Vitamins and mineral supplements, when taken together, can help harness the benefits of each. Certain nutrients work alongside each other, contributing to essential functions in the body. We walk you through these nutrient pairs, so you know which supplements to take together.
Table of Contents:
- How Do Nutrients Work Together?
- Understanding Bioavailability
- Which Supplements to Take Together
- Pill-Free Supplements from BetterYou
How Do Nutrients Work Together?
Vitamins and mineral supplements together maintain a delicate balance inside your body. These must cooperate to have their best effect. Taking pill-free nutritional supplements together can help you to see vitamin and mineral benefits. Some supplements are combined, such as multivitamins, to help you obtain proper nutrient levels in one easy step. Because of the way nutrients interact, it’s important to know that some work together, while others compete.
Certain vitamins and minerals to take together need others to absorb properly into the bloodstream. Some have the opposite effect, hindering other nutrients’ absorption. Taking certain nutrients together may cause the body to develop vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Knowing which vitamins and minerals to take together can help you avoid the side effects of low levels.
Understanding Bioavailability
The degree and rate at which your body can absorb a mineral or vitamin taken together is known as “bioavailability”. When vitamins and minerals are taken together, this influences how each nutrient interacts with the other.
Bioavailability can also depend on factors such as:
- the composition of the mineral/vitamin—some forms of magnesium, for example, absorb more easily than others
- overall intake of the mineral/vitamin
- diet
- age
- metabolism
- gastrointestinal health
Which Supplements to Take Together
There are many supplements which are beneficial to take together. Vitamins and minerals taken together look to support related areas in the body. From your bones, to muscles, to sleep. Taking the right combination of nutrients together can help to see optimal levels, and these health benefits.
Magnesium & Vitamin D3
Magnesium is an essential mineral your body needs. Magnesium benefits include strengthening bones, relaxing muscles, and aiding restful sleep. 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.
Although vitamin D comes in two main forms: vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. D3 is the naturally occurring form and generally the preferred way to supplement. One important benefit of vitamin D is that it helps the body absorb calcium. This in turn contributes to how your body absorbs magnesium. Without magnesium, vitamin D can increase calcium levels and lead it to deposit itself in soft tissues, where it can be toxic and lead to health problems.
Taking magnesium and vitamin D3 together can help:
- normal immune system function, as immune system supplements
- Maintain bone and teeth health, as bone supplements
- regulate blood pressure
- keep muscles healthy
Intaking required amounts with magnesium supplements and vitamin D supplements is essential. That way, you can encourage the body to see the contributions these nutrients have to your health.
How Much Vitamin D & Magnesium to Take Together
Our recommended daily dosage of vitamin D is:
- 1000IU of vitamin D per 25kg of body weight.
However transdermal magnesium is different. Applied to the skin, this way of supplementing is hassle-free, and there is no upper tolerable limit for transdermal magnesium. With magnesium, when taken orally there is a recommended dosage:
- 300mg per day for men (aged 19–64)
- 270mg per day for women (aged 19–64 years).
Magnesium & Zinc
When taken together, magnesium and zinc have mutual benefits. Magnesium helps your body regulate its zinc levels, while zinc does the job of allowing it to absorb magnesium more effectively. Taking magnesium alongside zinc is good for supporting your body to:
- process food and food supplements
- heal wounds
- boost your immune system
- synthesise proteins and DNA
- keep bones strong and healthy
As with magnesium, your body is unable to store zinc naturally, meaning you must consume it regularly, through your daily diet and through zinc supplements. Supplementing magnesium and zinc together can encourage a proper intake of both of these essential types of minerals.
How Much Magnesium & Zinc to Take Together
Your body needs certain amounts to see the benefits of zinc. The recommended daily amount of zinc, for those ages 19 to 64 is:
- 9.5mg for men
- 7mg for women
If your dosage of zinc becomes too high, this can affect your body’s ability to absorb magnesium. Therefore, keeping within safe upper limits is essential when taking these minerals together.
Magnesium & Vitamin B12
There are eight different B vitamins and they all contribute to your metabolism, allowing your body to convert the food you eat into energy. Vitamin B12 is the most abundant. Magnesium and vitamin B work together to:
- contribute to energy yielding metabolism, as energy supplements
- promote normal function of the nervous system and normal psychological function
- reduce tiredness and fatigue
Your body doesn’t produce vitamin B naturally, so your levels depend on your diet and any vitamin B supplements you take. Vitamin B is a water soluble type of vitamin. This means it dissolves in water and so you need to top up its supply each day.
