I just go by common sense. First, go by the directions on the bottle. If there aren't any, then it depends on what its purpose is. If I'm taking something like
R-ALA and ALCAR, then I'll do them both on an empty stomach so they'll make it into my bloodstream around the same time frame and can work their synergism. I also take
R-ALA on an empty stomach before meals so that its nutrient partitioning is taking effect right about the time I'm loading up on macronutrients. Same goes with fat-loss supplements-- they're a mix of synergistic ingredients, so even if it doesn't say to take them on an empty stomach, I do.
On the other hand, I tend to take things intended for general dietary supplementation (
multivitamins, my vitamin E, minerals,
sesathin,
fish oil, and so on) with my meals, firstly because a multivitamin on an empty stomach doesn't sit well with me, and secondly because the timing of the nutrients isn't that important. There are exceptions to this, like with
ZMA, because the interaction of the
zinc and
magnesium for promoting deep sleep is based on their timing into the bloodstream, but it's my rule of thumb.
Basically, if the timing matters, I go on an empty stomach. If not, I take it with meals. Personal stomach comfort overrules either of these, though.