“You are what you eat,” the saying goes. Or maybe it should be more accurately said, “You are what you absorb.” In a perfect world, you would get all the nutrients necessary for good health from your diet.

Because that’s often not the case, you take supplements as needed. However, many factors can potentially affect the absorption and the bioavailability of the food you eat and the supplements you take: vitamins that work in concert with each other, foods that hinder or help absorption, certain lifestyle choices, age, weight, overall health, and heredity—they all make a difference.

The chart below, though not all-inclusive, will provide you with tips on how to get more from your supplements. Refer to your health practitioner for individualized specifics.