How to mix vitamin powder without the lumps.

Quick answer. To take a vitamin powder, follow the label: measure the recommended dose, add it to the stated amount of liquid, mix and drink. For Immufix that is one 25g scoop in about 200ml of cold water, stirred or shaken, once a day. To mix powder without lumps, put the liquid in first, add the powder on top, and shake it in a sealed shaker rather than stirring with a spoon. A dry scoop and a well-closed pouch stop clumps forming before you start.

How do you take vitamin powder?

The label is the instruction. The UK government's food supplements guidance for consumers puts it simply: "Always read the label and follow warnings and instructions". Every UK supplement label has to state the recommended daily dose, and the same guidance says: "Do not take more than the recommended dose".

For most powders the label gives three things:

• The dose. A weight in grams, usually matched to the scoop in the pack. Immufix is 25g, one scoop.
• The liquid and the amount. Immufix is about 200ml of cold water.
• How often. Immufix is once a day.

Use the scoop that comes in the pack, and level it off with a clean, dry knife or the edge of the pouch. A heaped scoop can hold noticeably more than the stated dose, and every figure in the nutrient table is worked out from the stated dose. Our guide to reading a supplement label explains where that dose appears.

How do you mix powder without lumps?

Lumps form when dry powder meets liquid too fast and the outside of a clump gets wet while the inside stays dry. These steps stop that happening.

1. Liquid first, powder second.

Pour the water into the glass or shaker, then add the powder on top. Powder tipped into an empty glass packs into the bottom and the corners, where a spoon cannot reach it.

2. Use cold water.

Immufix's directions say cold water, so that is what we suggest. Very cold water from the fridge is fine.

3. Shake, do not just stir.

A shaker with a sealed lid mixes far more evenly than a spoon. Close the lid fully, hold it upright and shake hard for about ten seconds. If you only have a glass, stir briskly with a fork, which breaks up clumps better than a spoon, and keep stirring until the surface is smooth.

4. Keep the scoop dry.

A damp scoop put back into the pouch leaves wet powder behind, and that becomes a hard lump by the next morning. Dry the scoop after washing it, or leave it outside the pouch.

5. Close the pouch properly.

Powder takes up moisture from the air. Press the air out and seal the pouch fully after every use. Our guide to whether vitamin powder expires covers storage in more detail.

6. Drink it while it is mixed.

Some ingredients settle if a drink stands for a while. If yours has been sitting, give it another shake before you drink it.

Can you put vitamin powder in a smoothie?

You can blend a powder into a smoothie, and a blender will leave no lumps at all. Two things are worth knowing first.

• The label directions are written for a measured amount of a stated liquid. Immufix's are for cold water. If you use something else, keep the dose to one level scoop.
• A smoothie adds its own sugars. The NHS Eatwell Guide says "fruit juice and smoothies should be limited to no more than a combined total of 150ml a day." A 25g serving of Immufix already has 9.9g of sugars of its own, so a smoothie adds to that.

Water is the simplest choice. It adds nothing to the sugar or calorie count, and it counts towards your fluids: the Eatwell Guide says "the government recommends 6 to 8 cups or glasses a day".

When is the best time to drink it?

Whenever you will remember it every day. Most people who take Immufix have it first thing in the morning, alongside breakfast, because a habit tied to something you already do is easier to keep. There is more on timing in our guide to the best time to take vitamins.

Common mistakes.

• Heaping the scoop. Level it. The label figures are for the stated dose.
• Doubling up on a missed day. Take the next serving at the usual time instead.
• Too little liquid. A 25g scoop in a small splash of water makes a thick, gritty drink. Use the amount on the label.
• Taking two products with the same nutrients. Add up the amounts across everything you take.

Where Immufix fits.

Immufix is one 25g scoop in around 200ml of cold water, once a day. Shake it in a shaker or stir it well, and drink. Vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, folic acid and magnesium contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Every amount and % NRV is on the science page.

The short version.

• Follow the label: the stated dose, in the stated liquid, as often as it says.
• For Immufix: one level 25g scoop in about 200ml of cold water, once a day.
• No lumps: liquid first, powder on top, shake in a sealed shaker.
• Keep the scoop dry and the pouch sealed so clumps do not form in storage.
• Smoothies work, but count their sugars. Water adds nothing and counts towards your 6 to 8 glasses.

Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication, speak to your GP or pharmacist before taking any food supplement.