About the site
PlanYourVitamins.com was founded in 2024, and is essentially a tool designed to help people find out how to get the most out of their vitamins and supplements
by determining when to take them, how to combine them, and what to avoid for optimal absorption and maximum benefit.
This website was conceived out of my mild yet constant frustration at not being absolutely confident that I was getting the most out of my supplements, which, let's be honest, are not cheap.
Most supplement manufacturers invariably limit themselves to telling you that you should take your supplement "daily", or "preferably with a meal" if they are feeling generous, or
something equally vague, without committing themselves to venture any further in the direction of the optimal absorption conditions for their own products.
So, now that the website is up and running and people are generating their Vitamin Plans,
I like to think that I have done a good job lifting the veil, at least partially, in that regard.
Frequently asked questions
Addressing some common questions, and preemptively answering some others:
The Vitamin Plan is quite different to how I've been taking supplements so far.
Your Vitamin Plan might indeed be quite different to the schedule that you have been using to date. If you are confident that the way you are taking your supplements now
is what works best for you, then there is absolutely no reason to change anything. As the old saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".
However, if you do want to give the new Vitamin Plan a try, then maybe consider incorporating the changes gradually so that your body can acclimatize to the new schedule.
Why does the Vitamin Plan allocate most/all of my supplements with breakfast?
By default, the Vitamin Plan will attempt to combine all compatible supplements together into the least amount of timeslots, working from morning to evening in chronological order. This means that most supplements will be suggested to be taken either with breakfast, or just before breakfast, and this is working as intended. I'm currently working on an option to spread them out more across the entire day, if someone prefers that.
Why isn't Vitamin C included at the same time as Iron?
While it is indeed known that vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron, the research indicates that taking both together in their supplemental form could lead to an excessive intake of iron, which could be dangerous. Because of this, vitamin C and iron have been intentionally separated in the Vitamin Plan. It is preferable instead to take iron with a drink that is rich in vitamin C, to ensure a generous yet safe amount of iron absorption.
I've tried taking X supplements between meals as suggested, but they give me an upset stomach.
For supplements that are recommended to be taken on an empty stomach, try incorporating them into your schedule one at a time if you have never taken them without food before. This way you can figure out which one is the culprit, and take it with food instead from that point onwards to avoid any of the unwanted side effects commonly associated with taking supplements on an empty stomach.
Will my Vitamin Plan update if new research for X supplement becomes available?
Yes, your Vitamin Plan might change over time as the algorithm is improved and new information is incorporated into the database, so be sure to check back occasionally to see if your Vitamin Plan has changed. Don't worry, you can keep using the same link, and it will always show you the most up-to-date version of your Vitamin Plan!
Why isn't X supplement included on the site?
If you feel that a certain supplement is missing from the site and think that it should be included, you can simply use the
contact form to let me know about it, and I will consider it for inclusion
on the site.
I can't guarantee how long it may take to include a proposed supplement on the site, or whether it will even be included at all, as I want to avoid the list of supplements becoming
too long, or overwhelmingly granular (we are currently at 108 supplements and counting), which means that the dozens of unpopular/obscure
supplements that are out there, or those that still have very little scientific literature behind them, will probably not be included, or at least not until both the demand and research for them increases.
Can I advertise on the site?
No. PlanYourVitamins.com is free of adverts by design, and I intend to keep it that way.
Can I do anything to support the site?
Yes! Just by using PlanYourVitamins.com, and sharing the site with your friends and family, you are already giving the best kind of support that I could ever ask for. Also, PlanYourVitamins.com is currently affiliated with iHerb, which means that whenever you use my site's links to buy your supplements online, I receive a few cents from each sale, which directly supports the site and helps me stay online. I also accept donations, if you are so inclined.
Disclaimers
Please take a moment to read the small print!
Accuracy
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided on PlanYourVitamins.com is accurate and current, but no guarantee is made to that effect. While we do strive to be as accurate as possible, this information could include typographical, grammatical, factual, technical or photographic errors. PlanYourVitamins.com does not assume any responsibility or liability for any damages or injury to persons or property arising out of any omissions, inaccuracy or errors in said information, and PlanYourVitamins.com may also make changes to said information at any time without notice.
Not medical advice
The information provided on PlanYourVitamins.com is not professional medical advice, and should not be interpreted as such under any circumstances. It is designed as a purely informational resource, itself sourced and compiled from a variety of external third party sources, and is intended to serve as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, advice, judgment and knowledge of professional healthcare practitioners. PlanYourVitamins.com does not assume any responsibility or liability for any aspect of healthcare that may be administered to any person with the aid of the information provided.
Safety
The information provided on PlanYourVitamins.com is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, interactions or adverse effects of any supplement, and the absence of a warning for a given supplement or combination of supplements should in no way be interpreted to mean that the given supplement or combination of supplements is safe, effective or appropriate for any given person. If you have any questions or concerns about any supplement, it is essential that you consult with your trusted doctor or pharmacist first.
Sources
While the benefits and drawbacks of most vitamins and supplements are relatively well documented and researched, the data regarding the best practices (and what to avoid) in order to
maximize their absorption is less prevalent, with some supplements having little to no scientific research available in that regard.
This means that much of the information provided on PlanYourVitamins.com has been sourced from other health-related websites and blogs rather than scientific papers directly, and some of it
is anecdotal. Despite this approach, the aforementioned health-related websites and blogs, often written by medical professionals, have done a fantastic job in interpreting the context of
scientific papers into layman's terms, and we have taken every effort to respect and preserve their professional interpretations and conclusions. All sources are credited at the bottom of each
individual supplement page.
