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Vitamins and nausea
The most obvious mistake you might be making – and probably the easiest to fix – is taking them first thing in the morning before you’ve eaten. “Many people experience stomach pains, nausea and even diarrhea.”
Vitamins and supplements can also aggravate gastroesophageal reflux disease, peptic ulcers, gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive conditions, Dr. Lee says. Make sure to discuss any vitamins you’re taking with your healthcare provider.
Tips to skip the stomach ache
DO take vitamins with food. “Taking them with food enhances the body’s ability to absorb the vitamins and decreases your risk of experiencing nausea and upset stomach,” Dr. Lee says. Don’T take them before exercising.
Tablets tend to be harder to digest due to the binding agent used to hold them together, Dr. Lee explains. Taking a smaller dose of a vitamin daily is always better than taking a large dose once a week or month, Dr. Lee says. Shellfish, legumes, red meat and pumpkin seeds have ample amounts of iron.
These real food sources are always preferred over taking a supplement. Don’T overdo it. You likely get a lot of vitamins and minerals from food — don’t forget to factor that into your daily intake.
Digestive Issues Caused By Supplements
Vitamin C in high doses is a prime culprit here, as the vitamin is naturally acidic (it’s chemical name is ascorbic acid). A January 2018 study in the Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology showed that stomach acid output was increased by ascorbic acid in rats, while the non-acidic “ascorbate” form reduced stomach acidity. Fewer people reported heartburn-type symptoms with Ester-C than with ascorbic acid.
How To Stomach Iron
If you want to avoid multivitamin stomach pain and nausea, you could pick one that is iron-free, or at least check the label and avoid iron sulfate, also called ferrous sulfate. However, the extended-release form of ferrous sulfate is much better tolerated, according to an April 2013 review in Current Medical Research and Opinion.
A March 2019 study in the European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology found that amino acid chelated iron was also a better-tolerated form of iron. For example vitamin D can be a concern among breast-fed babies, requiring that infants be given a vitamin-drop supplement, while adolescent girls might need additional iron.
It’s wise to take vitamins with food as it increases absorption of the nutrients while decreasing your risk of experiencing gastrointestinal distress. If you’re looking for a multivitamin that won’t cause nausea, then dissolvable, chewable, powder or gummy vitamins are a good bet, as they can be easier to digest than tablets.
Other Factors That May Cause Multivitamin Side Effects
Multivitamins may also become contaminated with harmful compounds, such as arsenic or lead When you ingest these harmful compounds in large amounts or over a longer period of time, they may cause a variety of health issues, including physical, muscular, and neurological problems, as well as birth defects However, some manufacturers opt to get their supplements verified by third-party labs, which can confirm whether they’re free of contaminants and that they truly contain what the label states. Summary Multivitamins can become contaminated with harmful compounds, such as arsenic or lead.
To minimize this risk, consider choosing multivitamins that a third-party lab has independently tested. These longer-term side effects may include birth defects and liver, heart, and cognitive issues If you think you’re experiencing any side effects, make sure to bring them up with your healthcare provider as promptly as possible.
Make sure to discuss any side effects with your healthcare provider as soon as you notice them.