat is that, for some, it’s easier to take them with a meal. 

Best time to take vitamins and minerals

What's the best time to take select vitamins and minerals as well as improve your body's ability to absorb them? See below.

1. B vitamins

Ideally take B vitamins in the morning, with water or another beverage, or you can take it with food. You can and should take B vitamins together since they work best when taken together.  

Vitamin B12 support energy metabolism and is best taken in the morning for that reason. Some experts recommend taking on an empty stomach while others recommend taking it with a fat or protein to improve absorption.

Ancient Nutrients Vitamin B Complex includes eight water-soluble B vitamins: thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, B-12, biotin and pantothenic acid. It's optimized for absorption with added SBO probiotics.

2. Vitamin C

Also a water-soluble vitamin, vitamin C ideally is taken in the morning, without food, for optimum absorption. Because vitamin C is sensitive to oxidation, taking it in the morning lessens exposure to sunlight and other factors that can spur oxidation and potentially reduce its effectiveness.

That being said, one can take vitamin C at any time, with water or another beverage, or you can take it with food.

Ancient Nutrients Vitamin C includes SBO probiotics in order to promote proper nutrient absorption and support a healthy gut.

3. Vitamin D

A fat-soluble vitamin, vitamin D better absorbed when you take with a meal that contains fat, ideally in the morning or afternoon (when your body would naturally make vitamin D from sunlight).

To make the Ancient Nutrients Vitamin D formula as effective as possible, it's paired easy-to-absorb, probiotic-fermented vitamin D with vitamin K. Vitamin K helps your body take in and absorb vitamin D.

4. Vitamin E

Take vitamin E with a meal containing fat, any time of day. Again, being a fat-soluble vitamin, vitamin E ideally needs fat in order to be absorbed properly. In fact, taking vitamin E with a fat-containing meal and boost absorption rates up to 300 percent.

5. Vitamin A

Vitamin A should also be taken with a meal that includes fat. Any time of day will do, though typically morning is best so it's not forgotten.

6. Vitamin K

Vitamin K is a little more complicated than other fat-soluble vitamins. For one, there are three forms: phylloquinone (vitamin K1), menaquinones (vitamin K2) and menadione (vitamin K3).

Vitamin K1 (found in leafy green vegetables) and K2 (found in some animal products like cheese and eggs) appear in certain vitamin K supplements while vitamin K3 (rarely found in food) typically does not.

While both vitamin K1 and K2 can be taken any time of day, vitamin K2 supplements ideally are taken with a meal or snack that includes fat.

When possible, consider taking vitamin K at a different time than vitamins A and E because it may interfere with absorption. Meanwhile, consider taking vitamin K with vitamin D because these nutrients work synergistically to promote healthy calcium levels in the body and support bone health.

7. Magnesium 

Magnesium is ideally taken in the morning with a meal, or split into two smaller servings (morning and night). Some people may choose to take more at night to help with sleep and digestion the next morning.

Of course, it can also depend on the type of magnesium supplement you're using. Magnesium glycinate or threonate are best taken in the morning in order to help promote healthy energy levels. Meanwhile, magnesium oxide or chloride is best in the evening because it may promote relaxation and healthy sleep.

Ancient Nutrients Magnesium is in a form that makes it easier for your body to absorb and use. While magnesium is required for proper calcium absorption, approximately 60 percent of Americans don’t get enough through diet alone.

8. Zinc

Zinc is best taken one to two hours before or after eating a meal, with water or another beverage, in order to allow for optimal absorption. Note that taking zinc with foods may interfere with absorption, especially those high in fiber, calcium or iron.

Zinc is an essential mineral that your body can’t store long-term, and approximately 70 percent of Americans don’t get enough of it. The Ancient Nutrients Zinc supplement is designed to support a healthy immune system and is delivered in an enzyme-activated form, which means it’s easier for your body to recognize and absorb.

9. Iron

Like zinc, iron is best taken on an empty stomach, ideally one to two hours before or after a meal. This will improve nutrient absorption.

