Monday 07.18.16

If you want to gain the most from your supplements, then timing is everything. Though there can be some flexibility when taking different supplements, meaning you will always gain some benefits, the precise time you take your supplements can have a significant effect on absorption. So if you’re looking to get the biggest bang for your buck, read on.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that what foods you take with your supplements can also have an effect – some foods work synergistically with natural supplements while others can hinder absorption. Let’s explore in more detail how and when you should be taking your supplements.

O3

Firstly, let’s look at PurePharma O3. A premium fish oil supplement like O3 is best taken with food, as it helps improve the overall fatty acid profile of the meal. You can take PurePharma O3 in the morning with breakfast, lunch or with a wholesome meal at the end of the day. Crucially, though, a meal containing other healthy fats, such as extra virgin olive oil or grass-fed butter, will increase absorption of the healthful EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids in PurePharma O3 (1).

Alternatively, some of us choose to consume PurePharma O3 with a small amount of food after exercise due to its anti-inflammatory effects. There is good evidence to support this practice. For example, a study published in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine found that supplementing with omega-3 reduced perceived pain and increased the range of motion at the knee joint caused by delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after exercise (2). PurePharma O3 is probably the most flexible of all of PurePharma’s supplements — take it with a meal or snack whenever it suits you the best.

D3

Vitamin D is inversely related to melatonin, our primary sleep hormone which helps set our circadian rhythms. As humans, we naturally synthesize some vitamin D through our skin from sunlight. However, relying on sun exposure usually isn’t sufficient as most of us spend too many hours of the day stuck inside away from the sun, or we live in countries where it’s impossible to synthesize vitamin D even on sunny days in winter time.

What this means is that for someone who is spending many hours outdoors in the summer months — a farmer or construction worker, for example — blood levels of the vitamin naturally rise during the daytime and fall at night (3). For this reason, the optimal time to take PurePharma D3 is either in the morning or at lunchtime in line with the natural cycle – in particular, avoid taking it at night as some people find that it is overstimulating.

Additionally, taking vitamin D with a large meal has been shown to dramatically increase absorption (4). For this reason, it’s recommended that ideally you take PurePharma D3 with either breakfast or lunch.

Importantly, vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, so ensure your meal contains healthy fats such as coconut oil, nuts, seeds or animal fats to maximize absorption. We encapsulate our D3 with organic, virgin coconut oil to help absorption.

M3

Physical activity can have a huge impact on intracellular magnesium levels, as magnesium is easily lost through sweat. That means the more physically active you are, the more magnesium you need to replenish the depleted levels in your body. For this reason, it’s a good idea to take your PurePharma M3 directly after exercise to improve recovery, and to replenish lost minerals. To really maximize absorption in this post-workout window, take the capsules with a meal containing protein (5).

However, if you take PurePharma M3, not for the post-exercise recovery benefits but to improve your sleep, then you can take the capsules 30 minutes before bedtime on an empty stomach.

Do keep in mind that whenever you choose to take your M3, be sure not to take it with dairy products such as milk, yogurt or cheese, or, in fact, any foods high in calcium, such as tinned sardines, almonds or tofu, as calcium and magnesium compete for absorption in the body (6).

Workouts for Week 07.18.16

Monday: Split Squats / Press; Pull Ups / Run / Handstand Push Ups / Pistols

Tuesday: Back Squats; Wall Balls / Row / Toes to Bar

Wednesday: Bent Over Rows / Hip Extensions; Ketllebell Swings / Burpee Box Jump Overs / Ring Dips

Thursday: Close-grip Bench Press / Pull Ups; Power Snatch / Overhead Squats; Sorenson Holds

Friday: Push Press; Squat Cleans / Pull Ups

Saturday: Clean complex; Dumbbell Squat Snatch / Burpees / Box Overs