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I\u2019m not going to lie, my morning routine has been permanently altered by learning that iron tablets<\/a> may not perform as well when taken with tea or coffee.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n I used to have mine with my morning cuppa, but the NHS suggested <\/a>the drinks may affect how much of the mineral my body can absorb.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n And according to<\/a> NHS surgeon, author, and podcast host Dr Karan Rajan<\/a>, \u201cIf you consume too much calcium, either in supplement form or in food, this can actually impact iron absorption\u201d too. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n In fact, he shared a few supplements that you shouldn\u2019t take together in an Instagram Reel<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n You already know that he doesn\u2019t want us taking calcium and iron at the same time \u2013 he recommends consuming these supplements \u201cat least two hours apart\u201d for the best benefits, and says to take vitamin C alongside your iron.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n In fact, the Mayo Clinic advises<\/a> against taking calcium supplements alongside iron-rich meals, too.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Additionally, Dr Rajan stated that \u201cIf you combine zinc with calcium, the zinc competes with calcium for absorption<\/a> in the gut, so taking both together limits the effectiveness of both\u201d. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n He also recommended spacing these apart by two hours if you require both supplements. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Think that means you can sync your zinc and iron supplement times? Sadly, that\u2019d be too easy, according to Dr Rajan. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIron at concentrations of 25mg or more can reduce zinc absorption,\u201d he continued. If your iron tablets meet that level<\/a>, take them \u201ca few hours\u201d apart from zinc.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Green tea or green tea extract can also impact iron absorption. Dr Rajan said not to drink either if you need to take iron supplements. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n And a 2016 paper even found<\/a> that excessive green tea drinking appeared to actually cause<\/em> iron deficiency anaemia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Vitamin C and vitamin B12 don\u2019t mix well when taken together, the surgeon continued, as \u201cvitamin C in high doses can reduce the amount of vitamin B12<\/a> that\u2019s absorbed… take vitamin C at least two hours after vitamin B12\u201d. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Oh, and look \u2013 our old friend zinc is back with more complications. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIf you take zinc with magnesium,\u201d the surgeon said, \u201cthe zinc in doses above 140mg per day can compete with magnesium<\/a> for absorption… so take them at different times of the day.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n However, this only seems to be the case for pretty high levels of zinc.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhich supplements shouldn\u2019t you take together?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
1) Calcium and iron<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
2) Zinc and calcium <\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
3) Zinc and iron<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
4) Green tea or green tea extract and iron <\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
5) Vitamin C and vitamin B12<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
6) Zinc and magnesium<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n