Essential Vitamins & Supplements To Take While Traveling

Travel Vitamins You Don’t Want To Forget

Are you yearning to savor the sensational spice markets of Morocco? Perhaps you’re dreaming of traveling to La Jolla for whale watching or beachcombing on our bedazzling shorelines. Then again, maybe you’re planning a business trip to the Big Apple, NY. No matter the destination or purpose of your excursions around the world, there’s nothing like travel to expand the mind and liberate the soul. So, be sure you take full advantage of every opportunity during your travels by packing your bag with the right travel vitamins before you go.  This guide on traveling with vitamins and supplements will help ensure you stay happy and healthy while relishing fabulous festivities, flavors, and fun on your journey.

Best Supplements And Immune Support Vitamins for Travel

Whether by boat or by private jet, the very nature of travel poses a whole passel of surprises and unpredictable situations. If you think about it, it’s the unexpected moments that often make travel so exhilarating.  However, nothing puts the kibosh on a trip faster than feeling sick, rundown, or off-kilter. That’s why it’s crucial to know what vitamins to take while traveling.  Read further about selecting the best immune support supplements and travel vitamins, so you’re prepared to face any quirk or kink on your way.    

Travel Supplements To Soothe Stress & Anxiety

While travel offers loads of opportunities for relaxation, the process of getting to your destination can be stressful and overwhelming.  Layovers, overbooked flights, hustling, and bustling – even the clamor of a new city or a different environment can provoke anxiety. Moreover, it’s important to pack vitamins to keep your energy high while traveling. Remember, vitamins boost energy levels too. That’s why, in addition to the vitamins listed here, you should think about taking power-packed vitamins to keep your energy levels elevated. Here are a few travel vitamins and supplements that can help ease tension so you can enjoy a stress-free trip. 

  • B-Complex Vitamins: According to a medical report published by the National Institute of Health, these beauties have been known to reduce stress, suppress anxiety, and thwart depression. B-complex vitamins also help convert food into energy. Less stress and more energy make B-complex one of the best vitamins to take when traveling.
  • Kava:  For centuries, Pacific Islanders have used kava (also known as kava kava) in ceremonies for its soothing effects. This natural sedative is derived from the kava shrub and contains kavalactones known to take the edge off nerve-racking situations. You can take it as a tea, and it also comes in powder or capsule form to quell stress while traveling.  
  • Ashwagandha:  A native herb of India, ashwagandha has gotten used in ayurvedic medicine for over 6000 years.  It is a natural remedy reported to reduce stress and boost moods. This supplement produces a gentle, calming effect that can dispel nervousness or jitters during travel.
  • Melatonin:  You may be familiar with this supplement, or maybe you’re taking it right now. It’s a safe sleep aid known to induce sleep faster and enhance the quality of slumber. Sometimes sleeping in an unfamiliar environment can rob travelers of a good night’s sleep. Melatonin might be your best solution for getting much-needed z’s while you’re abroad.

Travel Vitamins For Immune System Support

Immune support vitamins are perhaps the number one go-to health aid for travelers. Why? Because the chances of contracting foreign illnesses get markedly increased while traveling. Even domestic travel can weaken your immune system. Therefore, when you’re packing vitamins for travel, consider including some of these immune-boosting aids to safeguard your health.

  • Elderberry:  A study conducted on international travelers revealed they encountered fewer episodes of illness while taking elderberry supplements and fewer cold-related symptoms.  Elderberry comes in a variety of forms, such as powder, capsule, or juice. It is all-natural and can pack a punch when boosting immunity during your trip and can be a fun snack if you skip the capsule and order some elderberry gummy vitamins for your toiletry bag.
  • Vitamin C:  Almost everybody knows vitamin C helps strengthen immunity. But it also helps reduce stress which is the leading cause for a weakened immune system while traveling. Vitamin C is a tried-and-true friend when it comes to keeping you healthy on your journeys. Many travel-goers claim the best vitamin C for travel comes in effervescent tablets that dissolve in water (such as Emergen-C). However, this essential vitamin also comes in chewables, pills, and even in gummies. 
  • Vitamin E: You might be familiar with this gem in the form of healing creams or lotions. But ingesting vitamin E pill form can go to battle on your behalf to maintain a healthy immune system. This vitamin is a potent antioxidant and a must-have in your arsenal of travel vitamins.    
  • Oregano Oil: This is a natural remedy known to combat the risk of many unwanted conditions such as respiratory and fungal infections. It’s an antiviral as well as an anti-inflammatory, and it can be a powerful ally in your mission to fight infections while enjoying your get-away.

