Despite its critical role in the body, research suggests that about half of all adults don’t get enough magnesium from their diets. This may play a role in the recent popularity of magnesium supplements, such as magnesium glycinate and magnesium threonate. Yet, unlike trendy supplements that rise and fall in popularity, magnesium remains consistently recommended by health experts. That’s largely because it influences an enormous range of functions, including energy production, stress response, muscle actions, sleep quality, bone health, and more. What’s more, many other foundational supplements rely on magnesium to work effectively. Ahead, we’ll explore which supplements often work best alongside magnesium, why these pairings matter, and what to factors consider when combining nutrients.
- ABOUT OUR EXPERTS: Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D.N., is a registered dietitian and the host of the Media Savvy Podcast. Dr. Chelsea Azarcon, N.M.D., is a naturopath and functional medicine provider.
Why Does Magnesium Pair Well With Other Supplements?
Minerals rarely work by themselves, and magnesium is no exception. Magnesium plays a starring role in hundreds of reactions in the body. For example, about 80 percent of known metabolic functions involve magnesium, such as those that control muscle function, nerve signaling, blood sugar regulation, and bone health.
In some cases, “pairing magnesium with other supplements can enhance effectiveness,” explains registered dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D.N., host of the Media Savvy Podcast.
Read More: Is Low Magnesium The Cause Of Your Fatigue?
Magnesium often acts as a helper nutrient, supporting the enzymes and pathways that allow other vitamins and minerals to be properly activated, transported, and utilized within the body. When magnesium levels are low, certain nutrients may not be able to do their jobs, which is why magnesium is described as a “foundational” mineral.
Now, let’s look at which magnesium pairings can make the biggest difference.
Vitamin D + Magnesium
One of the most important magnesium relationships involves vitamin D. “Magnesium helps activate vitamin D in the body,” explains Taub-Dix. “Together, they support bone health, immune function, and muscle performance.”
Vitamin D must undergo multiple conversion steps before becoming “biologically active,” a.k.a., actually usable. Magnesium acts as a necessary cofactor in these reactions. Without sufficient magnesium, vitamin D cannot be fully utilized, even if your intake appears to be adequate.
Tips For Supplementing
Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so taking it with a meal containing at least a small amount of fat (such as from eggs, avocado, or nuts, for example) can help improve absorption. Magnesium can generally be taken alongside vitamin D and doesn’t require fat for absorption.
Calcium + Magnesium
Another key magnesium partnership involves calcium, a mineral many people associate primarily with bone health (although it has many other benefits, too).
“Magnesium and calcium are synergistic partners,” says Taub-Dix. “Calcium helps muscles contract, while magnesium helps them relax. They work together to support bone density and ensure proper muscle function.”
While calcium often gets most of the attention, especially among older adults looking to preserve health, magnesium has a critical regulatory role. It helps manage how calcium is transported and utilized within cells. When magnesium intake is too low relative to calcium, the balance between muscle contraction and relaxation can be negatively affected.
“Magnesium helps regulate calcium absorption and vice versa, so a good mineral complex that includes calcium can help magnesium perform efficiently,” agrees naturopath and functional medicine provider Dr. Chelsea Azarcon, N.M.D.
Tips For Supplementing
Calcium and magnesium are often paired in supplements, so read labels when buying either one to check if the other is included, too. Some experts recommend aiming for a ratio of about 2:1 calcium to magnesium to maximize absorption and prevent imbalances.
If you’re taking them separately, spacing out larger doses by several hours can help improve tolerance, especially for those who are prone to digestive discomfort.
Potassium + Magnesium
Magnesium and potassium make a great pairing for cardiovascular and muscular function.
“You’ll find magnesium and potassium appearing together in foods like leafy greens, beans, and nuts,” Taub-Dix explains. “Both are key electrolytes that complement each other by helping regulate blood pressure, muscle contraction, and heart rhythm.”
Magnesium is needed to maintain proper potassium balance inside cells, says Taub-Dix. Because potassium is critical for nerve signaling and muscle activity, including heart muscle function, magnesium indirectly supports these systems. Together, they can also help balance the production of certain hormones, such as cortisol and melatonin, and help with sleep and relaxation.
Tips For Supplementing
While magnesium supplements are safe for most adults, Taub-Dix offers an important note of caution about taking supplemental potassium. “I wouldn’t necessarily recommend taking a potassium supplement unless you clear it with your health care provider,” she says. Why? Potential side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach pains, can pop up.
According to the American Heart Association, potassium supplements should only be taken under a doctor’s supervision to treat documented potassium deficiency (called hypokalemia), which can be caused by use of diuretics, chronic vomiting and/or diarrhea, or kidney disease.
