Taking vitamins and supplements does require some level of commitment to your health. Simply taking on this effort and owning the responsibiity to remember to take them as prescribed by your provider can be the first task in taking control of your health and the first step to creating real change in reaching your health goals.
This might mean a shift in your mind and your current thoughts on taking pills. Even if you are someone who doesn't want to take pills in general, remembering and focusing on the purpose of these vitamins and supplements and how they are diffferent from pharmaceuticals can really help.
There are a few key differences between those tiny pharmaceutical pills and supplements which are important to note:
Pharmaceuticals are generally:
A specific, single chemical designed to work in a specific way to change or suppress the normal physiology or function.
They also have a designated half life for their function, meaning they work for a set amount of time and they need to be redosed at that time to maintain therapeutic levels and symptom suppression.
Simply manage the condition and don't typically correct or resolve the problem long term.
Nutrients and Supplements are generally:
Not usually designed to change the function or physiology of the system, but instead to support the normal function and physiology.
Needed in much higher amounts, therapeutic amounts, to address deficiency and dysfunction.
Don't have the same sort of half life, if we are treating a nutrient deficiency, for example, we are needing to replenish the missing stores which can take time to build back up.
Affect the body and function in multiple ways
Are sometimes a blend of multiple ingredients that work synergistically to help restore normal function.
Your provider has likely chosen them to not be a management device for your condition and with the longer term goal to no longer need them once the problem or deficiency is corrected.
It is possible to remember your vitamins and supplements every day! Yes, even multiple times per day. It may take some practice, experimentation and some self-discipline, but here are a few tips and tricks to help you as well.
Remembering Multiple Dosings Per Day
Remebering to take those vitamins or supplements 2 or even 3 times per day is a common challenge for our patients. Nutrients in particular, especially at therapeutic dosing (i.e. more than just the RDA, which is the minimum to prevent deficiency), need to be split up with various meals during the day. Water soluble vitamins, like C and B vitamins, in particular don't accumulate as easily in the tissues and cells, so it is much harder to overdose in them, but it also means when taking repletion level doses, we need to split this up across the day to help maximize absorption.
Fat soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, E, D and K and certain minerals can easily accumulate in the tissues and cells and therefore, are much easier to overdose when taking larger amounts, but you can often take them less often. With Vitamin D, for example, you can take your entire weekly dose once per week, but it might mean you're taking 5 to 10 vitamin D pills (depending on the strength) once a week. Sometimes it's just easier to remember to take it all once a day as the infrequent dosing of once per week often makes some patients forget. Missing that once a week BIG dose is a much bigger deal than missing a much smaller, once per day dose every once in a while.
Please be sure to speak to your medical provider before you consider taking high doses of these nutrients.
Generally 2-3 time per day dosing is aimed toward being at meal times, which can help you remember to take them. Other ways to help you remember include:
Keeping the vitamins you need at meal time right next to where you sit and eat. That way they are staring at you and remind you!
Writing the dose on top of the bottle lid, or using a handy pill organizer like one of these from Amazon (just remember to refill them every week or so as needed!):
Links to these products redirect you to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate our office may earn from qualifying purchases.
*Ad, Paid Links
AUVON XL Weekly Pill Organizer 2 Times a Day, Pill Box 7 Day with One-Side Large Openings for Easy to Use, Black Privacy Protection AM PM Pill Case for Medication, Vitamins, Fish Oils, Supplements
Weekly Pill Organizer 2 Times a Day - Am Pm Pill Box 7 Day, Large Twice Medicine Pill Case for Daily Medication, Vitamins, Fish Oils, Supplements Portable Week Pill Holder Container, Translucent Black
Extra Large Weekly Pill Organizer - XL Daily Pill Box - 7 Day Am Pm Pill Case Jumbo Pill Container for Supplements Big Pill Holder Twice A Day Oversized (Rainbow)
*Ad, Paid Links
PULIV Large Supplement Organizer Bottle, Holds Plenty of 6 Various Vitamins in 1 Pill Dispenser with Anti-Mixing & Wide Openings Design, Easy to Retrieve Meds, Includes 20 Pcs Stick-on Labels
70 Pcs Weekly Pill Pouch Bags Zippered Reusable Medicine Organizer Set Self Sealing Medicine Bag Travel Plastic Pill Bags with Slide Lock for Small Items Storage(Classic)
These are great for travel! You can also color code them by time of day to take them, and then you can just take what you need with you, even just grabbing the bags you need for that day and keeping them with you while you travel.
