![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_Elderly-woman-pouring-vitamin-pills-on-hand.jpg\")
The message comes from a pharmacist who notes that many people may not know they are making this mistake(Image: UIG via Getty Images)<\/p>\nThis common mistake is probably making your everyday medicines less effectiveThe message comes from a pharmacist who notes that many people may not know they are making this mistake(Image: UIG via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
If you take common medication or tablets like iron or ibuprofen, then you may want to ensure you are taking it right – and we’re not talking about taking tablets with a glass of water or with a meal<\/a>. Peter Thnoia from PillTime<\/a>, an NHS-registered online pharmacy, says juggling multiple prescriptions can be tricky.<\/p>\n However, millions of people taking long-term medications<\/a> could be reducing their effectiveness simply by taking them at the wrong time of day. He\u2019s advised that not reading the instructions properly can make medicines less effective and increase the risk of unwanted side effects<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cToo often, people don\u2019t read or fully follow the instructions that come with their medication \u2013 and that can have a real impact on how well those medicines work,\u201d says Peter, who has over 20 years\u2019 experience in the pharmaceutical sector.<\/p>\n \u201cSomething as simple as taking a pill at the wrong time of day, or not alongside food when it\u2019s needed, can reduce its effectiveness or even cause unwanted side effects. Building a consistent routine and understanding the \u2018when\u2019 as well as the \u2018what\u2019 of your medication is key to getting the best results for your health.\u201d<\/p>\n Statins – stop taking them at this time One of the most common types of medication taken at the wrong time is certain statins. This is a cholesterol-lowering drugs that help protect against heart disease.<\/p>\n Millions of people in the UK, particularly those over 40, are prescribed statins such as simvastatin and lovastatin. These types of statins work best in the evening because the body\u2019s cholesterol production peaks at night<\/p>\n However despite this, many people take them in the morning simply out of habit, alongside other medications. Peter added: \u201cMany people take their statins in the morning, simply because it\u2019s when they take the rest of their medication.<\/p>\n \u201cBut for certain types, such as simvastatin, research shows they work best when taken in the evening \u2013 when the body naturally produces more cholesterol. If you take them at the wrong time, you could be reducing their effectiveness without even realising it.\u201d<\/p>\n Supplements and other medications It\u2019s not just prescription medicines that can be affected by timing \u2013 supplements are also often taken at the wrong time, reducing their benefits. Iron tablets, for example, are often taken in the morning with breakfast or a quick cup of tea before rushing out the door.<\/p>\n However dairy can can significantly reduce how much iron the body absorbs. Peter stresses that dairy is most often consumed in the morning when people have cereal, tea, coffee and other breakfast bits.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are plenty of people who take morning supplements like iron tablets to \u2018get them through the day\u2019 \u2013 often gulped down quickly before heading to work,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n \u201cBut iron is actually absorbed best on an empty stomach, and things like dairy, tea or coffee can block absorption. That\u2019s why the best advice is to take iron tablets as soon as you get up, before breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n Other tablets you could be taking at the wrong time – including ADHD medications<\/p>\n Levothyroxine, for an underactive thyroid<\/strong><\/p>\n Best to take first thing in the morning, at least 30 minutes before eating food and drink to reduce absorption.<\/p>\n Some pain relief, such as Ibuprofen and Naproxen<\/strong><\/p>\n Known as NSAIDS, these tablets can irritate the stomach \u2013 so it\u2019s best to take them with food or a glass of milk.<\/p>\n Certain ADHD medications, such as methylphenidate<\/strong><\/p>\n Stimulant ADHD medications can cause insomnia if taken too late, so morning doses are recommended to manage symptoms during waking hours without disrupting sleep.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This common mistake is probably making your everyday medicines less effectiveThe message comes from a pharmacist who notes…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":384605,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4315],"tags":[621,11208,105,4326,3912,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-384604","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-medication","8":"tag-expert-advice","9":"tag-fitness-and-health","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-medication","12":"tag-medicine","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115116638669003958","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/384604","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=384604"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/384604\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/384605"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=384604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=384604"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=384604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Morning](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_Morning-after-pill-Hand-holding-pills-close-up-cropped-image.jpg\")
You may be ruining your medication without knowing it(Image: MementoJpeg via Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"Close-up](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_Close-up-of-a-male-hand-holding-a-pill-bottle-pouring-medication-into-his-hand.jpg\")
The expert said something as simple as what you have for breakfast could affect your medication(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n