When’s the Best Time to Take Your Supplements? A Her+Well Guide
- Monique Rey
- Oct 7
- 3 min read
Let’s face it: You can buy all the best supplements, but if you take them at the wrong time (or without the right meal), you might not get the full benefit. I interviewed practitioners, dove into recent research, and paired all that wisdom with my own experience postpartum to figure out when supplements work best—especially when life is busy, hormones are shifting, and sleep is scarce.
Here’s what I’ve discovered, how timing makes a difference, and how to build a routine around it that actually works.
Why Timing Matters
Our bodies run on schedules—internal clocks called circadian rhythms—that affect everything: sleep, digestion, hormone levels, energy, and how nutrients are absorbed. Research shows that taking certain vitamins or botanicals with intention (right meal, right phase of the day) can:
Boost absorption
Reduce side effects
Support hormonal balance, mood, and energy more effectively
Because when you align what you take with what your body is doing naturally, you multiply the benefit.
My Practical Supplement Timing Guide
Here are some of the most common supplements I see women taking + when I’ve found (and what the research supports) works best. Of course, adapt based on your rhythm, your bloodwork, and how your body responds.
Supplement | Best Time to Take | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
B Vitamins / Multivitamin | Morning, with breakfast | These help produce energy and support mood. Taking them early allows your body to use them during the day, rather than staying wired at night. |
Magnesium (glycinate or similar form) | Evening / before bed | Magnesium supports muscle relaxation, nervous system calm, and helps ease you into sleep. If taken earlier, it still works — but bedtime tends to work best for rest. |
Probiotics | With or just before a meal | Taking probiotics near food helps protect them from stomach acid, improves survival of beneficial bacteria, and supports digestion. |
Fat-soluble vitamins (Vitamin D, etc.) / Fish Oil / Omega-3s | With a fat-containing meal (often midday or with dinner) | These nutrients need dietary fats to absorb properly—so pairing them with healthy fats ensures maximal uptake. |
Adaptogenic Botanicals & Stress-Modulating Herbs | Often evening or during periods of higher stress (depending on the herb) | Herbs like holy basil, ashwagandha, etc., tend to work better when the body is settling, winding down, or when cortisol is elevated. |
My Postpartum Lessons
After giving birth, everything changed—sleep, hormones, nutrient needs. Here’s what I found:
B-complex/multivitamins in the morning helped me feel less frazzled midday.
Magnesium at night became sacred: it grounded my mind and helped me sleep through more “baby wake ups.”
Probiotics with food supported gut comfort (hello postpartum digestive shifts & healing).
I realized skipping the fat with my fish oil meant I felt more nausea, so pairing it with dinner was a game-changer.
Tips to Build a Sustainable Routine
Anchor supplements to daily habits. Take yours with something you already do—breakfast, dinner, bedtime tea—so you don’t have to remember a new thing.
Track how you feel. Sleep quality, digestion, energy, mood—write down your notes. If something seems “off,” adjust timing or meal pairing before assuming the supplement isn’t working.
Use quality, tested products. Purity, strength, and formulation matter. Always check labels, look for third-party or clinical testing, and align with your bloodwork or trusted practitioner advice.
Final Thought
Supplements aren’t magic, but timing them right is one of the simplest ways to get more out of them with less waste. When you're postpartum, tired, or juggling so many things, anything that boosts efficiency is worth leaning into.
If you want help figuring out which supplements are best for you, when to take them, and how they should fit into your unique blueprint—my Blueprint Consult is built for that. We dig into your labs, your rhythms, and your life to build a plan that feels realistic and powerful.
References
Rosenwasser, A. M. et al. “Sleep Med Clin. 2015;10(4):403-412” – circadian rhythm research
Young, L. M. et al. “Nutrients. 2019;11(9):2232” – B vitamin energy & mood support (Metagenics Blog)
Metagenics blog, “Best Time to Take Supplements: Probiotics, Multivitamins, and More.” (Metagenics Blog)
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