In addition, taking with vitamin C will enhance iron absorption. At the same time, avoid dairy and caffeine because both can interfere with absorption.

Ancient Nutrients Iron is designed to be easy on your gut and optimized for absorption, as it’s paired with fermented vitamin C to help increase bioavailability.

Best time to take multivitamins 

Even the best quality diet might not be enough to help you meet all of your nutritional needs. That’s because not all foods found in grocery stores, including even healthy foods like vegetables and fruits, are rich in nutrients if they were grown in poor quality soil or aren't very fresh when you eat them.

Therefore, multivitamins can help to fill in nutritional gaps for women and men in your diet if you are unable to meet your needs through your diet alone. Multivitamins are also often recommended for people following restrictive diets, such as those on low-calorie, low-carb or vegan diets.

Additionally, there’s good reason for most aging adults and pregnant women, who require higher intakes of some nutrients, to regularly take multivitamins.

Overall, multivitamins offer benefits such as support for: bone health, cardiovascular function, healthy immune system function, healthy energy levels, and much more.

Best time to take multivitamins?

You can either take your multivitamin in the morning with breakfast, which helps support absorption and is often easier on the stomach, or if you prefer, at night with dinner. Whichever time you choose, stay consistent so you don’t easily miss days.

Opt for multivitamins made from real food ingredients, which your body recognizes and can use most easily, plus those that feature sprouted and fermented ingredients. Sprouting and fermenting help to partially break down foods so they are even easier to digest.

Best time to take prenatal vitamins

Why do pregnant women benefit from taking multivitamins? Pregnancy is a time in which the body requires extra vitamins, minerals, protein, fats and other nutrients because these help support growth and development of the fetus.

For instance, folate and iron are very important during pregnancy because they help the body make enough red blood cells and facilitate development of the fetus’ central nervous system (brain, spinal cord, nerves, etc.).

To ensure that mom and baby are getting the nutrition they need in addition to a healthy diet, taking a quality prenatal multivitamin during pregnancy — which contains specialized amounts of vitamins and minerals compared to regular multivitamins — is highly encouraged. However, you should always consult your healthcare professional. 

Best time to take a prenatal vitamin

Prenatal vitamins contain both fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins, so it’s best to take them either in the morning with breakfast, which helps support absorption, or at night with dinner. 

Because pregnant women can be prone to having sensitive stomachs during this time, some find that taking prenatal vitamins with dinner before bed is the best option. 

Pick a time and stay consistent so you easily remember to take your vitamins daily.

Ancient Multivitamin Prenatal is formulated specifically for pregnant or postpartum women. It contains 100 percent or more Daily Value (DV) of 13 essential vitamins and minerals, as well as 8 other important vitamins and minerals for pregnant or postpartum women. It rlies on food-based sources in high-quality forms, made to be easy for your body to absorb.

What vitamins should not be taken together?

If you take a multivitamin, you're going to be consuming many different nutrients together. This isn’t usually a problem because you’re not taking large doses of vitamins or minerals all at once. 

However, in general, avoid taking high amounts of vitamins/minerals with other nutrients, since some can compete with one another and may block absorption in the body. (As always, be sure to check with your healthcare professional.)

Vitamins/minerals that shouldn’t be taken together in large amounts include:

• vitamin C and vitamin B12

• vitamin C and iron

• vitamin K and other vitamins A and E

• calcium and iron

• calcium and magnesium

• zinc and magnesium

• zinc and copper

Conclusion

• Is it better to take vitamins in the morning or at night? It depends on the kind of vitamin and what your healthcare professional says. 

• Water-soluble vitamins (like B vitamins) and most minerals can be taken anytime of day, while fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, E, D, K) need to be taken with a meal with fat, either dinner or breakfast, to be absorbed properly.

• What vitamins should not be taken together? Avoid taking large amounts of different nutrients with one another, including by spacing out intake of vitamin C, iron, magnesium, calcium and zinc.

• Opt for multivitamins made from real food ingredients, which your body recognizes and can use most easily, plus those that feature sprouted and fermented ingredients.