If you’ve ever wondered whether you can feel nauseous and have upset stomach after taking multivitamin supplements, then the answer to this may be; a yes. But vitamins themselves aren’t bad – they are meant to supplement nutrient-deficient individuals with the required amount of nutrients.
However, you can have a whole lot of stomach complications after taking vitamin supplements and it’s probably due to one of the following;
- Taking vitamins first thing in the morning before eating: according to gastroenterologist Christine Lee, MD; consuming vitamins on an empty stomach can frequently upset the GI tract leading to adverse reactions like stomach pains, diarrhea and nausea.
- Some vitamins contain calcium, vitamin C or iron which Dr.Lee says, can irritate the stomach lining.
- Having underlying health conditions like gastroesophageal reflux disease, peptic ulcers, gastritis, and irritable bowel syndrome – which can easily be aggravated by some constituents in vitamin supplements.
How Can I Take Vitamins Correctly?
Talk to your doctor first. Before taking a vitamin supplement, consult your doctor especially if you’re taking other medications. Experts hint that it is because some supplements may reduce the efficacy of the medication and vice versa, or it may be difficult to digest both at the same time.
Take vitamins with food or take them after eating. According to Dr.Lee, taking vitamins with food enhances the body’s ability to absorb the them and decreases your risk of experiencing nausea and upset stomach.
Go for quality. Supplements are not well regulated so when selecting a supplement, opt for one with simple ingredient aside its vitamins or mineral. Make sure they do not contain other substances like erythritol or xylitol that may cause an upset stomach.
Reduce your dose size.Taking a smaller dose of a vitamin daily is always better than taking a large dose once a week or month. This is because vitamins contain iron, vitamin C, and zinc supplements that can be upsetting to the stomach and cause nausea or cramping so exceeding a certain dose may cause issues.
Try easy-to-digest formats. Consider changing to a liquid supplement: Liquids are often absorbed more easily whilst tablets tend to be harder to digest due to the binding agent used to hold them together, Dr. Lee explains.