Millions of Britons could be blunting the effect of their daily medicines by taking them at the wrong time, a leading pharmacist has warned.
Peter Thnoia, of online pharmacy PillTime, said: ‘Too often, people don’t read or fully follow the instructions that come with the medication—and that can have a real impact on how well it works.
‘Something as simple as taking a pill at the wrong time of day or not alongside food when it’s needed can reduce its effectiveness or even cause unwanted side effects.’
He added that the key to getting the best results is ‘building a consistent routine’ and understanding exactly how each drug should be taken.
Among the most common mistakes are with statins, iron supplements, thyroid drugs, painkillers and some ADHD treatments.
Statins such as simvastatin help protect against heart disease by lowering cholesterol. They are ‘best taken in the evening as cholesterol production is at its highest at night,’ Mr Thnoia explained.
Yet, he added: ‘Many people take their statins in the morning, simply because it’s when they take the rest of their medication.’
Iron tablets are another drug often misused. They need to be taken on an empty stomach — ‘ideally first thing in the morning before breakfast,’ he said—because dairy, tea and coffee can block the body’s ability to absorb them.
A pharmacist has warned taking medicines at the wrong time can make them less effective
Medication used by hundreds of thousands of Britons with an underactive thyroid also works best on an empty stomach and should not be taken alongside calcium or iron supplements.
Meanwhile, common painkillers such as ibuprofen are best taken with food to avoid irritating the stomach lining, while some ADHD medicines can disrupt sleep if swallowed too late in the day.
Mr Thnoia said: ‘These small changes can make a big difference. Medicines are only truly effective when they are taken correctly.’
Meanwhile thyroid medications like Levothyroxine, he said, should be taken in the morning, at least 30 minutes before eating food and drink to allow absorption.
In contrast, certain painkillers known as NSAIDS like Ibuprofen and Naproxen must be taken with food or a glass of milk, he warned, to prevent stomach irritation.
He added, stimulant ADHD medications taken too late can cause insomnia, so they should be taken in the morning.
If you’re juggling lots of medications it can be difficult, but Leighton Humphreys, CEO of PillTime, says the company’s pouching service can be a helpful tool.
‘I know it’s not the most exciting task, especially if you have multiple medications that need to be taken at different times of the day or night.
‘But the only way to get the most out of your medication is to carefully follow the instructions from your pharmacist.
‘If you can’t do that, whether due to a lack of time or physical ability, there are options to have your medications pre-sorted into pouches.
‘The pharmacist will review the instructions for each prescription and organise your medicines into clearly labelled pouches showing the dose, date and time.’
It follows a warning earlier this month from Dr Rachel Woods, a nutrition expert, who highlighted a different but equally common mistake.
She said overloading on vitamin and mineral supplements can backfire—triggering nausea and diarrhoea, or in more serious cases, weakened bones and even birth defects.
Taken in excess, they have also been linked to liver, heart and kidney damage which, in extreme cases, can prove fatal.
A survey of 2,000 Britons by Which? found three quarters take supplements, with about one in five swallowing four or more a day.
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