The Best Time to Take Vitamins: Strengthen Defenses, Prevent Fatigue and Depression

The Best Time to Take Vitamins: Strengthen Defenses, Prevent Fatigue and Depression

These are the essential vitamin supplements you should take and when to take them for a healthy body according to the experts.

Vitamins are essential for life, cellular functioning, growth, and proper development of an individual. However, their intake is generally insufficient. According to the World Health Organization, over 2 billion people worldwide have deficiencies in key vitamins and minerals.

According to nutritionist Valentina Martínez, there are six essential components for our survival, we couldn't live without them. In studies, when animals were fed only glucose and free protein, they died or experienced health problems. This led to a discovery that there are six essential ingredients for our survival: vitamins A, D, B complex, C, E, and K. 

Experts point out that the precise amount of vitamins to be consumed depends on age, gender, health status, and physical activity. "There are general recommendations called Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) that give us guidance on how much we need each day," says Matías Marchetti, a nutritionist and author of healthy living books.

B complex vitamins stand out for their part in strengthening the immune system, preventing various disorders that can affect quality of life, and converting food into energy, thereby avoiding undesirable symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, and even depression, among others. 

Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, and B12 "are key to regulating metabolism, synthesizing red blood cells, growth, tissue maintenance, and the nervous system," emphasizes Marchetti. Importantly, "each has a specific function, but all are related to the proper functioning of the body."

You can be deficient in B complex vitamins, with vegetarians and vegans having "difficulty acquiring enough vitamin B12 since it is obtained only from animal products," adding that it may be necessary to take supplements or consume fortified foods. These are the symptoms: 

  • Tiredness and/or muscle weakness, difficulty walking, loss of sensitivity
  • Lack of appetite or vomiting
  • Memory loss, cognitive deficiencies, or mental confusion
  • Weakness of the immune system
  • Changes in mood
  • Slow reflexes or decreased nervous system function
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Harvard Medical School states that B complex vitamins can be found in the following foods:

  • Dairy products
  • Eggs
  • Red and white meats
  • Seafood
  • Oysters and clams
  • Dark green vegetables
  • Whole grains
  • Legumes such as beans and chickpeas
  • Fruits such as citrus fruits, bananas, and watermelon
  • Soy products.

So when is the best time of day to take vitamin B12 and other vitamins? You should consume them on an empty stomach so the body can absorb them quickly, without issues. The best time of day is ideally outside of meal time, which is contrary to how most people take their vitamins.