There are two main reasons why the time of day you take your supplements matters: the intended purpose of the supplements and the foods and drinks you’re likely to consume near to taking them.

“Certain nutrients will be best absorbed or utilised with meals or at particular times due to their function,” explains Sasha Parkin, registered nutritional therapist at Wild Nutrition. “For example, it makes sense to take supplements that help you to unwind and relax in the evening and those that energise you in the morning.”

It stands to reason that taking a supplement designed to boost energy levels in the morning will help you start the day on the right foot, and pairing it with one designed to help you relax and fall asleep could cancel out the benefits and leave you restless come bedtime.

While certain foods may help your body to better absorb your supplements (more on that later), others, such as tea and coffee, can interfere with absorption because of their diuretic effects. Because of this, you want to avoid taking water-soluble vitamins such as B vitamins and vitamin C at the same time as these drinks.

Why you should think twice about taking all your supplements at the same time