Did you know that eating vitamin C along with vitamin B12 does no good to the body? Or if you take supplements of copper and zinc together, you will still be deficient in copper? Well, consuming supplements is healthy, but it is useful to know what to avoid when taking a supplement.
Our dependency on supplements of vitamins and minerals have increased these days.Busy work life, lack of time to prepare a balanced meal, overexposure to radiation, lack of exposure to nature, is either not giving sufficient vitamins and minerals to the body or else is depleting these essential nutrients faster. Now, here’s where the supplements of vitamins and minerals come into existence.
Often, we don’t consult a doctor and self prescribe the supplements. While the occurrence of a life threatening condition due to the use of supplements is rare, it is not zero. Many individuals are not aware that certain vitamins and minerals react and have a worse effect on the body. Some nutrients can interact with the absorption, action, or availability of other nutrients in ways that affect the overall health.
Hence it is important to know which vitamins and minerals have the potential to interact with each other.

Calcium and Iron should not be taken together

Calcium inhibits the absorption of non-heme iron through an inhibition of absorption of iron in the intestine. High calcium intake reduces iron bioavailability by reducing the absorption of plant-based iron sources, which ultimately may lead to iron deficiency in individuals who experience total plant-based diets. In order to minimize this effect, calcium and iron supplements should be taken at different times. Thus, if you take a morning iron supplement, take the calcium supplement later in the day.

Vitamin C affects the stability of Vitamin B12

Vitamin C might affect the stability of vitamin B12 in the gastrointestinal tract. Extremely high intakes of vitamin C have been associated with a potential degradation of vitamin B12 in the gastrointestinal tract, although this is usually not something that occurs if the diet contains an average intake of the vitamin. However, large doses of vitamin C could interfere with vitamin B12 absorption, especially in those who have a diagnosed deficiency of the vitamin. If high doses of vitamin C are taken, one has to monitor vitamin B12.

Vitamin K and Vitamin E

High levels of intake of vitamin E interfere with vitamin K’s function in blood clotting. Vitamin K is involved in the synthesis of clotting factors, and its effect may be antagonized by extremely high doses of vitamin E, thereby producing a tendency for bleeding complications, particularly for patients on anticoagulant drugs. It is recommended that individuals on high doses of supplements of vitamin E, or on anticoagulant therapy, pay close attention to intake of vitamin K, and possibly seek advice from a health professional to avoid potential interactions which may disrupt the overall balance of nutrients in the body.

Avoid Zinc and Copper together

Zinc and copper compete for absorption in the intestine. High levels of intake interfere with copper absorption, potentially leading to copper deficiency. This is especially true for individuals who take high-dose zinc supplements for extended periods of time. If supplementing with zinc regularly, balance your diet or supplementation to match this mineral. General recommendation for balance is a 10:1 ratio of zinc to copper.

Calcium and Magnesium compete with each other

Calcium and magnesium can compete for absorption mainly in the gastrointestinal tract, especially in high dosages. As much as both are essential for both bone mineralization and several physiological functions, high intakes of one may inhibit the absorption of the other. A general rule of thumb is to balance supplement intake or to consume foods that contain both minerals in appropriate proportions.

Do not consume fat soluble and water soluble vitamins together

Fat soluble vitamins like vitamin D should not be consumed along with water soluble vitamins like vitamin B12, this is because vitamin D needs food to work effectively, while B12 needs to be taken on an empty stomach.

How to consume supplements in a better way?

Distribute your supplement intake throughout the day. It can help to consume nutrients that interact with each other at different times of the day. For instance: If you have calcium with your breakfast, and iron with your dinner you will have better absorption of both of these minerals.

Generally speaking, nutrients consumed through a varied diet will create less of a problem compared to high-dose supplements. Focus on a varied diet to get essential vitamins and minerals in appropriate amounts.
In case of supplementation, monitoring of nutrient levels, especially at high doses or when multiple supplements are being used, is of immense help for early detection and addressing of any imbalance.