While an effort has been taken to only use reputable and trustworthy sources where possible, we cannot guarantee their accuracy, and we therefore encourage everyone to do their own
research, and consult with their trusted doctor or pharmacist if they have any questions or concerns about any given supplement.
All that said, if you detect anything on the website that you consider needs updating or correcting, by all means contact us.
Privacy policy
Please take a moment to understand how the site handles your personal information before submitting any of the site's forms:
What information is collected?
The contact form requires your name and e-mail address, but it is not necessary to provide your full name, or even your real name, for that matter. We also keep a record of the IP address
from which a form is submitted, for spam protection purposes. You also have the option to provide an e-mail address for receiving a copy of your Vitamin Plan.
This site is also uses reCAPTCHA on some forms, and the corresponding Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Why do we collect this information?
The e-mail address that we request from you is used exclusively for contacting you, or for providing information that you have explicitly requested to be sent to your e-mail address (such as a Vitamin Plan). IP addresses on the other hand are used internally only, and exclusively for spam protection.
Where do we store this information?
Your personal information is encrypted using HTTPS technology, and is then sent to a professional hosting provider server that is password-protected at a datacenter that is physically secure. It is only accessible by a limited number of people who's job it is to ensure that the information remains secure and confidential. We do not share, trade or transfer this information to any unauthorized person or third party under any circumstances, and none of your personal information is displayed publicly on the website.
Cookie policy
Cookies are small temporary files
that a website saves on your internet browser, allowing the website to recognize your browser and remember certain information about it each time you visit,
such as your language preference, shopping basket contents, etc...
On PlanYourVitamins.com we only use cookies to:
- Remember that you accepted the use of cookies.
- Allow our PHP server to recognize your visit as a separate user session.
- Allow Google Analytics to compile data about site traffic.
We do not use cookies for targeted advertising or behavioural marketing of any kind.
If the browser that you are using to view this website is configured to accept cookies, we take this,
and your continued use of this website, to mean that you accept the use of our cookies.
You can change your cookie preferences or delete these cookies at any time through your browser settings, however this may cause some of the features on PlanYourVitamins.com to stop working correctly.
Data compliance
In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you can withdraw your consent, or request that your personal information be updated or deleted, at any time.
Any such request must be submitted through the contact form, and will be
responded to within a calendar month.
In accordance with the Fair Information Practice Principles (FIPPs), should a data breach occur, we will notify the users via an in-site notification within 7 business days.
In accordance with the CAN-SPAM Act, we only collect your email address in order to respond to inquiries and send any information that you have requested. The e-mails you receive will clearly
state in the subject that they have been sent by PlanYourVitamins.com.
In accordance with the Children Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), we do not specifically market to children under the age of 13 years old.
In accordance with the California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA), users can visit the site anonymously and have access to this Privacy Policy at any time by using the "FAQ"
link found at the bottom of every page. This Privacy Policy may be updated at any time, and any changes will be notified here. You can request to change your personal information
though the contact form.
Terms of use
Please take a moment to read the terms of use:
Overview
By accessing PlanYourVitamins.com, you agree to these terms of use, together with any applicable laws and regulations, and you agree that you are responsible for complying with them. These terms are governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the European Union, and you irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the EU courts. PlanYourVitamins.com may modify these terms of use at any time without notice.
Use license
All original content on this site, such as text, graphic design, logos, and also the selection, arrangement, and presentation of the materials is property of PlanYourVitamins.com and protected by copyright and trademark law. All other content that is not owned by PlanYourVitamins.com that appears on this site is the property of their respective
owners and also protected by copyright and trademark law. "iHerb" and the iHerb logo are registered trademarks of iHerb, LLC. or its affiliates.
Permission is granted, in the form of a license, to temporarily download or cache one copy of the materials on PlanYourVitamins.com's website for personal,
non-commercial transitory viewing only.
Under this license you may not:
- Modify the materials.
- Store the materials on a permanent medium.
- Use the materials for any commercial purpose, or for any public display.
- Attempt to decompile or reverse engineer any software contained on PlanYourVitamins.com.
- Remove any copyright or other proprietary notations from the materials.
- Transfer the materials to another person or host the materials on any other server.
This license will automatically terminate if you violate any of these restrictions, and may also be terminated by PlanYourVitamins.com at any time. Upon terminating your viewing of these materials, or upon the termination of this license, you must destroy any materials downloaded from PlanYourVitamins.com in your possession, whether in electronic, printed or other format.
Liability
In no event shall PlanYourVitamins.com or its providers be liable for any damages (including loss of data, loss of profit, or business interruption) arising out of the use or inability to use the materials on PlanYourVitamins.com. All downloadable software and files are distributed on an "as is" basis without warranties of any kind, express or implied. Downloading and/or using the software and files is at the user's sole risk.
Links
PlanYourVitamins.com has not reviewed all of the sites that link to this website, and is not responsible for the contents of any such site, and the inclusion of any link
on any such site does not imply endorsement by PlanYourVitamins.com. Likewise, some links posted on PlanYourVitamins.com may lead to third-party websites unrelated to us,
and you visit these sites at your own risk.
Occasionally we may include or offer third-party products or services on the site. These third-party sites have separate and independent terms of use, and we have no responsibility
or liability for the content and activities of these linked sites, however, we actively seek to protect the integrity of the site, and welcome any feedback about these sites.
Last updated by Asklepios on 16th January, 2025