Many medications and supplements are directed to be taken on an empty stomach. But how long after eating is your stomach really empty? The average time that everyone seems to agree on is about 2 hours. So if you ask your doctor, chances are he or she will tell you that a stomach is empty about 2 hours after eating. This is a number that will probably be true for most people, but not all. How quickly your stomach processes your food depends on things like, ph level, food type, and blood flow just to name a few. Even a persons general health can have a huge impact. However, 2 hours is a good bet because it gives the stomach plenty of time to do its job.
Worst Time To Take Medications.
It is well known that food has a large effect on how well things like drugs and supplements get absorbed. That’s why many drugs require an empty stomach. Food can alter gut physiology and in turn effect absorption. The amount of food, food temperature, and even the amount of calories are all potential variables that can decrease absorption rates. All these have the biggest affect on absorption right after eating. So the worst possible time to take certain types of medications or supplements is right after eating. The more time that passes after you eat the more sure you can be that you have an empty stomach. The more empty your stomach is, the higher absorption you can generally expect. The key is to minimize the chance for food to interfere with absorption.
Final thoughts.
Many scientific formulas can be calculated to predict your individual absorption rate for various types of drugs. But even with all the formulas, equations, and calculations, in the end it’s still a prediction. If you’re at home searching online for a way to get the best absorption out of your medications or supplements, an empty stomach is your best bet. Eating is pretty much the only thing you have control over. You can’t change the composition of the drug you are taking to suit your individual digestion needs. That’s beyond you. The only thing that you can control is your eating habits. What you eat and when you eat it. Foods high in calories and fat will effect absorption greatest. So avoid those when absorption is important to you. An empty stomach is the focus. Eliminate the food, Eliminate the variables.
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