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Unlock the Surprising Truth: How Quickly Do Supplements REALLY Work?

Head there now:

• Multivitamin
• Ashwagandha
• Magnesium
• Calcium AKG
• Resveratrol
• Curcumin
• Spermidine
• NMN

How long does it take for vitamins to enter your bloodstream? How long does it take to see results from supplements?

These questions may have floated around in your mind when taking supplements and, as always, age, health, your diet and whether you smoke are just some factors that influence this.

People who are severely deficient in certain vitamins and minerals will experience noticeably faster results than those who may be lacking from some from time to time. Although sometimes supplements take time to build up in our bodies, as we mention down below.

Another consideration is the form of supplement you’re taking.

Forms of Supplements

Liquids: these often have a faster effect on the body as the body doesn’t have to break down a capsule, however, they often can’t be paired with other vitamins and minerals in the same liquid as some block each other.

Capsules and tablets: can contain limited doses so your body may not absorb as much as it needs. Read the back of the bottle to find out how much of the active ingredient is contained, not just what’s written on the front.

Powders: are often limited when mixing certain vitamins and minerals together as they can block each other’s absorption, so they have to be taken separately anyway.

Water-soluble vitamins: dissolve in water and are easily absorbed into our tissue, so you may experience their effects faster.

Fat-soluble vitamins: require a fat to be absorbed, whether taking them with food or by mixing them with a fat in a capsule or liquid. They are stored in the body, and you may not need as high doses to experience results when taking them.

How long does it take for Multivitamins to Start Working?

At least 1 to 3 months.

Keep in mind that multivitamins usually have vitamins and nutrients in low doses, so they’re not going to immediately or rapidly improve any deficiencies. You will need to take a higher dose of individual supplements, such as for iron or vitamin D.

It also depends on what vitamins are in the multivitamin. The water-soluble vitamins can work within days, but the fat-soluble ones can take weeks or months.

It’s best to get a blood test before starting to take multivitamins so you can track the changes over time to see if the multivitamin is working.

Xandro Lab Supplements

How Long Before You See Results From Ashwagandha?

At least4 to 12 weeks.

The effects of ashwagandha and how long ashwagandha takes to work depend on what you’re taking it for.

• Anxiety: when taking 600mg of ashwagandha daily, it was found to take up to 60 days to see effects, although one study saw effects in six weeks when taking 1000mg.
• Testosterone levels: when taking at least 600mg a day, you may see results in about eight weeks.
• Stress: a study found results were seen after four weeks. Although some people have experienced stress relief effects within a couple of hours.
• Weight loss: effects have been felt at eight weeks.

How do you know if ashwagandha is working?

There are no clear signs to help you determine whether ashwagandha is working within your body, so keeping a supplement journal to document the changes in your body is recommended. For example, if taking ashwagandha for stress, note down your level of stress and what caused it each day and review these every two weeks to see if they are working.

Make sure to take a potent ashwagandha supplement for faster results. Check out Xandro Lab’s Shoden® Ashwagandha.

How Long Before You See Results From Magnesium?

At least a week.

How quickly you experience the benefits of magnesium generally depends on the form of magnesium you take. Some magnesium forms are easier to absorb than others, such as magnesium glycinate and malate, so make sure you check which one you’re taking.

Further reading: The Different Forms of Magnesium

Generally, when you take magnesium in pill or powder form, you will begin to experience benefits after about a week, although this can take shorter or longer, depending on what you’re taking magnesium for. You may feel the effects of magnesium oils and creams within an hour of application. As for transdermal sprays, these work the fastest as they’re absorbed through the skin.

How do I know if magnesium supplements are working?

• Stress and anxiety: people have reported feeling the effects of magnesium within one day to a few weeks.
• Depression: a clinical trial found that people experienced benefits within two weeks.
• Migraines: If deficient, people with migraines felt benefits after taking magnesium for three days.
• Constipation: you will generally start to have bowel movements after taking magnesium citrate, sulphate or hydroxide after 30 minutes to 3 hours.
• Sleep: How long for magnesium to work for sleep? Once you’ve built up your magnesium levels long-term, you should then begin to notice its effects on your sleep after about three months. A study among older adults, though, found that taking 500mg of magnesium for eight weeks helped them fall asleep fast, stay asleep longer, reduce waking up during the night and also increased their levels of natural melatonin.

How Long Before You See Results From Calcium AKG?

At least 3 months.

Calcium AKG isn’t one of those supplements you immediately feel the effects of, it’s one that benefits you over time.

