Magnesium with vitamin D, B6 and calcium, can you take them together?
Magnesium with vitamin D, vitamin B6 and calcium, what the trials found for each pairing and the NHS limits to stay within.
- Written by
- Ben L.
- Last updated
- Reading time
- 9 min read
Overview
Yes, you can take magnesium with vitamin D, vitamin B6 and calcium. The body needs magnesium to process vitamin D. Adding B6 to magnesium didn't lower stress more overall in one trial, and calcium only cut magnesium absorption at very high amounts. Keep B6 supplements to 10 mg a day.
Key points
- The NHS gives no reason to keep magnesium and vitamin D apart.
- In one trial of 180 adults, magnesium raised moderate vitamin D levels and lowered high ones.
- Adding 30 mg of B6 to magnesium didn't lower stress more overall in a 2018 trial.
- Calcium cut magnesium absorption only at amounts well beyond a normal diet.
- The NHS limit for B6 supplements is 10 mg a day, so check combined products.
Three numbers cover most of this guide. Adults need 10 micrograms of vitamin D, about 1.2 to 1.4 mg of vitamin B6 and 700 mg of calcium a day, and each can sit alongside magnesium [1][2][3].
Yes, you can take magnesium and vitamin D together. The enzymes that make and break down vitamin D in the body depend on magnesium, and in one trial magnesium raised moderate vitamin D levels and lowered high ones [4]. Magnesium with B6 and magnesium with calcium are also common pairings, with a few numbers worth knowing.
Can you take magnesium and vitamin D together?
Yes. Nothing in the NHS advice says to keep them apart [1][5]. Lab and animal studies suggest that the enzymes which make and break down vitamin D need magnesium to work [4].
One trial tested this in people. In 180 adults aged 40 to 85 in the US, magnesium supplements raised vitamin D levels in people who started at moderate levels, and lowered them in people who started high [4]. The authors concluded that good magnesium status may help keep vitamin D at a healthy level. It was one trial, and doses were matched to each person's diet, so treat it as early evidence Early.
Government advice is that everyone should consider 10 micrograms (400 IU) of vitamin D a day in autumn and winter, when UK sunlight is too weak for the body to make enough [1]. Some people are advised to take it all year, including those who are rarely outdoors and people with dark skin [1].
When should you take vitamin D and magnesium?
Morning or night both work. We found no trial that tested the timing of the two together, and the NHS gives no time of day for either [1][5].
In practice, pick a time you'll stick to, such as with breakfast or your evening meal. If you also take iron or certain medicines, our guide on when to take magnesium covers what to space apart.
What does magnesium with vitamin B6 do?
Both have authorised claims of their own. In the UK, vitamin B6 can be said to contribute to normal psychological function, normal functioning of the nervous system and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Magnesium has the same three claims [6].
Whether the pair works better than magnesium alone is less clear Early. In a 2018 French trial, 264 stressed adults with low blood magnesium took 300 mg of magnesium a day, with or without 30 mg of B6, for 8 weeks. Stress scores fell by 45% with the combination and 42% with magnesium alone, with no real difference between them [7].
In the 162 people with the highest stress scores, the combination did better, by about 3 points on the stress scale [7]. That was a subgroup result, there was no placebo group, and the trial was run by the company that makes the combination [7].
Here's the number to watch. That 30 mg of B6 a day is three times the NHS limit of 10 mg a day from supplements, unless a doctor advises more [2]. Men need about 1.4 mg a day and women 1.2 mg, and most people get that from food such as poultry, fish, peanuts, oats and bananas [2].
Magnesium with B6 has also been tested for symptoms before a period, in a one-month trial of 44 women. The combination eased anxiety-related symptoms such as nervous tension, and the authors called for more studies. That trial used 50 mg of B6 a day, also above the NHS limit [8]. Our guide to magnesium for women covers that research.
Can you take magnesium and calcium together?
Yes. Early studies found that very high calcium intakes reduced magnesium absorption, but those used amounts well beyond a normal diet [9]. Longer studies with more than 1,000 mg of calcium a day found no effect on magnesium uptake Moderate [9].
The NHS says adults need 700 mg of calcium a day and should be able to get it from food. Taking more than 1,500 mg a day can cause stomach pain and diarrhoea [3]. Calcium is needed for normal bones and teeth and contributes to normal muscle function, and vitamin D helps the body absorb and use it [6].
You'll also see calcium, magnesium and zinc sold together. Our magnesium and zinc guide covers that pairing, and the NHS advises keeping zinc supplements to 25 mg a day or less [5].
How much of each is safe?
