Thankfully, research has also found that simply taking a multivitamin each day can directly help fill in these nutrient gaps2.* And thus, the mighty multi earns its mass praise. So what gives? It’s true that feeling uneasy after taking a multi is a common issue (especially if you pop it on an empty stomach), but, luckily for us all, there’s an easy fix. While taking your multi in the a.m. is all well and good, it can backfire if that means you’re popping it on an empty stomach, which can make it more difficult for your body to process. “Multivitamins contain nutrients in a very concentrated form that, when taken on an empty stomach, [can] cause nausea in some,” says dietitian and mbg Collective member Maya Feller, M.S., R.D., CDN. Specifically, vitamins C, A, and B6, along with certain less gentle forms of iron, zinc, and other minerals, are common culprits behind the discomfort, she notes. On the other hand: “When multivitamins are taken with food, the food acts as a buffer, which helps to minimize the side effects,” Feller adds. Not to mention, if your multivitamin contains fat-soluble vitamins (which the good ones do, by the way), consuming them with food (particularly a source of fat) is a must for them to be properly absorbed by the body.* So, if you remember to take your multi but skip breakfast in the morning, it’s all too likely that you’ll experience some stomach upset as your empty digestive system tries to process it. The same goes for if you take your supplement later in the day when it’s been a few hours since you’ve last eaten. Take it from mbg’s director of scientific affairs Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, who is partial to a lunchtime multi: “Personalized nutrition honors these individual differences and pivots one’s approach. For me, my daily multi is taken every day with my lunch,” she says. Not all stomachs can handle the mineral load multivitamins often pack in bright and early! You just might not want to take your daily supplement with dinner, as some vitamins, like vitamin B123, can have an energizing effect on some people, which could potentially interfere with your sleep.* But to each their own. “Chelated minerals are minerals that are bound to amino acids,” explains Feller. “They require less stomach acid to be absorbed and tend to have a better absorption rate, so that, even when there is less stomach acid, there tends to be less discomfort.” Translation? Chelated minerals are easier on your stomach, which makes them better tolerated than forms of minerals commonly found in multivitamins when taken without food.* Check out the Supplement Facts panel on your multi, and look for the word “chelate” in the forms of minerals like iron, zinc, copper, and more listed there. There are other gentle forms of minerals (like marine-sourced minerals), but chelates are the most famous. While everyone’s body responds differently to different supplements and forms of nutrients, in general, chelates are a great option for people who are looking for a multivitamin that’s gentle and easy to absorb. (That’s why we formulated our ultimate multivitamin+ with premium forms of minerals that are chelated, marine-sourced, or the most bioavailable form.)*