• Energy: when taking calcium alpha ketoglutarate, you may start to feel energy-boosting benefits after two weeks, then, as it builds up in your system after a few months, you may feel healthier, more active and mentally alert.
• Bone health:studies have shown that between 12 and 24 weeks is when serum cross-linked C-telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX) levels begin to decrease in our bodies, which is linked to a lower risk of fractures.
• Longevity: a study found that when taking 1,000mg of calcium AKG for an average of 7 months, when analysing their DNA methylation clocks, or their biological age testing, participants showed an 8-year reversal in their biological age.

It’s best to stay consistent with taking Ca-AKG to experience the full health benefits, but talk with your doctor before taking the supplement.

How Long Does it Take for Resveratrol to Start Working?

At least a few months.

• Weight loss: after 30 days, resveratrol results in metabolic changes in people with obesity that mimic the effects of calorie restriction.
• Lower cholesterol: resveratrol may lower your ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol after six months, with oxidised LDL — contributes to the build-up of plaque in the arteries — reducing 20 per cent compared to those who didn’t take resveratrol.
• Skin: when used in creams, you might see results on damaged skin after the first use, but otherwise, after a few weeks. It should be used for up to 6 to 12 months to show visible results.

Resveratrol scientific evidence has shown numerous other benefits, like extended lifespan in some animals, lowering blood pressure and protecting our brains with its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but these benefits are long-term ones after taking the supplement consistently.

Want an even faster absorbable resveratrol supplement? Try out Xandro Lab’s Trans-Resveratrol.

How Long Does Curcumin Take to Work?

At least 4 to 8 weeks.

Like most supplements, it takes a while for curcumin to build up in your system.

• Antioxidant effects: if you’re wondering how long before you see results from curcumin, there has been various research showing that, in animals and in clinical lab studies, curcumin can prevent the formation of free radicals and block their activity. These antioxidant effects are usually felt between 4 to 8 weeks.
• Digestion: you may experience benefits in 8 to 12 weeks. Curcumin also has the potential to help with exercise-related joint pain. Taking 1,000mg of curcumin per day may show results after 8 to 12 weeks and has been shown to reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis, having a similar effect to ibuprofen.
• Cognitive benefits: one study found that after four weeks of taking a daily turmeric supplement, healthy older adults had improved working memory and mood.

Curcumin has been found in older adults after just an hour of taking a supplement, but how long you will begin to see results depends on factors like age, health, weight and dosage.

Start taking Xandro Lab’s Turmeric Curcumin to experience its antioxidant effects today.

How Long Before You See Results From Spermidine?

At least 2 months.

Within our bodies, spermidine begins to have an effect at a cellular level from day one, but it needs time to build up to feel its effect. Give It at least two months to improve spermidine levels and enhance the autophagy benefits.

• Weight loss: a 16-week study found a significant loss of weight and improved insulin resistance in obese mice.
• Hair growth: healthy mice were given a spermidine-based supplement and after three months, had a prolonged anagen phase, which may help with preventing hair loss.

Further Reading: Learn more about spermidine and weight loss, here.

How Long Does it Take to See Results From NMN?

At least two to three weeks.

The effects of taking NMN differ between people to allow It to build up in the body and contribute to NAD+ levels. Some people notice effects within two to three weeks, other a month or two while other need six months. Make sure to take them consistently on a daily basis.

In our bodies though, NMN starts to work 15 minutes after ingesting.

Physical Performance:

• A study found that older men taking 250mg of NMN per day for 12 weeks experienced muscle function and mobility improvements.
• For younger athletes, a study found that taking NMN for 6 weeks showed increased physical performance, muscle strength and endurance when training.
• Over a 12-month study of mice, NMN showed benefits to age-associated weight gain, improved energy metabolism, improved physical activity and improved insulin sensitivity.

Use a journal to track any changes happening to determine how long it takes for you.

Pairing Nutrients

Remember, some nutrients are absorbed faster into our bodies when taken with others, like with vitamin D and calcium. Certain vitamins and nutrients can also hinder each other’s absorption, such as zinc and copper, when taken at the same time. Keep yourself informed about these relationships so you’re not wasting money or so that you can experience benefits from supplements faster.

Remember, when your goal is to reduce aging and improve longevity, supplements need time to build up their levels in your system to show their full benefits. You might not feel an impact all the time, but when you’re doing certain tasks or at a certain time of the day.

For example, you might realise you’re sleeping better at night or even when travelling — that’s likely the magnesium. You might notice you handle stress better or are noticing you’re losing a bit of weight — that could be the ashwagandha or the spermidine.

When you’re at the gym or exercising, you may notice your muscles aren’t as weak or you’re seeing improved results — that could be the magnesium or calcium AKG.

Don’t simply stop taking supplements just because you don’t notice an immediate effect. They take time to enter your bloodstream and build up within your body, so be consistent and feel their benefits over time.

Learn more about supplements before you start taking them. Read our scientifically researched blog posts here.