Adding a vitamin supplement into your daily routine can go a long way. It is essential to understand that it may take a while before you see the fruits of your labor, especially when the bulk of the change is happening from the inside.
So, how long does it take for vitamins to work? Keep on reading to understand the answer to this question.
Why Use Vitamin Supplements?
A vitamin supplement can sometimes be viewed as extra or a nice to have instead of a must-have.
While you may be doing fine without them, consider how elevated your body’s functionality can be when you include a vitamin supplement in your daily routine. You can certainly get many of the vitamins and minerals that your body needs from food.
However, taking a vitamin supplement can help you get to where you need to be to make up for those times when the attention to your diet is insufficient.
Different Types of Vitamins
There are many different nutrient types of vitamins, but two typical nutrient types exist. Each nutrient type is determined by how they are absorbed and processed within the body.
These specific nutrient types are absorbed into the body alongside the fats that you eat, and they are stored within the fatty tissues of your body and liver. Many of these will come from animal foods and plant foods high in fat from a dietary standpoint.
Here are the four common fat-soluble vitamins.
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
Water-Soluble Vitamins
These vitamins can be dissolved in water and absorbed into the body tissues immediately, ready to be used by your body. The body discharges water-soluble vitamins through urine when taken in excess, which can sometimes cause digestive disruption.
Common water-soluble vitamins are:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B
- Riboflavin
- Folic acid
Once you have a clear picture of how different types of water-soluble vitamins can be absorbed and work within your body, it will help you better understand the timelines associated with each vitamin supplement.
How Long Does It Take for Vitamins to Work?
The short answer is, it depends. The length of time it takes for vitamins to work depends on the type of vitamin supplement and the vitamin deficiency that needs to be addressed in your body.
Generally speaking, the more deficient you are, the sooner you see results. However, making yourself vitamin deficient is something you do not want to strive for just to see immediate results from taking vitamin supplements.
Three months is a typical timeline for this new routine if you need to set realistic expectations to try something new. If you are consistent, regardless of how vitamin deficient you were when you started, you should be able to notice and mark some tangible changes within ninety days.
Additionally, you can take all the vitamins in the world, but if the supplement quality is low, you may never see results. Do your research before deciding on types and brands, and even consult with your doctor if necessary.
You also need to know how to take different supplements properly and to know how nutrients interact with each other.
For instance, an iron supplement is best taken with Vitamin C for it to be easily absorbed. On the other hand, taking a calcium supplement with iron is not advisable because the former reduces the absorption of the latter.
What Can You Do to Accelerate Progress?
For vitamins and minerals to properly do their jobs, you need to ensure that you give them the best environment to thrive in.
1. A Healthy Diet
If you are not a food-conscious person in terms of eating for well-rounded health, you must start paying attention to what you are putting into your body. Reading labels is a good start, but what is the point if you do not know what you are reading?
Also, most fruits and vegetables have no labels containing their nutrient components. Eating your way to better health is a great way to support your lifestyle and overall well-being.
Sometimes people get overzealous and think that a healthy diet is restricted to certain foods. The truth is, though, that we all need a balanced diet that includes vitamins and minerals from many different sections of the food pyramid.
If you have allergies, an aversion, or a social opposition to eating certain foods, that is no problem—you can certainly make adjustments to prevent vitamin deficiencies.
For example, there are ways to find certain nutrients like iron, which are heavily present in red meats and plants. You just need to do some research to discover the alternatives.
Plant-based iron is just one example of how you do not have to restrict, limit, or omit certain foods just to reap the benefits.
2. Increased Physical Activity
Being physically active can do so much more than just aid in your vitamin journey—it definitely helps too. When you work to eliminate fatty tissue from your body with exercise, you are creating an environment where your vitamins can get to work more efficiently.
You do not need to be concerned that fat reduction will hinder the results from any fat-soluble vitamins that you take. Those fat-soluble vitamins certainly still have ample opportunity to work since they are absorbed into both the liver and fatty tissue, not to mention you will never be able to get rid of them completely.
On top of complementing your vitamin supplement, regular exercise is simply good practice in general. It can help with mental clarity and motivation, sleep hygiene, and mobility, just to start. This also does not mean that you have to spend hours in a gym.
Find activities you enjoy that work for you, and do not discount how beneficial even the most simple activities like walking can be for your health and wellness.
3. Proper Sleep
You have probably heard that eight hours is the magic sleep number for your whole life. While everyone is different, that is a good guide to start with.
When you implement a proper sleep routine, give your body a break and allow the vitamins to do their jobs. If you struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep, consider your actions before lying down.
Are you heavy into screen time right before bed? Is your mattress too old? What about the temperature of your bedroom? Creating a sleeping environment that helps you fall asleep and stay asleep is crucial.
The Benefits of Taking Vitamins
While you are asking yourself, “how long does it take for vitamins to work”, you are probably asking yourself about the benefits you can expect as well. Let us share it with you now.
1. Digestive system
There are specific vitamins you can take that will increase your digestive health.
Vitamin C will be helpful because of its high antioxidant component. At the same time, the different types of Vitamin B are proven to be beneficial in improving how your body breaks down certain foods and functions in terms of eliminating waste.
You can add digestive enzymes specifically by using pre or probiotics. Different types of supplements like food enzymes can also provide the other nutrients your body craves when working hard to digest the foods you eat.
2. Energy levels
You can expect your body’s energy levels to increase as you start to incorporate the vitamins that specifically aid in energy production. Even if you feel that your body is doing a great job in this area, you may notice some changes.
For example, that midday crash many people experience or a post-meal dip in mood and energy. Once you start eating the right foods and taking the right vitamins, the feeling of ‘crashing’ in the middle of the day will decrease.
3. Aesthetically
There is nothing wrong with also having hopes and expectations that your efforts will yield some physical benefits, and the good news is, they will. You can expect changes like poor skin becoming clearer, dry or brittle hair to be stronger, and even the tone and texture of your skin to improve in some cases.
Of course, these improvements will be specific to the vitamins you take and your body makeup, but there are generally physical benefits to be experienced.
Conclusion
While you cannot get firm and direct answers to how long it takes for vitamins to work or what impact vitamin absorption, you can still get ideas through observations and experiences.
As you start taking vitamins and following the tips shared in accelerating your progress, you will notice some improvements and changes in your overall well-being. Searching and waiting for “one big a-ha” moment is probably setting yourself for potential disappointment.
Regardless of how long it takes for vitamins to work, always celebrate the small victories, such as discovering the types of vitamins your body lacks and how to add them in—then becoming more self-aware about the foods you eat and your activity levels.
By paying attention to the aesthetic changes happening outside your body—know that these changes reflect the transformations or improvements inside your body.
These elements will add to a sustainable habit and become part of your daily routine instead of something you looked to for a quick fix, then abandoned after a short time and not seeing any results.
