When is the best time to take these capsules: before, during or after a meal?

The specific dosing regimen is stated in the instructions on the packaging, and that is what you should follow. Below is some general context to help you understand the reasoning behind the recommendation.

Supplements with bean extract and garcinia are usually taken shortly before a meal, typically 20–30 minutes beforehand. This is because the active substances need time to reach the digestive tract before the starch from food arrives there. If you take a capsule after a heavy lunch, most of the carbohydrates will already have started to break down and the effect will be much weaker.

Chromium picolinate is usually well tolerated both before and during meals, so there is no strict timing here.

A few practical points:

• Take the capsules with plenty of water, at least a glass.
• Do not skip a dose before your most carbohydrate-heavy meals: that is when the supplement is most appropriate.
• If you take other supplements or medicines, check with a specialist whether it makes sense to space them out.

If you have chronic conditions, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take any products that affect metabolism, it is worth consulting a doctor before you start taking it.