Do Vitamins Break a Fast?

You may have heard of “fasting” before, but what is it? Does breaking your fast have anything to do with the classic morning meal, breakfast? And do vitamins break a fast? These are good questions to ask, and Team Nature Made has the answers for you!

Fasting is a period of time in which one abstains from eating food or certain specific foods. Reasons for fasting can vary; many religions include periods of fasting as part of holidays, and some medical procedures require fasting before or after. Fasting is a complex subject, and we recommend consultation with a healthcare professional before fasting for any reason to ensure you can provide your body with the necessary nutrients during your fasting period.

The Role of Vitamins

Vitamins are essential compounds that we usually find through dietary sources that our bodies cannot produce on their own. Vitamins have several benefits to our bodily functions! For example, Vitamin A helps support a healthy immune system and is essential for eye health. The collection of eight B Vitamins supports our body's conversion of food into cellular energy, giving our metabolism vital support. Vitamin C alone has many benefits: it is an antioxidant that helps support our immune system, increases iron absorption from food, and is needed for collagen synthesis to support overall skin health.†

A balanced diet is the first place to look for these essential vitamins, but if you are looking to cover possible nutrient gaps, vitamin supplementation can help. These benefits and many more are why it's vital to ensure our bodies are getting the essential vitamins we need, whether through dietary sources or with the help of supplementation!

Do Vitamins Break a Fast?

If you are considering fasting for medical, religious, or other reasons, you may wonder whether vitamins break a fast. The simple answer is yes. You must take vitamins with water and a meal, so you are breaking your fast if you take your vitamins correctly.

Vitamins are broken up into two separate categories: fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are all fat-soluble vitamins, which means they are absorbed alongside fat in your diet. They need this fat to be absorbed, so taking fat-soluble vitamins with a meal that includes fat is essential to their effectiveness. For this reason, correctly taking fat-soluble vitamins would break a fast, as they need a meal to accompany them.

Water-soluble vitamins, like Vitamin B and Vitamin C, are dissolved and absorbed with water. We also recommend taking water-soluble vitamins with water and a meal for comfort and absorption. Some fasts may include a daily period where your fast is broken or when you are allowed to eat certain specific foods. Consuming your vitamins during this time, with water and some fat in a meal or snack, would be advised. Some vitamins come in a gummy form; these gummy vitamins would also break your fast, as they are a source of calories and sugar.

How to Take Vitamins While Fasting

As we've stated above, correctly taking a vitamin would break your fast. As it's essential to take vitamins with water and a meal for them to have their intended effect, we recommend taking vitamins only when you are breaking your fast. Be sure to take fat-soluble vitamins with a meal that includes some fat, whether oil or animal fats. Please consult your primary care physician before beginning a fasting period for more personalized advice on when to break your fast, what vitamins and supplements you may benefit from, and how best to take vitamins during or after your fast.

Once your fast is broken, one of the best ways to keep to a consistent supplement routine is to take your supplements with the same meal every day. This ensures that you are taking your supplements correctly, with water and a meal, and helps you establish a consistent routine. We advise keeping your vitamins and supplements in a cool, dry place near where you eat. Doing this gives you an easy visual reminder to take supplements with your meal, making it much harder to forget and drop out of your routine.

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.