Q: Is it better to take vitamins in the morning or the evening? With meals or between?
Kempton H. Roll, Asheville, N.C.
A: Time of day usually makes little difference (check the label for directions). But taking supplements with food is important because a little fat, in food, can facilitate absorption. A recent study at Oregon State University showed that very little vitamin E was absorbed when taken on an empty stomach or with fat-free milk. The same is true of beta carotene, even in carrots. People who ate a salad with fat-free dressing absorbed virtually no beta carotene; they absorbed slightly more with a reduced-fat dressing, and the most with a full-fat dressing, reports a new study at Iowa State University.
Copyright 2004 Jean Carper. Printed first in USA Weekend. All rights reserved.
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