This post contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission at no extra charge to you when you buy with my link. I appreciate the support!
I was not a huge vitamin supplement fan growing up but realized that I needed them recently
The problem was that it hurt my stomach every time and making myself take them was hard
I had to learn how to get rid of nausea from vitamins so I can take what I needed
It took time and experimentation, but I did manage to mostly take care of my nausea
I still get it slightly sometimes
But it is mild and lasts less than 30 minutes
What causes nausea when you take vitamins?
There are several reasons that vitamins make you nauseous
Some vitamins are acidic, like vitamin C, which can make you nauseous if taken on an empty stomach
Vitamins can also react to other vitamins, minerals, or medications
This reaction can result in many symptoms, including nausea
Some vitamins even reduce the benefits of other vitamins
An example of this is Vitamin C and Vitamin B12
Vitamin C breaks down Vitamin B12 in the stomach
So knowing what you are taking, when to take them, and what to avoid mixing together can save a lot of time and prevent sickness
If you are taking a multivitamin, then the iron might be causing the nausea
Iron can make you feel nauseous when you first take it or can make you nauseous if you take too much
Fat-soluble vitamins may also cause nausea
The fat-soluble vitamins are:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin K
These vitamins are stored in the body instead of going out in the urine
This means that they can get stuck in the body if you take too much which creates many unpleasant symptoms – including nausea
Water soluble vitamins are less likely to cause nausea when you’re taking too much, but it is still possible
If you are like me, sometimes you get nausea right after taking the pills, but it goes away after a little time
This could mean that you are taking too much of fat-soluble or acidic vitamins, or that the formula that you are using doesn’t agree with your body
The best thing you can do is test things out and find what works for you
How long does nausea last after taking vitamins?
If you are taking your vitamins as instructed (or trying all the options I will mention below) and you are still getting nauseous…
That nausea should only last two or three hours max
I have limited my nausea a lot, but I still get some when I take my vitamins
I know that it will last about a half hour for me, and it will be limited
You will have to decide what is best for you and your body
But nausea should be limited if you try everything below to prevent it
How to get rid of nausea from vitamins
Since there are many reasons that nausea may exist, there will be many ways to get rid of nausea from vitamins
Some are simple and easy while others take more effort
But vitamins can make a huge impact on your life, so I hope we can get that nausea under control so you can enjoy it!
1. Take them a half hour after you eat
Vitamins and minerals need to be taken on a full stomach to avoid nausea
Some minerals are absorbed better on an empty stomach, but the difference doesn’t make the natural worth it to me
Eating and taking your vitamins at the same time works, but taking them 30 minutes after eating is better
It gives your stomach a chance to get started with digestion, and then the supplements just add to it
This decreases your chance of nausea greatly
2. Drink a lot of water with them
I know, I know
Drinking water is a common struggle.
I struggle a lot with it!
I don’t enjoy water even though it helps me feel better
And I get tempted to take my vitamins with juice
The problem is that water helps prevent nausea from taking vitamins and minerals
Juice can actually make nausea worse
I recommend taking a couple of nice drinks of water before taking the pills
Then take the pills with water
And drinking some more when you are done
This helps flush everything down and helps prevent that nausea
3. Learn how to best use each vitamin
Not all vitamins and minerals work the same
Some have to be taken together while others shouldn’t
Calcium should be taken at night
So learning about best practices for the vitamins and minerals you take is important
4. Make sure dosage is right
Dosage is huge when taking any medication
Natural or not
Too much of any good thing becomes a bad thing
Taking too much of a vitamin can give you a range of symptoms, including nausea and fatigue
This is more for the long-lasting nausea
But dosage is always a good thing to check if you are getting symptoms from your vitamins
5. Take them at a different time of day
As mentioned in number 3, time of day can make a difference
If you struggle with eating breakfast, taking vitamins after dinner might be a better choice
You can take some in the morning and some at night
Test things out
What works for me might not work for you
Everyone is unique so trying a different time of day might help you get rid of nausea from vitamins
6. Don’t take all of them at once
Sometimes, a lot of pills are needed
But the downfall of that is a lot of pills can be so hard on your stomach
You can try taking them 30-minutes apart or maybe with every meal
If you take a lot of pills and struggle with nausea from them, separating them might be the change you need
7. Try a different brand
Just because two brands have the same vitamin doesn’t mean they are exactly the same
There are different processes for each brand
So if you are getting nauseous, try changing to a new brand
It might be as simple as that brand isn’t a match for your body!
- Make sure there are no reactions to other medications
This is huge!
Make sure there are no reactions between your vitamins and other medications
This can be dangerous
Make sure your doctor is up to date on what you take so they can make a plan when prescribing a medication
Negative interactions can be severe or they can be simple (like nausea)
So double check to make sure that is not a possible cause
9. Check the format of the supplement
There are different types of supplements
Tablets tend to be harder on the stomach than soft gels because they are harder to digest
I mainly use capsules but I also make my own supplements
So testing out different formats of the vitamins you need can help you get rid of nausea from vitamins
10. Try supplements that are actually food
I’ve mentioned that I make my own supplements
I do this through the meals I make and through the capsules I make
For vitamin D, for example, I use sun-treat mushrooms and add them to my capsules
I don’t enjoy eating mushrooms so capsules are a great option for me
Since not everyone has the tools and ability to do that, just researching foods that can give you the vitamins and minerals you need can help
When I’m struggling with iron, I add more beef and spinach to my diet
If it is sickness season, I eat fruits high in vitamin C
Doing research into the companies that make supplements can do the same thing
How do they make their supplements?
Try to choose ones that are as natural as possible
11. Reduce dosage size
Sometimes you can be taking the right amount of a supplement, but you just aren’t used to it
So reducing the dosage size and slowly increasing it to what you need is an option
Let your system get used to taking supplements
12. Don’t take them before exercising
Many people take their supplements and exercise in the morning
I caution against taking vitamins before exercising though
It is can hard on your system and increase nausea from vitamins
13. Eat ginger with them
Ginger is a great tool for people struggling with nausea
I learned this one while I was getting morning sickness during my surrogacy
Eating some ginger or ginger candies before taking your vitamins can help get rid of nausea from vitamins
It calms the stomach and is a powerful tool for you
If you are here, I assume that nausea from vitamins is a struggle you have
What are you going to try first to get rid of nausea from vitamins?