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When to take vitamin D: with food or without?

Short answer: With a meal that contains some fat. Older adults absorbed more vitamin D3 when they took it with a fat-containing meal than with a fat-free one (graded moderate). Time of day itself matters less.

TakeItWhen grade: moderate

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Common questions

Morning or evening?

No good evidence favours one time of day. Pair it with your fattiest meal.

Does it need to be a big meal?

No. The study compared a meal with fat to a fat-free meal; a normal meal with some fat is enough.

Sources

How we grade: strong consistent human trials, moderate some human trials, weak limited or indirect evidence, myth evidence says no. This is general information, not medical advice. If you take a prescription medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

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