Essential Travel Vitamins For Digestive Health

Whether business or pleasure, most folks agree that one of the best aspects of travel is feasting fantastic food.  No matter where you go, every culture has a crave-worthy cuisine or beverage that begs you to sample it while you’re touring new destinations. While you may get tempted to tuck into tasty treats, your tummy might not settle with the local fare. So, be sure to pack these travel vitamins for digestive health so you can have your tres leches cake and eat it too!

  • Probiotics: These are good bacteria that naturally live in your body. Probiotics are essential to digestive health.  Why take a probiotic supplement if these microorganisms already exist in the body? Because stress or altered eating habits such as often experienced in traveling can weaken or reduce probiotic levels. Taking a probiotic can support your bowel health, aid in digestion, and may also prevent unwanted travel discomforts such as constipation or diarrhea.
  • Vitamin D: Not only is this vitamin effective in helping the immune system, Vitamin D is also essential to regularity and digestive health. Studies show this vitamin can restore healthy gut bacteria as well as improve metabolism.
  • Digestive Enzymes: Certain enzymes play a big role in helping you digest food. In turn, digestive enzymes may help you avoid diarrhea, gas, bloating, or stomaches. Helpful digestive enzymes such as amylase, protease, bromelain, and lipase can be found in common foods like meats and cheeses. However, if you’re on a limited diet, or in a part of the world that doesn’t offer foods rich in these enzymes, a supplement might be a better bet.

Best Travel Vitamins For Energy & Endurance

Rest and relaxation are likely on the agenda during your trip, but you need optimal energy when you’re ready to go exploring. There’s nothing worse than missing out on the fun and excitement if you’re feeling exhausted. Here are a few travel vitamins that can help you attain peak performance so you can take on any adventure. 

  • Rhodiola Rosea:  This is a natural remedy that helps the body handle stress. It is an herb that is used as an adaptogen, which aids in stabilizing mood and energy levels. Unlike many energy drinks or boosters, rhodiola rosea is purported to have little to no side effects such as jitters or jumpiness.  
  • Iron: This is an essential mineral that promotes growth and stability. Iron also encourages the circulation of oxygen throughout the body. If you or anyone you know struggles with anemia, you may also know that iron is critical in avoiding extreme fatigue. An iron supplement might be just the thing you need to retain and maintain your energy. 
  • Beetroot Powder: Athletes have known the secret power of beets for a long time because it supplies nitrates to the body which helps improve performance and increases energy in cells.  Beetroot powder is a convenient way to get a daily dose of essential nutrients in beets such as fiber, iron, manganese, B9, and vitamin C. All of these vitamins contribute to high levels of vitality so you can keep your energy up on your trip.

Packing Tips For Travel Vitamins

Depending on your travel destination and means of transportation, you may need to follow specific packing instructions. The rules for packing medicine, air travel vitamins, and supplements may vary according to domestic or international flights. Therefore, be sure to check with the Travel Safety Administration (TSA) for regulations on how to pack vitamins for international travel as well as domestic. Read on for helpful tips on how to travel with vitamins on a plane. 

  • Packaging:  Currently, the TSA does not require travel vitamins to be in the original manufacturer’s packaging, so you can store different supplements in one container to last you the duration of your trip.  Solid vitamins, including gummies and gel caps, do not need to be contained in a baggie. However, liquid vitamins and supplements need to be enclosed in an airtight quart-sized baggie. 
  • Convenience and Safety:  You can pack your travel vitamins in your check-in luggage, but for convenience’s sake, you may want to tuck them in your carry on bags.  This makes for easier access to your supplements. Plus, you avoid losing your vitamins if your check-in luggage gets lost or stolen. Additionally, check-in luggage may be subjected to harsh temperatures during a flight. Such a drastic change in temperature may damage the integrity of certain travel vitamins. So, your best bet is to bring your supplements with you on the plane. If you’re concerned about taking up precious space in your carry on, then consider getting travel size vitamins for your trip.  

Pack Smart, Feel Great and Enjoy Your Travel Adventures

Travel isn’t always rainbows, unicorns, and happy times.  There are occasions when getting to your destination can wreak havoc on your nerves, digestion, or energy. However, when you’re armed with the best vitamins to take when traveling, your chances for better journeys are greatly enhanced. So whether you’re trekking the Andes or flying to the Golden State on business, don’t forget to pack your travel vitamins for smooth sailing all the way.