4 replies to this topic

[DO1234]

Right now I take almost all of my supplements with a meal (always containing some form of fat). The only exception to this is my probiotic which states on the label that it is best taken on an empty stomach. Are there any other commonly-taken supplements that should be taken on an empty stomach. For example, with niacin when I take it on an empty stomach I get the flush. When I take it with a meal I don't. So I'm assuming that the benefit is the same but perhaps I'm wrong? It would be great to see some sort of a list of the supplements that are more effective when not taken with food/fat (if there actually are that many of them).

[oehaut]

Right now I take almost all of my supplements with a meal (always containing some form of fat). The only exception to this is my probiotic which states on the label that it is best taken on an empty stomach. Are there any other commonly-taken supplements that should be taken on an empty stomach. For example, with niacin when I take it on an empty stomach I get the flush. When I take it with a meal I don't. So I'm assuming that the benefit is the same but perhaps I'm wrong? It would be great to see some sort of a list of the supplements that are more effective when not taken with food/fat (if there actually are that many of them).

I'm not sure but I think Probiotic should be taken at the end of the meal actualy (from Charles Polquin, for what ever that worth, probably not much)

You might more want to ask this question in the supplement sub-forum, and possibly do a quick search there to see if no informations are already available.

Edited by oehaut, 16 April 2010 - 08:36 PM.

[e Volution]

I'm not sure but I think Probiotic should be taken at the end of the meal actualy (from Charles Polquin, for what ever that worth, probably not much)

oehaut can you elaborate on this reasoning, or point me to a link?

[oehaut]

I'm not sure but I think Probiotic should be taken at the end of the meal actualy (from Charles Polquin, for what ever that worth, probably not much)

oehaut can you elaborate on this reasoning, or point me to a link?

No, unfortunatly I can't, he said it while I was doing his BioSignature crap 2 years ago, and I can't remember the reason why. He might be right, but I tend to regard everything he says related to nutrition/health as pure BS now.

[MrSpud]

If you take enzyme products to lessen inflammation they should be taken on an empty stomach but if you take enzymes to help digestion they should be taken with the food you are trying to digest. If you take individual amino acids to get specific effects then you should take them on an empty stomach otherwise the amino acids in any protein in your food will compete with the individual amino acids and your body won't absorb the amino acid fast enough. Other supplements that would be better on an empty stomach would be anything that is both easy to absorb (typically water soluble things or smaller easy to absorb molecules of non water soluble things) and that require a quick peak in terms of concentration in your bloodstraeam to have an effect. In other words, if you are trying to maintain a constant level of a nutrient in your system for a long term benefit then it wouldn't matter if you didn't absorb it in a high concentration quickly, and might be better off absorbing it at a slower constant rate, so you could take it with food and it would be digested and absorbed as the food was digested but if you are taking something to try and get a quick short term effect (like trying to help you fall asleep or something like that) and the supplement absorbs easy then you would want to take it on an empty stomach so it wouldn't have to compete with the food for digestion and absorption.

Does this help answer the question?