In practice, add up every supplement you take, including multivitamins, and keep each nutrient within the NHS limit.
| Nutrient | Adults need a day | NHS supplement limit |
|---|---|---|
| Magnesium | 300 mg (men), 270 mg (women) | 400 mg or less is unlikely to cause harm [5] |
| Vitamin D | 10 micrograms | No more than 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) [1] |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.4 mg (men), 1.2 mg (women) | No more than 10 mg unless a doctor advises [2] |
| Calcium | 700 mg | 1,500 mg or less is unlikely to cause harm [3] |
Taking 200 mg or more of B6 a day can cause a loss of feeling in the arms and legs, and the NHS says the effect of 10 to 200 mg is unclear [2]. Too much vitamin D over a long time can raise calcium in the blood, which can harm bones, kidneys and the heart [1]. For magnesium, our guide to magnesium side effects covers medicines and who should check with a GP.
Foods high in magnesium, calcium and vitamin D
Food can cover magnesium, calcium and B6 for most people. Vitamin D is the exception, because it's difficult to get enough from food alone [1]. These are the sources the NHS names for each nutrient.
| Nutrient | Good food sources |
|---|---|
| Magnesium | Spinach, nuts, wholemeal bread [5] |
| Calcium | Milk, cheese, kale, okra, soya drinks with added calcium, bread, sardines and pilchards [3] |
| Vitamin D | Oily fish, red meat, egg yolks, fortified spreads and cereals [1] |
| Vitamin B6 | Pork, poultry, some fish, peanuts, soya beans, oats, bananas, milk [2] |
Spinach is rich in calcium too, but the body can't absorb it all, so the NHS leaves it off its calcium list [3]. Our list of magnesium-rich foods gives amounts per portion.
Where Nooroots fits
Nooroots Triple Magnesium is a food supplement with magnesium glycinate, citrate and malate, in three capsules a day. It contains no vitamin D, B6 or calcium. Magnesium contributes to normal psychological function and to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue [6].
Frequently asked questions
Can you take magnesium and vitamin D together?
Yes. The NHS gives no reason to keep them apart, and the body needs magnesium to process vitamin D [1][4].
Does magnesium help absorb vitamin D?
It helps the body use it. In one trial of 180 adults, magnesium raised vitamin D levels in people who started at moderate levels and lowered them in people who started high [4].
Which magnesium is best to take with vitamin D?
We found no trial comparing forms of magnesium with vitamin D. Choose by the magnesium per daily dose on the label. Our types of magnesium guide compares the forms.
Can I take vitamin D and magnesium at night?
Yes. We found no trial showing that night or morning works better for either, so take them when you'll remember [1][5].
What is magnesium with B6 good for?
Both contribute to normal psychological function and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. In a 2018 trial, adding B6 to magnesium didn't lower stress more than magnesium alone overall [6][7].
Can you take calcium and magnesium at the same time?
Yes. Calcium only reduced magnesium absorption at very high amounts in early studies, and longer studies with more than 1,000 mg of calcium a day found no effect [9].
Read more about timing in our guide on when to take magnesium.
References
Every source here is listed so you can read it yourself. This guide is for general information and doesn't replace advice from your GP. We check it again at least every six months.
- NHS. Vitamins and minerals: vitamin D. Page last reviewed 3 August 2020. Accessed 1 November 2026. nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d
- NHS. Vitamins and minerals: B vitamins and folic acid. Page last reviewed 3 August 2020. Accessed 1 November 2026. nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-b
- NHS. Vitamins and minerals: calcium. Page last reviewed 3 August 2020. Accessed 1 November 2026. nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/calcium
- Dai Q, Zhu X, Manson JE, Song Y, Li X, Franke AA et al. (2018). Magnesium status and supplementation influence vitamin D status and metabolism: results from a randomized trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 108(6): 1249-1258. PMID 30541089
- NHS. Vitamins and minerals: others (magnesium and zinc sections). Page last reviewed 3 August 2020. Accessed 1 November 2026. nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/others
- Department of Health and Social Care. Great Britain nutrition and health claims (NHC) register, spreadsheet of 19 May 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. gov.uk/government/publications/great-britain-nutrition-and-health-claims-nhc-register
- Pouteau E, Kabir-Ahmadi M, Noah L, Mazur A, Dye L, Hellhammer J et al. (2018). Superiority of magnesium and vitamin B6 over magnesium alone on severe stress in healthy adults with low magnesemia: A randomized, single-blind clinical trial. PLOS ONE 13(12): e0208454. PMID 30562392
- De Souza MC, Walker AF, Robinson PA, Bolland K (2000). A synergistic effect of a daily supplement for 1 month of 200 mg magnesium plus 50 mg vitamin B6 for the relief of anxiety-related premenstrual symptoms: a randomized, double-blind, crossover study. Journal of Women's Health and Gender-Based Medicine 9(2): 131-9. PMID 10746516
- Schuchardt JP, Hahn A (2017). Intestinal Absorption and Factors Influencing Bioavailability of Magnesium-An Update. Current Nutrition and Food Science 13(4): 260-278. PMID 29123461
