Intermittent fasting and supplements... page

[Roxana]

I am trying to include 1 or 2 intermittent fasting days per week. I will fast for 36 hours (i.e. eat on Sunday normally, begin fast on Tuesday upon waking and not eat until Wednesday). I was wondering what you thought about taking supplements on fasting days? My current supplement regime consists of:

• High dose of Omega-3s
• Probiotics
• Multivits
• Astaxanthin
• Co Q10
• Vitamin D (oral spray)
• Vitamin B12 (oral spray)

I have tried taking these on an empty stomach on fasting days and I always feel very sick after about half an hour. Twice I have actually been sick!! To counter this, I now take these with a teaspoon of coconut oil on fasting days which prevents any nausea. What I am wondering is whether I should not be taking these on fasting days? Does the spoon of coconut oil negate the act of fasting? I simply cannot take these supplements without some sort of fat, but perhaps on fasting days I should just not take my supplements?

Any advice you have would be very welcome!

Thanks!

[RichMahogany]

You're overthinking it. Supplements are just that, supplemental. If you're eating nothing, there's nothing to supplement. Your stomach has already answered the question for you.

[Bosnic]

Out of all those, I would probably only take (while fasting):

- Vitamin D
- Probiotics

And only the Vitamin D if I'm not getting enough sun exposure. The rest are things that go along with food. If I'm not eating, I'm not eating. Unless you have a terrible deficiency for any of these, you'll be fine.

[namelesswonder]

Vitamin D will not be absorbed without fat present. Probiotics are good to take on an empty stomach as they're more likely to survive the trip to the intestines.

[Glockin Grok]

I find 1/4 teaspoon of both pink sea salt and "no salt" keeps me happy.

[Bosnic]

Vitamin D will not be absorbed without fat present. Probiotics are good to take on an empty stomach as they're more likely to survive the trip to the intestines.

You're right about Vitamin D. And that's the reason why people should opt for Vitamin D in oil (drops), better bio-availability.

If it's in oil, it can be absorbed easily even during a fast.

[namelesswonder]

Ah, I never considered that. I have it in oil form, but always take it with breakfast.

[Bosnic]

Ah, I never considered that. I have it in oil form, but always take it with breakfast.

I assume extra fat, on top of the oil itself would increase the bio-availability even further though. I always add mine to food.

[Ollie]

Hmm.

On your fasting days Would drop all those supplements and just add in some BCAA's.