Saturday, February 27, 2010

Taking Medications: Part II Vitamins

Many people, particularly those with chronic disease, take vitamins. This is done for a variety of reasons: counterbalancing medications; don’t always get the required vitamins and nutrients from diet; recommended by medical provider; read an article etc.

If you are taking prescription drugs, make sure you read the packaging so you know if a particular vitamin or supplement could interfere with its effectiveness or if there is a better time to take vitamins so there isn’t a problem. Tell your provider about the vitamins you are taking and in what doses.

As a general rule, vitamins supplements work best when taken at the same time daily and with or close to a meal, especially a healthy meal containing natural vitamins and minerals. Note that some vitamins are better taken on an empty stomach.

To learn more about vitamins, recommended doses, possible interactions etc., check out the following resources:

Medline PlusDrugs, supplements and herbal information

University of Maryland Medical Center’s Complementary and Alternative Medicine Index (CAM)

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