Vitamin/Supplement ???

I know I should already know this but finding the right tasting vitamins/supplements and now going with an iron supplement I forget what you can/can (should) not mix.  If I remember correct, iron should be taken alone.  Can calcium and the multivitamin be taken at the same time?  My levels (except the iron but that's getting better) have been good but I haven't been as faithful with my calcium as I should and need to get in a better routine.  
When do you guys take which vitamins?
Thanks!
--Sax 

Sax, I take my multivitamin in the morning and my calcium  in the afternoon. But I'm a lapbander.

Think, rock, paper scissors.   This is true for everyboty not just WLS.   But Calcium will block Iron, they should not taken at the same time.  Think of this with your foods as well.   If you put cheese on your high iron foods, eg. cheese on your chili, you are blocking absorption of the iron.   I take my calcium with my multi in the morning, than another at lunch and another at bedtime.   When I had to take iron, I took it midmorning.    Hope that helps.   

One study I read shows that iron is only blocked by calcium if it's in doses of 300mg or more.  So the cheese on top of cheese won't interfer with iron.  1oz of american cheese has about 140mg of calcium.  But straight dairy at the same time as iron will interfer.  1 cup of milk contains 300mg of calcium so it would block the iron. 

Of course, after RNY we don't readily absorb micronutrients (vitamins) from food, so some of this doesn't really even apply.  

:)

Hey Sax - 

Here's some basic guidelines.  
  

** Calcium & Vitmain D are friends --- take them together to and they will help each other absorb better. Make sure it's calcium CITRATE (not carbonate).  Calcium tends to absorb better when taken with food, so try to coordinate your doses with a meal or snack.  You need 1500-2000mg of calcium citrate per day split into doses no bigger than 500mg at a time. 

** Iron and Vitamin C are friends --  iron needs an acidic environment to break down and Vitamin C creates that.  Iron like an empty stomach, so take it at least 1 hour after/before a meal.

** Iron and Calcium are enemies -- they fight for the same cell receptors in our body and calcium is bigger and badder and wins everytime and iron gets disposed of.  Keep your iron and calcium dose at least 2 hours apart.

** The B Vitamins are a family -- they work as a team and are best when in your tummy at the same time.  There are B's in your multi, so take your B-50 Complex, Biotin, B12 (or whatever B's you're taking) at the same time. 

I recently switched to the "every 2 hours" routine for my vitamins.  I start out with a calcium supplement when I wake up, then every 2 hours I take something else.

5 doses of calcium (400mgx5=2000mg)
2 doses of Multi-vitamin and other various meds

So it takes me 7 doses to get it all in throughout the day, which means I have to be awake for 14 hours.  Of course, you could get all your calcium in 3 doses (500mg x 3 = 1500mg).   I just happen to enjoy the calcium I take and it happens to be only 400mg/dose. 

Good luck
Pam

Exactly what I was looking for, thanks!!!!
I know when I was taking my antibiotics after the TT it became somewhat of a struggle to keep everything within the time frames stated & it got me thinking about the calcium vs. iron.
Again, knew somebody would be able to set me straight!
--Sax