When to Take Your Supplements
Morning or night? With food or without? The timing of your supplements can affect how well they work. Here are evidence-based timing guides for 14 popular supplements.
Magnesium
Evening, with foodTake 1-2 hours before bed for best sleep benefits
Vitamin D
Morning, with fatFat-soluble. Take with your fattiest meal
Omega-3 Fish Oil
With mealsSplit dose with breakfast and dinner to reduce fishy burps
Creatine
Any time, dailyTiming doesn't matter. Consistency does.
Ashwagandha
Morning or eveningFor stress: morning. For sleep: evening.
Probiotics
30 min before mealsEmpty stomach lets more bacteria survive
Zinc
With food, not with ironTake 2 hours apart from iron and calcium
B-Complex
Morning, with foodCan cause energy boost. Don't take before bed.
Melatonin
30-60 min before bedLess is more. Start with 0.5mg, not 10mg.
Iron
Empty stomach, with vitamin CDon't take with calcium, zinc, or coffee
Collagen
Any time, on empty stomachWith vitamin C for better absorption
CoQ10
With fat-containing mealFat-soluble. Ubiquinol form absorbs better.
Vitamin C
With meals, split dosesYour body can only absorb ~200mg at once
L-Theanine
Morning or as neededStack with caffeine for focused calm
Taking multiple supplements?
Our Stack Analyzer checks interactions and suggests the best timing schedule for your entire stack.
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