By By Kelsey Kloss. Medically Reviewed by Reyna Franco, RDN,
23 days ago
Social media is buzzing about the potential benefits of taking magnesium and vitamin D supplements together. Afry Harvy/iStock; iStock (2)
Many Americans don't get enough magnesium and vitamin D in their diets, so supplements are a popular option. But can magnesium and vitamin D supplements be taken together? And are the benefits greater if you do so?
While combining magnesium and vitamin D supplements is perfectly safe, whether you need to is another question.
Magnesium and Vitamin D: Why Take Them Together?
Social media has leaned into the idea that magnesium and vitamin D should be taken together to get the most benefits of both, when it comes to things like reducing fatigue, maintaining insulin resistance, and supporting immune health.
Is there truth behind the buzz?
Some experts say that if you take both magnesium and vitamin D supplements, it may be most helpful to take magnesium before or with vitamin D, rather than after. (More on the specific benefits of each below.)
"This is because getting enough magnesium may maximize the effect of vitamin D and reduce the potential adverse effects of vitamin D," says Qi Dai, MD, PhD , a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who researches vitamin D.
In other words, you might boost vitamin D absorption with magnesium, but you need adequate magnesium first.
In one trial with 180 adults, those with low baseline vitamin D levels saw an increase in this nutrient after taking a magnesium supplement. Other research suggests that higher levels of vitamin D are associated with a lower risk of mortality from heart disease and colon cancer , but only among those with adequate magnesium levels.
Choosing supplements that combine magnesium and vitamin D in the same capsule can help you remember to take them. "These supplements don't compete with each other for absorption, so it is fine to take in the same pill," says Bethany Doerfler, RD , a registered dietitian at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago.
Who Should Take Magnesium and Vitamin D Together?
If you're lacking in both nutrients, you may find it helpful to take magnesium and vitamin D together, Dr. Dai says.
Some people with low vitamin D levels but adequate magnesium levels may also benefit from taking both nutrients in supplement form. As Dai notes, several common factors rapidly reduce magnesium levels in the body, such as alcohol use and certain medications (primarily diuretics and proton pump inhibitors). And, since magnesium is essential for creating vitamin D, "supplementation of vitamin D plus magnesium can enhance vitamin D transport, synthesis, and metabolism," Dai says.
Still, it's possible to get too much magnesium. While magnesium overdose is not common, it can occur in people with poor kidney function. It can also happen if you take high doses of magnesium supplements (typically, more than 350 milligrams [mg], the upper limit for magnesium in dietary supplements) for long periods. So, it's best to check with your healthcare provider before taking magnesium and vitamin D together.
The Benefits of Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral that's involved in more than 300 different systems in your body that regulate important functions, including:
"Magnesium is a shortfall nutrient, meaning Americans tend to run low on magnesium," Doerfler says.
Being low in magnesium raises the risk for type 2 diabetes and, potentially, heart disease . In fact, 48 percent of Americans consume less magnesium from food and beverages than the recommended amount, with men over age 71 and adolescent males and females most likely to have low intakes. Those who have health conditions like Crohn's disease , type 2 diabetes, alcohol use disorder , and older adults in general are also likely to be low on magnesium. The recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) - which are the average daily amounts needed to meet the needs of nearly all healthy people - for magnesium in adults are:
Male, ages 19–30: 400 mg
Male, ages 31 and older: 420 mg
Female, ages 19–30: 310 mg
Female, ages 31 and older: 320 mg
Pregnant women, ages 19–30: 350 mg
Pregnant women, ages 31–50: 360 mg
Breastfeeding women, ages 19–30: 310 mg
Breastfeeding women, ages 31–50: 320 mg
A healthy diet filled with food sources of magnesium (like nuts and seeds, leafy greens, vegetables, dairy, grains, fruits, and beans or legumes) can help you reach your intake goals. In general, it's best to meet your nutritional needs through food - but if you can't get enough of a certain nutrient in your diet, fortified foods or supplements may help you meet your needs.