For most people, prioritizing potassium-rich foods like bananas, potatoes, beans, milk, and other fruits and vegetables is the safest strategy. That said, if you’re focusing on upping your potassium intake via food, increasing magnesium is also a good move!
Zinc + Magnesium
“Zinc and magnesium are both heavily involved in immune health, managing inflammation, metabolic health, cellular repair, and muscle recovery,” says Taub-Dix. As such, they might make their way into your routine, especially if you’re highly active or it’s sickness season.
Read More: How To Tell If Your Immune System Needs Support—And Where To Start
However, this pairing comes with nuance because the minerals compete for absorption. “High doses of zinc can lower the absorption of other minerals, including copper and magnesium, so balance matters here,” she adds. Azarcon agrees; since magnesium has such broad metabolic importance, you don’t want your other supplements to block its absorption.
Tips For Supplementing
If you’re taking higher-dose zinc supplements, spacing them and your magnesium out by several hours can help minimize competition.
Vitamin B6 + Magnesium
Vitamin B6 is frequently discussed alongside magnesium, particularly for nervous system support, since both nutrients are involved in neurotransmitter activity that influences mood, stress response, and nerve signaling. This overlap helps explain why the combination often appears in formulations targeting stress, mood, and menstrual health.
Additionally, “vitamin B6 may help the absorption of magnesium,” Taub-Dix explains. “Some research suggests that a combination of the two can help support folks with PMS-related symptoms.”
Tips For Supplementing
These nutrients are commonly paired and are generally well tolerated. They can be taken together with food or spaced out from meals, since either is fat-soluble.
A B-Complex + Magnesium
Magnesium’s relationship with B vitamins extends beyond B6 alone, so if you’re taking a B-complex (or considering it), listen up. “Many of the key pathways magnesium is involved in, such as those related to energy production, also require B vitamins,” says Azarcon.
Because both magnesium and B vitamins are central to cellular energy metabolism, deficiencies in either may influence fatigue, mental health, and performance. “Pairing magnesium and B vitamins together helps ensure you are supporting many key biochemical processes,” she adds.
Tips For Supplementing
B-complexes are often taken earlier in the day due to their role in energy metabolism. Magnesium timing is flexible, but if you’re taking it for cognitive support, timing it around breakfast or lunch is a good strategy.
Taurine + Magnesium
Some magnesium pairings extend beyond vitamins and minerals. “Magnesium is a key nutrient in regulating energy, the nervous system, and cardiovascular health—and taurine is a great companion nutrient for these systems,” suggests Azarcon.
Taurine (an amino acid) is involved in cellular signaling and membrane stability, making it a complementary partner for magnesium’s calming and regulatory functions, Azarcon explains. In fact, the form of magnesium called magnesium taurate features a combination of magnesium and taurine.
Tips For Supplementing
These nutrients are often paired in formulations designed for relaxation or cardiovascular support. They can usually be taken any time of day, but may be best at night if they help with unwinding and falling asleep.
Omega-3s + Magnesium
Magnesium also works alongside structural nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids. This pairing primarily relates to cellular stability, signaling, and a healthy inflammatory balance.
“Magnesium is involved in cell membrane health, which fish oil also helps support,” Azarcon explains. Together, these two nutrients are sometimes used to help manage cardiovascular and metabolic conditions.
Tips For Supplementing
Fish oil is best taken with meals containing fat. Magnesium can be taken with fish oil or other types of omega supplements at any time of day.
Want To Supplement with Magnesium?
As you can see, there are many reasons to add a magnesium supplement to your routine! However, Taub-Dix emphasizes that more is not always better when it comes to magnesium supplements (or any other type for that matter). “Before combining supplements, it’s important to consider your total intake from food and fortified products,” she suggests.
For reference, adult women need about 310 to 320 milligrams of magnesium per day, while adult men need about 400 to 420 milligrams per day. Magnesium supplements may provide anywhere from 100 to 400 milligrams per serving, but many folks find that 200 to 350 milligrams is the sweet spot. Exceeding this may increase the risk of digestive side effects like diarrhea.
Of course, the type of magnesium you include in your routine matters, too. Magnesium glycinate is well-tolerated and commonly used for relaxation and sleep support. Meanwhile, magnesium citrate may support digestion but can have a mild laxative effect. Magnesium threonate has been studied for its potential cognitive benefits and can also help with mood and sleep.
Still, it’s important to take a “real food first” approach. “When possible, getting nutrients from whole foods provides a wider variety of helpful benefits, including fiber, and reduces the risk of imbalance,” Taub-Dix says. After working on improving your diet, supplements can come into play.
Overall, magnesium (like most nutrients) works best as part of a broader nutritional ecosystem. Supplements can help fill gaps in your diet and bring your levels up within the healthy range, but thoughtful combinations are essential!