The invention relates to agents to improve the uptake of nutrients and medicines, and more in particular to sphingomyelin and/or lysosphingomyelin for use in a pharmaceutical preparation to improve the uptake of certain nutrients and pharmaceutically active substances. The present invention provides a pharmaceutical preparation in which sphingomyelin and/or lysosphingomyelin is incorporated, a food provided with sphingomyelin and/or lysosphingomyelin and methods for the preparation thereof.