Some nutrients, such as calcium, can't be included in a multivitamin at 100% – if it was, the multivitamin would be too large to swallow. Magnesium and potassium levels are kept low to avoid drug-nutrient interactions, so we need to get these nutrients primarily through our diet (see food sources below.).
Basic MVMs provide many vitamins and minerals close to the recommended amounts. However, the amounts of calcium and magnesium in these MVMs are usually low.
Yes. Vitamins and minerals all work in combination and rely on each other to be fully effective. Taking magnesium helps your body to absorb and use minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and potassium, and vitamins like vitamin D.
One study found that very high doses of zinc from supplements (142 mg/day) can interfere with magnesium absorption and disrupt the magnesium balance in the body [17].
High doses of magnesium from supplements or medications can cause nausea, abdominal cramping and diarrhea. In addition, the magnesium in supplements can interact with some types of antibiotics and other medicines.
Early signs of excessive magnesium intake can include low blood pressure, facial flushing, depression, urine retention, and fatigue. Eventually, if untreated, these symptoms can worsen and include muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat, and even, in very rare cases, cardiac arrest.
Magnesium deficiency in healthy people is rare but it can be caused by: a poor diet (especially in elderly people or those who don't have enough to eat) type 2 diabetes. digestive problems such as Crohn's disease.
The Risks of Too Much Vitamin D
According to Dean's research, high dose vitamin D actually depletes magnesium. That's why some people on magnesium supplements still have symptoms of deficiency.
You might have trouble absorbing magnesium from food if you drink too much alcohol, have kidney problems, take certain medicines, or have celiac disease or long-lasting digestive problems.
Tips for improving magnesium absorption
People wanting to increase their magnesium levels by improving absorption could try: reducing or avoiding calcium-rich foods two hours before or after eating magnesium-rich foods. avoiding high-dose zinc supplements. treating vitamin D deficiency.
Nassar says that taking a magnesium supplement every day likely isn't unsafe for most people. Just be sure you're not taking too much magnesium. The maximum dietary allowance for most adults is around 400 mg or less.
You can take magnesium with several other vitamins and minerals to enhance their contributions to your health. Your body depends on magnesium to allow it to absorb vitamin D. Enzymes in your liver and kidneys need magnesium to break down the vitamin and convert it into a form your body can work with.
The Bottom Line. It is important to remember that a multivitamin cannot in any way replace a healthful well-balanced diet. The main purpose of a multivitamin is to fill in nutritional gaps, and provides only a hint of the vast array of healthful nutrients and chemicals naturally found in food.
Most commonly, women's vitamins contain a long list of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, B vitamins (vitamin B6 and vitamin B12), vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, and biotin.
A serum magnesium test measures the level of magnesium in the blood. Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe.
A new review published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association found vitamin D can't be metabolized without sufficient magnesium levels, meaning vitamin D remains stored and inactive for as many as 50 percent of Americans.
Drinking Coffee – Drinking coffee lowers your calcium and magnesium levels. Many people can be dependent on drinking coffee, and that is understandable, seeing its wide range of benefits from keeping us awake, and raising our body's levels of antioxidants. However, caffeine also comes with a price.
Magnesium for sleep
Some studies have found that magnesium supplements can: Make it easier to fall asleep. Improve sleep quality. Reduce symptoms of restless legs syndrome, which can interfere with a good night's sleep.
Antibiotics: Taking magnesium supplements may reduce the absorption of quinolone antibiotics, tetracycline antibiotics, and nitrofurantoin (Macrodandin). Magnesium should be taken 1 hour before or 2 hours after taking these medications. Quinolone and tetracycline antibiotics include: Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
"Research has shown that magnesium supplementation may affect the brain functions that help lower stress and anxiety," Gorin says. It works by helping your body kick into the "rest and digest" state, or by activating your parasympathetic nervous system.