Sagely Smart XL Weekly Pill Sorter | Easy-to-Use Large Weekly Pill Organizer | Portable 2 Times a Day Weekly Magnetic Pill Organizer (White/Gray)
This one comes with a reminder app!
*Ad Paid Links VODESON Weekly (7days) Travel Pill Organizer, Smart Remind Pill Box with Alarm,Medicine Dispenser Portable Travel Pill Case for Vitamins/Fish Oil/Supplements/Pills Home Pill Reminder
Reminds you and tells you how many to take!
Lunch time is another challenge, as most working people and busy students aren't home for lunch time to see their vitamins on the table. This is when an organizer that allows you to pop out the lunch dose like the MURRI&MURRDI one below and toss it in your lunch bag or purse really comes in handy. Another, less expensive option is just tossing them in a plastic zip-lock bag (or a reuseable one like the one above) and putting them somewhere you know will be accessible when you eat your lunch.
*Ad Paid Links
MURRI&MURRDI Upgraded Pill Organizer 3 Times a Day,Daily Pill Box Container with 21 Compartments,Large Weekly Medicine Case 7 Day, Travel Dispenser Holder for Vitamins,Fish Oils (D Green)
Weekly Pill Organizer 3X a Day, Detachable Pill Box 7 Day, Large 3 Times Daily Pill Case, Travel Pill Container Holder, Week Medication Dispenser Pillbox for Vitamin Supplement Medicine, Black
Sometimes it's still hard to remember to pack what you need for when at work or school vs, when at home. Simply purchasing an additional bottle of the same vitamin or supplement, one to keep at home and one to keep at the office, also works well if that fits within your budget.
For bedtime vitamins, keep that bottle by the bed, perhaps on a nightstand, so you can remember to take it as soon as you get into bed. Or in the bathroom near your toothbrush or night cream so you can take it when you do your nightly routine.
Setting an alarm on your phone for the times you need your vitamins is another trick that has helped many patients remember to take their vitamins.
A study published in the journal Healthcare, found that the median time taken to form new, healthy habits was 59-66 days. Give yourself some time to get there with consistency.
Still having problems remembering?
It might be that you need more routine to your daily life to help. Ensuring you have regular meal times and sleep and wake times are an essential part of self care and supporting normal function, sleep, energy and hormonal balance throughout the day. Fixing this could make all the difference in remembering to take your vitamins and supplements as well as help you reach your health goals.
Memory impairment could also be the result of a nutrient deficiency (i.e. B12, folate, essential fats to name a few), and putting the effort in getting those supplements in consistently may make it easier to remember as your nutrient levels increase.
Certain medical conditions can also affect your memory, such as thyroid disease, autoimmune disease, chronic anxiety, ADD/ADHD, even perimenopause! But your supplements and nutrients are likely chosen by your provider to help correct these, and setting alarms or asking a partner, family member or roommate for help for the first several weeks may make it easier as your condition and function improves. Some of the pill organizers above come with an app to help or have timers on them you can set to help.
Want to learn more?
Schedule a Complimentary Consultation with a Naturopathic Physician:
Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of physicians at Pacific Clinic of Natural Medicine, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of our physicians and their community. PCNM encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your health care professional before using products based on this content.
If you want to use an article on your site please direct to and cite the original article page. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from PCNM and the original author is required.
Comments