How to Stop Nausea from Vitamins or Iron Supplements

Do you experience nausea from vitamins?

I get you – I used to experience that A LOT.

If you are tired of that nauseous feeling after taking vitamins, keep reading. I have some tips for you to prevent nausea from supplements  and help eliminate this nasty feeling once and for all.

Nausea From Vitamins – Why It Happens

“She’s going to barf” the patient yelled.    That was my experience of getting very nauseous from taking vitamins.  I was working at a hospital on day shift when I was in a patient’s room taking vitals.

Earlier at 5:30 I took my prenatal without having time for breakfast and by the time I was standing over a patient’s bed with my face near his at 7 am I was turning green and he was overly worried  – and not for me!

What causes nausea when taking vitamins?

I don’t always love taking vitamins but I love the balance and health improvements they deliver. Yet, vitamins can be construed as not necessary by the drug industry or confusing by the concerned individual.

Why are vitamins so popular? Because most people need them for optimal health.

A common challenge with taking vitamins

One common complaint related to taking vitamins is nausea. If they make you feel bad, chances are you won’t take them daily.

How do we balance the need to be healthy and problems with taking your vitamins?

We acknowledge the truth. Supplements may have side effects. They are usually mild. They also do not compare to the side effects of not having the right nutrients.

We also look for solutions. There are ways to prevent negative reactions. If you’re experiencing nausea related to taking a multivitamin or a mineral supplement like iron, don’t throw them out! There are simple explanations.

What Causes Nausea from Vitamins

People tend to take their vitamins in the morning, often before eating, as I did. This is one of many possible contributing factors to nausea. Others are:

• Taking lots of antacids
• Eating lots of sugar and refined foods
• Chronic overeating
• Constant snacking between meals
• Being deficient in zinc and thiamine
• Eating certain types of food with your supplement, specifically with iron

Can you relate?

As you can see, the problem is not with the vitamins themselves. Problems occur related to other habits we have.

What might you be able to do to eliminate negative side effects? You’ve educated yourself. You want optimal health and are working that way. The good news is gaining a little more information, following the three Biblical health principles, and changing your routine a bit will help a lot.

How to Stop Nausea from Vitamins

While vitamins are critical, All vitamins aren’t equal.

The first step in eliminating nausea is to determine if the vitamin you are taking is a great supplement, or should be thrown in the trash. Quality matters

It may be obvious, but doing the opposite of the habits which cause the problem is the first step.

8 ways to eliminate nausea from vitamins forever

• Stop taking your vitamins on an empty stomach. Eat first! Give your stomach something to digest with your vitamins to help keep it balanced. It does not need to be more than 3 bites to create a happy gut that will invite the vitamins in.
• Take vitamins in the evening or at bedtime
• Don’t take vitamins before exercising
• Try chewable, powder, or other easy-to-digest forms of a vitamin.
• Stop using antacids – Note: This may require a change in your eating habits for the good of your stomach. I shared in the Treasures DVD series how my husband was able to get off his Prevacid after 3 days of eating the Three Principles!
• Cut back on refined sugar. Reduce or eliminate sweets. Read labels (there’s hidden sugar in lots of unexpected places).
• Cut out refined and processed food. Buy fresh. Make homemade. If you’re buying something that’s prepackaged, read labels.
• Eat balanced, well-proportioned meals. Get your fruits, vegetables, and healthy proteins in. Don’t overdo it though. You can still eat too much of a good food.
• Try to cut out snacking throughout the day. Give your stomach time to rest and replenish good bacteria important for healthy digestion.
• Decrease your overall carb intake. Yes, too many simple carbs such as crackers, cookies, and chips throughout the day can contribute to these issues! Carbs are often cheap and easy, but they cost in the long run.
• Pay attention to zinc and thiamine – Quality vitamins will include these essential elements, but there are also many foods you can eat to increase the levels in your body. When zinc and thiamine are at optimal levels we are less nauseated taking vitamins.

(1) Zinc: found in meat, legumes, seeds, nuts, dairy, and eggs

(2) Thiamine: found in many of the same foods, plus a few more: beef, liver, nuts, oats, oranges, eggs, seeds, and legumes

How to help prevent nausea when taking iron supplements?

• Take iron, which is best absorbed on an empty stomach, at bedtime or with a small amount of food
• When taking iron, pay attention to what you’re eating with it. You’ll want to avoid taking it within two hours of eating these foods:

1. Milk
2. High-fiber foods (whole-grains, raw vegetables, bran)
3. Foods or drinks with caffeine

What a great list, right? There are many opportunities to eliminate nausea related to taking vitamins and minerals. Maybe the list seems overwhelming, though. Start with one step (remember, the first step is to verify your supplements are of high quality). If that step doesn’t work, try the next one.

Still, need a great reason to make these changes? Remind yourself why taking a multivitamin or mineral supplement is important.

Why vitamins are Important

Vitamins are critical because our modern lifestyles have stumbled far away from the abundant health provided by following God’s best health plan.

A healthy, balanced diet is the best way to meet your nutritional needs. Our complex bodies need many different nutrients. Minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, thiamine, and zinc. Fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Water-soluble vitamins like B-complex, vitamin C, and vitamin H (biotin). (The main difference in fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins is how they’re processed and how long they’re stored in the body.)

These nutrients come from many different foods. However, most people don’t get enough of every vitamin and mineral through eating alone. Without them, we become weak, lethargic, and ill.

Because of nutritional deficiencies, many people need vitamins to help keep them running at their best.

Many of these bits of help may take some time and adjustment. Being in good health is a lifestyle, after all. Making adjustments to your routine to keep nausea at bay is worth the effort. Giving up good nutrition because of a fixable issue is not.

Conclusion

Taking a multivitamin or other supplements have tremendous benefits. Multivitamins provide a host of excellent resources that your whole body will appreciate.

Keep consuming your vitamins. Take note of how you feel afterward and under what circumstances you took them. If you experience nausea or other stomach issues, make a change. Consider keeping using the Hunger – Satisfied Journal for a short time to help you track patterns.

The most important thing to remember is don’t ever give up!

Take your vitamins and mineral supplements daily.

Your body will thank you today and days coming.  Remember – let’s press on for the upward call!

And to let you know – I did not throw up on the patient, yet I did leave the room immediately!