Research suggests that magnesium may help to regulate vitamin D levels in the body. Magnesium may help raise or lower vitamin D levels, depending on a person\u2019s status of the nutrient. Experts say this doesn\u2019t mean people low in vitamin D should automatically take a magnesium supplement.<\/p>\n
More than 30%<\/a> of Americans are deficient in vitamin D, making it worth paying attention to. But new research suggests that a different nutrient may influence how well your body regulates levels of vitamin D: magnesium. <\/p>\n The study, which was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition<\/a>, analyzed the impact of magnesium on vitamin D levels and had some surprising findings. One was that magnesium helped to increase levels of certain gut bacteria that increase vitamin D production in people with a specific genotype, called TRPM7. But the study also built on research that found magnesium influences vitamin D levels in the body in unusual ways, creating a robust body of research that looks at how magnesium and vitamin D work together in the body. <\/p>\n Meet the Experts: Keri Gans, R.D.N., author of The Small Change Diet<\/a>; Jessica Cording, R.D., is a nutritionist and the author of The Little Book of Game-Changers<\/a>; Scott Keatley, R.D., is a nutritionist and co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy<\/a>; Qi Dai, M.D., Ph.D.<\/a>, is the lead study author and a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center<\/p>\n For the study, researchers split nearly 240 people into two groups. One group was given a magnesium supplement that was tailored to their usual diet; Another took a placebo. (The average dosage of magnesium was around 200 milligrams.)<\/p>\n The researchers discovered that magnesium, which is important for vitamin D absorption in the body, didn\u2019t universally raise vitamin D levels. Instead, it lowered vitamin D levels in people whose levels were already high and increased them in those who were low. <\/p>\n If you take vitamin D, it\u2019s understandable to wonder if adding a magnesium supplement is the best way to get the most out of your vitamin D absorption. Here\u2019s what experts want you to keep in mind. <\/p>\n What does magnesium do?<\/p>\n Magnesium is a mineral in the body that\u2019s naturally present in many foods, per the National Institutes of Health<\/a> (NIH). Magnesium is a cofactor (meaning, it\u2019s needed to create a reaction) in more than 300 enzyme systems in your body. That means it plays a role in protein synthesis, blood sugar management, and blood pressure regulation, energy production, the development of bone, and more, according to the NIH. Basically, it does a lot. <\/p>\n The recommended daily intake<\/a> (RDI) of magnesium varies, but it\u2019s suggested that adult men aim to have 400 to 420 milligrams a day, while adult women should strive for 310 to 400 milligrams of magnesium a day. <\/p>\n What does vitamin D do?<\/p>\n Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that\u2019s naturally present in some foods and added to others, according to the NIH<\/a>. Your body can also make vitamin D from vitamin D synthesis, which happens when UV rays from the sun hit your skin. Vitamin D is linked to mental health, calcium absorption, and immune health, among other things, per the NIH. <\/p>\n It\u2019s recommended<\/a> that most adult women and men try to get 15 micrograms or 600 IU of vitamin D a day. <\/p>\n Why might magnesium regulate vitamin D?<\/p>\n There are likely a few things happening here. One is that magnesium is required for the body to absorb vitamin D, says Scott Keatley, R.D., a nutritionist and co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cMagnesium is required for the enzymes that convert vitamin D into its active and circulating forms, so low magnesium can impair that process,\u201d he explains. Qi Dai, M.D., Ph.D.<\/a>, lead study author and a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, says his work suggests that magnesium regulates the body’s circulating vitamin D levels by regulating its vitamin D synthesis (again, how the body creates vitamin D from sunlight) and metabolism enzymes. But it also seems to tweak vitamin D levels in the gut through specific gut microorganisms, Dai says. That requires someone to have proper functioning of TRPM7, he adds. <\/p>\n \u201cSimply put, magnesium helps your body utilize vitamin D efficiently, both in the gut and throughout the body,\u201d says Keri Gans, R.D.N., author of The Small Change Diet.<\/p>\n Gans stresses that being low in vitamin D isn’t just about one nutrient. \u201cMagnesium, along with diet and lifestyle, may be important,\u201d she says. \u201cNutrients work together, so taking a balanced approach is essential.\u201d<\/p>\n Should you take a magnesium supplement if you\u2019re low in vitamin D?<\/p>\n Not necessarily. \u201cIf someone is low in vitamin D, supplementation with vitamin D remains the primary intervention,\u201d Keatley says. It’s also a good idea to get sun exposure and eat foods that are rich in vitamin D, Dr. Dai says. <\/p>\n At the same time, \u201cit is important to consider consuming foods rich in magnesium or magnesium supplementation, as magnesium can both increase vitamin D levels when it is low and reduce the levels when it is too high,\u201d Dr. Dai adds. <\/p>\n Magnesium is \u201cwidely available in a lot of different foods, but they tend to be foods a lot of people don\u2019t eat enough of in the standard American diet,\u201d says Jessica Cording, R.D., a nutritionist and the author of The Little Book of Game-Changers. \u201cIn that case, I have seen a supplement be helpful,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n Making sure you get enough magnesium in your diet may help your body respond more effectively to vitamin D, especially if you\u2019re not getting enough of it from the sun or your diet, Keatley says. <\/p>\n But dietitians stress that you shouldn\u2019t just put yourself on a magnesium supplement without checking in with a healthcare provider. \u201cJust because it\u2019s a supplement doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s without risk,\u201d Cording says. <\/p>\n
\u201cCorrecting a deficiency may help raise vitamin D levels in people who are low by improving activation and transport.\u201d<\/p>\n