The best time of the day to take vitamin B12 supplements if you have a sensitive stomach is at breakfast. Otherwise, you can take vitamin B12 supplements on an empty stomach in the morning. The worst time to take vitamin B12 supplements is at night.
What’s the best time to take vitamin B12 supplements?
The best time of the day to take vitamin B12 supplements is in the morning, preferably with a meal, as vitamin B12 seems to boost metabolism, increase energy levels and alertness!
So, taking vitamin B12 supplements at breakfast is good for weight loss.
Having yogurt for breakfast is the easiest way to naturally skyrocket your vitamin B12 intake in the morning, though.
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin. It means that it’s absorbed best on an empty stomach. You can take a vitamin B12 tablet first thing in the morning. There is no need to take it at breakfast.
But, taking vitamins before eating may upset the stomach and cause discomfort. If you have a sensitive stomach, you should take vitamin B12 supplements with a meal.
On the contrary, the worst time to take vitamin B12 supplements is at night. High doses of vitamin B12 at night may affect sleep quality.[1,2]
How much vitamin B12 should I take per day?
The recommended daily intake of vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg. But, only foods from animal sources, like meat, fish, milk and dairy, are good dietary sources of vitamin B12.
Vegans, vegetarians, or people who follow a plant-based diet have a higher risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. There are only a few vegan foods containing vitamin B12.[3]
Actually, vitamin B12 supplementation is considered pretty safe. Even extremely high dosages of 1,000 mcg are unlikely to cause toxicity or side effects.
After all, we absorb only a small percentage of vitamin B12 from supplements. It’s estimated that we absorb 2% at doses of 500 mcg and only 1.3% at doses of 1,000 mcg! Hence, we absorb only 13 mcg of vitamin B12 from a 1,000 mcg tablet.[4]
Therefore, it’s better to take 2-3 smaller dosages of vitamin B12 during the day in order to improve absorption rates! However, this isn’t necessary. A big dosage of vitamin B12 at breakfast is more than enough for weight loss and other health benefits (e.g. hair loss).
Always consult your healthcare provider before taking supplements or changing your diet.
How often should I take vitamin B12?
As a rule of thumb, a weekly dose of 1,000-2,000 mcg is more than enough for most healthy people. Certainly, you should regularly check your blood levels and consult your healthcare provider for the best weekly or daily vitamin B12 dosage.
In acute deficiency or certain diseases, people may benefit from having vitamin B12 shots. Vitamin B12 injections are absorbed better than oral supplements.
