Pill Mistakes That Smart People Make

When it comes to taking calcium and vitamin D supplements, we're all for it. Same with aspirin if you're a guy over age 35 or a woman over 40 and your doc agrees it's right for you. But what concerns us is that too few people know how to take these supplements. As a result, you may be turning a wellness booster into a money waster or -- worse -- something that could hurt you. Fortunately, these mistakes are easy to correct.

Let's start with aspirin. It can reduce your heart attack risk by inhibiting inflammation and blood clotting. But the same nuance of chemistry that makes aspirin offer this benefit also causes stomach irritation and even bleeding. Lower your risk by simply drinking half a glass of warm water both before and after swallowing the pill and by taking the pill 1 to 2 hours after eating.

Calcium has a different issue. The higher the amount of calcium in your supplement, the lower percentage your body can absorb. So taking the 1,200 milligrams you need in a day, plus 1,000 international units of vitamin D (1,200 if you're over age 60), all at once isn't optimal for you -- or your bones, or your mind, or your colon. That's why you need to down half in the morning and half in the evening (make sure you also get 400 milligrams of magnesium when taking this calcium+D combo, to avoid constipation). Your body naturally knows what newbie comedians have to find out the hard way: Timing is everything. Respect it and get healthier.