Amavithamini ayizakhi ezibalulekile zomzimba womuntu, izakhi eziphilayo ezitholakala ekudleni. Zidlala indima ebalulekile ekukhuleni komuntu, ekuthuthukisweni nasekusebenzeni komzimba, futhi ziyizinto ezibalulekile ezisebenzayo ekugcineni impilo. Ukuntula kungaba nomthelela empilweni. Nokho, amavithamini akufanele athathwe isikhathi eside-. Ngokwesibonelo, amavithamini avamile anjengovithamini C, uvithamini E, no-B akufanele athathwe ngokweqile. Ukusetshenziswa ngokweqile kwamavithamini kungaba nomthelela, kubangele kalula ukusabela okuhlukahlukene okungalungile. Isibonelo, ukusebenzisa{7}}isikhathi eside amavithamini kungaholela e-urete, i-oxalate, nezinso, kanye nokungaphatheki kahle okufana nesifo sohudo, ikhanda elibuhlungu, isicanucanu, nokuhlanza. Ngakho-ke, kufanele zisetshenziswe ngokuvumelana nezidingo zomuntu ngamunye futhi ngaphansi kokuqondiswa udokotela.
Ukuthi ama-multivitamin angasetshenziswa-isikhathi eside kuncike esigulini ngasinye. Uma isiguli sinokushoda{2} kwamavithamini isikhathi eside, ukusetshenziswa{3}}isikhathi eside kungenzeka. Nokho, kubantu abanempilo,-ukusetshenziswa isikhathi eside akunconyiwe. Ngokuqondile:
1. Kungathathwa-isikhathi eside? Uma umzimba ungenawo amavithamini amaningi, ukuphuza amavithamini amaningi kungangezelela amavithamini angekho, anomthelela omuhle wokwelapha ezigulini{2}}ezinokuntula amavithamini isikhathi eside.
2. Ayifanele ukusetshenziswa-isikhathi eside. Iningi labantu abanempilo lithola amavithamini ekudleni ekuphileni kwabo kwansuku zonke. La mavithamini ahlangabezana nezidingo ezijwayelekile zomzimba futhi awadingi amanani amaningi ngokweqile. Ukusetshenziswa-isikhathi eside kungaholela ekubeni ubuthi bevithamini, bulimaze umzimba. Amavithamini amaningi nawo athathwa njengemithi futhi ngokuvamile awanconyelwe ukusetshenziswa-isikhathi eside; kufanele zithathwe ngokuqinile ngokwencwadi kadokotela.
Ngaphansi kweseluleko sikadokotela, i-vitamin supplementation kufanele ifaneleke. Gwema ukuthatha ngokungaboni noma ukuthatha amanani eqile amavithamini. Gcina ukudla okunhlobonhlobo, ngokudla inyama nemifino ngendlela elinganiselayo, futhi ugweme ukudla okungenamsoco, ukudla okungenamsoco kanye neminye imikhuba engemihle. Ukudla amavithamini okwanele kuzohlangabezana nezidingo ezijwayelekile zomzimba zokuphila okunempilo.