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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by sb417 on September 16, 2004, at 22:17:43
A few years ago I read in a book on nutrition that if you take a high fiber product like bran or psyllium, then it is best not to take vitamins/supplements at the same time. According to the author, ingestion of vitamins should be separated from ingestion of high fiber by a few hours because the fiber can interfere with the absorption of the vitamins. I'm wondering whether this is true, and if it is, then I suppose I shouldn't take my flaxseed meal at the same time that I take my vitamins. I believe flaxseed and flaxseed meal are very high in fiber. Does anyone have any ideas about this?
Posted by Larry Hoover on September 19, 2004, at 9:49:36
In reply to Is it ok to take vitamins with flaxseed meal?, posted by sb417 on September 16, 2004, at 22:17:43
> A few years ago I read in a book on nutrition that if you take a high fiber product like bran or psyllium, then it is best not to take vitamins/supplements at the same time. According to the author, ingestion of vitamins should be separated from ingestion of high fiber by a few hours because the fiber can interfere with the absorption of the vitamins. I'm wondering whether this is true, and if it is, then I suppose I shouldn't take my flaxseed meal at the same time that I take my vitamins. I believe flaxseed and flaxseed meal are very high in fiber. Does anyone have any ideas about this?
Fiber can indeed interfere with vitamin uptake. Bran, psyllium and flax are all high in soluble fibre. Soluble fibre forms a network of water-binding "tentacles" that hold greater than 100 times the fiber mass of water. If nutrients get caught up in this fiber mass, they aren't exposed to the intestinal wall, and uptake is diminished. But, there are a lot of other factors, like the secretion of bile, and the churning from muscle contractions, and the like, that encourage surface turnover in the gut and diffusion and dispersion. It's a factor to consider, but whether it's going to make a big difference is not clear.
If you have the clarity of mind to separate your ingestion of flax meal from vitamin intake, while still ensuring that you take your vitamins with food (uptake is enhanced by food in general), then by all means, separate them. But, I wouldn't make a big deal out of it.
Lar
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