What Vitamins Can You Take Together?

You might already know that some vitamins should not be taken together.  But which ones?

Iron and calcium should not be taken together, unless it’s a very small amount of calcium.  300 mg of calcium or so will block the absorption of iron.  The reason some multis have both iron and calcium is because they often have only small amounts of calcium, maybe 200 mg.  That amount won’t block the absorption of iron but much more will.  Iron and calcium should be taken at least two hours apart.

If your multi has iron in it and you want to absorb that iron, do not take your multi with your calcium.  If your multi has no iron, it’s fine to take your multi with your calcium.  If you take additional iron at another time and so you don’t care if you don’t absorb the iron in your multi, then you can go ahead and take it with your calcium.

Take your iron with vitamin C for best absorption.  The ratio is 200 mg C to every 30 mg iron.  That’s 30 mg elemental iron, so if you take 325 mg ferrous sulfate, for example, you’re only getting 65 mg elemental iron, so you’d need 400 mg vitamin C (but carbonyl iron is absorbed better than ferrous sulfate).  The point is, you would not need 2000 mg vitamin C with 365 mg ferrous sulfate because ferrous sulfate is really only 65 mg iron.

Keep in mind that people can only absorb about 500 mg calcium at once, so divide your calcium into doses of about 500 mg and take them at least two hour apart.  Keep in mind that the ASMBS recommends 1500-2000 mg calcium citrate per day, so you need three or four separate doses.  And make sure you’re taking calcium citrate, not calcium carbonate.  Understand that if you take a multi with 200 mg calcium and take that with another 500 mg calcium citrate, you will then not absorb the 700 mg total calcium you’re talking.  However, the calcium in you multi may well be calcium carbonate or some other form that is not absorbed so well anyway, in which case it would be fine to take your 500 mg calcium citrate with your multi, just with the understanding that you won’t absorb the calcium carbonate in the multi.

B vitamins work together so it’s good to take your B’s at the same time.  Your multi has lots of B’s in it, so take it with your B12 if you use a sublingual B12.  If you take a B complex and/or biotin, take that at the same time.

If you take vitamin D3 or vitamin A, it does not matter what you take them with.  If you take D2, it does not matter what you take it with either because you won’t absorb it or will absorb very little of it, which you must then convert to D3 in the body and by the time that’s done, if you took 50,000 IU D2, you may really only end up with less than 20,000, maybe as little as 5000.

Zinc and copper don’t work well with lots of other vitamins and minerals, so if you take those, it’s best to take them by themselves.

It can take quite some work to figure out what vites we need and when to take them.  Most of us need to take vites four or five times a day in order to get it all in so that the vites help each other and don’t interfere with each other.

If you have questions about what vites you can take together, ask your registered dietician, but be aware they don’t always have much specialized training in this stuff and may not be able to advise you well.  If you’re not sure you’re getting the right advice, you can post here on OH.  You won’t likely get a professional opinion here, but there are some pretty knowledgeable people that post here and many of us can point you to the research that backs up what we recommend.  It’s important because, even if you take all the “right" vitamins, if you take them in the way or at the wrong times, they will be much less effective than what you’re looking for.

This is one of my favorite of your vitamin posts.  It was so helpful to me.  I was struggling to get them all in in a day.  Then you taught me that some don't play well with others.  I have been able to use that information to help get my routine down now. 

Thanks as always!

Oh, thank you, I'm glad I could help.

Thank you Kelly!!!   I made the swtich tp bariatric viatmins even though my doc said it was not necessary. They finally just arrived.   I'm trying to figure a regime.  If it is not too much to ask - could you tell me what you would recommend as my schedule?  (Thanks - you are the best!!!)

1.  Celebrate Mutilvitamin Chewable (2 per day I think is what I should take)
2.  Biotin Chewable 5000 mcg per lozenge (no clue how much I should take???)
3.  Celebrate Calcium PLus  250 mg Calciumper tablet, also has Vitamin D 250 IU as well as some others)
4.  Zinc Lozenges 15 mg and contains 60 mg vitamin C
5.  Celebrate Iron  - I have 18 mg and 30 mg tablets; a one month supply of the 18s and 3 month supply of the 30s

I have a monthly B12 injection.  My surgery was March 8th.  My surgeon does not draw blood levels until 6 months. 

Thanks again!

Something like this:

Breakfast - multi, two calcium, biotin

Lunch- two calcium

Midafternoon - EITHER zinc OR iron

Dinner - multi, two calcium

Bedtime - EITHER zinc OR iron, whichever you didn't take in the afternoon

About iron - I would take at least two of 18 mg ones, when you use those.  You may need more than that.

Biotin - That I'm not sure how much you need to take.  You might wanna make a post and ask what other people think.

Did you have B12 and vitamin D checked pre-op?  If not, I personally would wanna get at least those two checked before six months.

I am not sure what was checked pre-op.  While in the hospital I know they checked potassium because mine was low and I had to have IV's 3 times while there.  But they did not d/c me with it, said it was ok.  I have an appt with my PCP next week and I think one of the tests should give her that info. 

Thanks - that helped a lot!!!!

Glad to help.

I would ask if they checked D and B12, especially B12, because B12 deficiency can be SO dangerous - I'm talking PERMANENT nerve damage.

Thank you Kelly... these kinds of posts are so very helpful.

PS- I also take Mag-Ox... are you familiar with that and, if so, do you know if there are any rules for it?

I usually take it before bed along with Heme Iron, Calcium Citrate and a stool softener.

Sorry, I don't know if there are any rules for that.

You know who might be able to tell you?  Michelle (vitalady).

Perfecto!!!   Nice to know I am doing it right!  I am always happy when I get my bloodwork done and my doc is pleased with the results!! Yay! Thanks!  :)