Nutrient absorption: simple ways to get more from food

Missing nutrients can sneak up on you. Nutrient absorption is how your gut pulls vitamins, minerals and calories from food and moves them into your blood. If absorption is poor, eating well won’t fix deficiencies. Small changes in meals, meds and habits often make a big difference.

Several things control absorption: the food matrix, stomach acid, gut bacteria, enzyme activity, and medications. Age, surgery, and conditions like celiac disease or pancreatitis can lower absorption. Even common drugs—antacids, proton pump inhibitors, some antibiotics and thyroid pills—change how your body takes in nutrients.

Practical tips you can use today

Eat fat with fat‑soluble vitamins. Vitamins A, D, E and K need fat to absorb. Add a little olive oil, avocado, or nuts to your salad or vegetables.

Pair iron with vitamin C. Plant iron (non‑heme) absorbs poorly on its own. Squeeze lemon on beans or eat citrus with a spinach salad to boost uptake.

Hold off on tea and coffee at meals. Tannins in these drinks block iron and zinc absorption. Wait at least an hour after eating before drinking strong tea or coffee.

Space minerals and some meds. Calcium, magnesium and antacids can bind iron, thyroid medicine (levothyroxine) and some antibiotics. Take those supplements and certain drugs two to four hours apart when possible.

Cook some vegetables. Cooking breaks down cell walls and can free up nutrients like lycopene in tomatoes and beta‑carotene in carrots. But raw is fine for vitamin C, so balance cooking methods.

Keep an eye on stomach acid. Low acid from aging or from proton pump inhibitors can reduce B12, iron and calcium absorption. Talk to your doctor before stopping any acid medication.

When medications and conditions matter

Consider probiotics and enzymes. Fermented foods and specific probiotic strains can restore gut bacteria after antibiotics. Digestive enzyme supplements help with fat and protein breakdown for some people, especially after pancreatic disease or surgery. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before starting supplements to avoid interactions with prescriptions. Keep a food and med log.

Tetracycline and fluoroquinolone antibiotics bind calcium and iron — take them well away from dairy and supplements. Levothyroxine works best on an empty stomach; take it 30 to 60 minutes before breakfast or separate it from calcium by several hours. Metformin users often need B12 checks because long‑term use can lower B12 levels. Cholestyramine and other bile acid binders reduce fat‑soluble vitamin uptake, so timing and monitoring matter.

If you have chronic diarrhea, a history of bowel surgery, or conditions like celiac disease, get labs. Simple blood tests for iron, ferritin, B12, vitamin D and albumin show common gaps. Stool tests and a gastroenterology consult help when absorption problems persist.

Start small: add healthy fats to meals, pair iron with vitamin C, and review medication timing with your pharmacist. Those three steps fix many problems fast. When in doubt, ask your healthcare provider for targeted testing and a plan tailored to your meds and health history.