The Benefits of Vitamin D
Your body creates vitamin D when ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight reach your skin. But you can also get it through foods like salmon, mushrooms exposed to UV light, and fortified milk. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin your body needs for many functions, including:
Males and females, ages 19 to 70: 15 micrograms (mcg) or 600 international units (IU)
Males and females, ages 71 and older: 20 mcg or 800 IU
But about 35 percent of Americans have vitamin D deficiency. "There are several populations who may not absorb vitamin D from food or from their skin very well and would benefit from supplements," says Doerfler. These include individuals with darker skin tones, older adults, breast-fed infants, and people who have conditions that limit fat absorption like Crohn's disease and celiac disease . Vitamin D deficiency symptoms in adults include fatigue, bone pain, muscle weakness, muscle aches, muscle cramps, and mood changes like depression . But sometimes there are no symptoms at all.
"People with inadequate levels of vitamin D are recommended to have regular sun exposure and, if necessary, to take vitamin D supplements," Dai says.
How Much Magnesium and Vitamin D Should You Take?
While it varies by person, a supplement that provides 200 mg of magnesium supplement per day is usually considered adequate. Talk to your doctor or registered dietitian about the right dosage for you. Too much magnesium via supplements can lead to diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure (hypotension), and muscle weakness. In severe cases, it can cause loss of reflexes, heart blockages, difficulty breathing, or even cardiac arrest . A dosage of 15 to 20 mcg (or 600 to 800 IU) of vitamin D from a supplement is generally considered safe.
But, again, ask your health professional about the right dosage for you. Excessive doses of vitamin D supplements can cause a buildup of calcium in your blood, which can lead to nausea and vomiting, the need to urinate often, and weakness.
Eventually, you may experience bone pain and kidney problems like calcium stones.
"Talk with your doctor before taking a magnesium or vitamin D supplement at doses greater than the RDA, especially if you're pregnant, have underlying conditions such as chronic kidney disease or diabetes, or taking medications," Dai says.
The Takeaway
Magnesium and vitamin D are key nutrients for your health - and research shows that adequate magnesium levels may boost vitamin D levels in those who are deficient. It may be most convenient to take magnesium and vitamin D at the same time or in the same pill. But if you prefer to take them separately, take magnesium first so it can help with your vitamin D absorption.
Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy . We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Sources
Dai Q et al. Magnesium Status and Supplementation Influence Vitamin D Status and Metabolism: Results From a Randomized Trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition . December 12, 2018.
Deng X et al. Magnesium, vitamin D status and mortality: results from US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001 to 2006 and NHANES III. BMC Medicine . August 27, 2013.
Reyna Franco, RDN, is a New York City–based dietitian-nutritionist, certified specialist in sports dietetics, and certified personal trainer. She is a diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and has a master's degree in nutrition and exercise physiology from Columbia University.
In her private practice, she provides medical nutrition therapy for weight management, sports nutrition, diabetes, cardiac disease, renal disease, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, food allergies, eating disorders, and childhood nutrition. To serve her diverse patients, she demonstrates cultural sensitivity and knowledge of customary food practices. She applies the tenets of lifestyle medicine to reduce the risk of chronic disease and improve health outcomes for her patients.
Franco is also a corporate wellness consultant who conducts wellness counseling and seminars for organizations of every size. She taught sports nutrition to medical students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, taught life cycle nutrition and nutrition counseling to undergraduate students at LaGuardia Community College, and precepts nutrition students and interns. She created the sports nutrition rotation for the New York Distance Dietetic Internship program.
She is the chair of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine's Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist Member Interest Group. She is also the treasurer and secretary of the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, having previously served in many other leadership roles for the organization, including as past president, awards committee chair, and grant committee chair, among others. She is active in the local Greater New York Dietetic Association and Long Island Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, too.
Kelsey Kloss is a health and wellness journalist with over a decade of experience. She started her career as an in-house editor for brands including Reader's Digest , Elle Decor, Good Housekeeping , Prevention , Woman's Day , and Redbook , and her work has been featured in over 50 publications.
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