How Much Magnesium & Vitamin B to Take Together
The recommended daily dosage of B12 for adults aged 19-64 is:
- 1.5 micrograms a day of vitamin B12
As taking the two supplements together doesn’t affect the other’s absorption, you’ll find supplements may combine the two. Taking these nutrients together can help you see the benefits of vitamin B alongside magnesium.
Vitamin D3 & K2
Vitamin D and vitamin K ensure that calcium is absorbed easily and reaches the bone mass. Thus, preventing arterial calcification. The vitamins should be taken together to help keep your heart and bones healthy. These vitamins work together in this way:
- Vitamin D3 ensures that calcium is absorbed easily
- Whilst vitamin K, specifically K2 (MK-7), activates the protein, osteocalcin
- These integrate calcium into your bones. Without D3 and K2, calcium cannot do its job effectively
The two are fat-soluble vitamins, which means they can compete for absorption in the intestines. Oral spray supplements do not require primary absorption in the digestive tract, helping to avoid this. Vitamin K supplements can ensure you see the health advantages of this vitamin.
How Much Vitamin D & Vitamin K to Take Together
The recommended daily dosage of vitamin K for adults is:
- approximately 1 microgram for each kilogram of body weight.
BetterYou’s Vitamin D3000 + K2 Oral Spray combines the two, helping you achieve bone health with a simple step. Your little ones can also benefit from the two, as bone health is essential for proper growth and development. The Vitamin D + K2 Kids’ Oral Spray makes it even easier for children to take their vital nutrients together.
Magnesium & Calcium
Magnesium helps bones develop to remain dense and strong. Calcium, too, contributes to your bone health. Taking magnesium and calcium together can encourage your bones to function properly. It can also help to slow the natural decrease in bone density that occurs as we age.
Your body doesn’t need magnesium to absorb calcium, but taking these supplements together can help to:
- prevent calcium entering soft tissues, kidneys, arteries and cartilage, where it can be toxic
- support calcium in regulating the heartbeat
- encourage the vitamins that facilitate calcium absorption (vitamins D and K) to work properly
While your body can store calcium for gradual use over time, magnesium levels need to be replenished each day.
How Much Magnesium & Calcium to Take Together
Because magnesium and calcium work so closely together, it’s important to take the right amount of each. With calcium, the recommended dosage is:
- at least 1,000mg per day for adults
- Women aged 51 and older, and men over the age of 70, are advised to increase their daily intake to 1,200mg
BetterYou’s Magnesium + Calcium Lotion makes taking these minerals together effortless. Simply apply to the skin to encourage your intake and take the supplements together.
Vitamin C & Vitamin B6
Taking these vitamins together can help to support your immune system. Vitamin C works alongside B6 to support your body’s adaptive immune response in fighting cold and flu-like systems. That way, you can optimise vitamin C benefits for your health when taking these supplements together:
- help to protect cells and keeping them healthy
- encourage immune defence
How Much Vitamin C & Vitamin B to Take Together
The two are water-soluble, meaning you need to keep on top of your intake. Vitamin C supplements, along with B, can help you see the advantages of taking these together.
The recommended daily dosage of vitamin C for adults aged 19-64 is:
- 40mg of vitamin C a day
Iron & Vitamin C
Iron is a common nutrient many of us lack, especially those with dietary restrictions which limit red meat consumption. Iron is an important mineral, which contributes to:
- healthy pregnancy
- proper red cell production
- normal oxygen transportation
Taking vitamin C alongside iron supplements can help to encourage optimal absorption. Therefore, combining the two nutrients together can support your health, so you see the benefits of iron.
How Much Iron & Vitamin C to Take Together
The recommended daily dosage of iron per day is:
- 8.7mg a day for men over 18
- 14.8mg a day for women aged 19 to 50
- 8.7mg a day for women over 50
While there are known side effects of traditional iron tablets, drinking orange juice after taking them can help your body absorb them. BetterYou pill-free supplements can help avoid the effects of tablets on the digestive system by using our pioneering oral spray formulas.
Pill-Free Supplements from BetterYou
BetterYou pioneered pill-free supplementation to encourage a healthy lifestyle. With a hassle-free spray formula, our supplements are designed to support optimal intake without the need to take a tablet. With children’s vitamins on offer too, the whole family can encourage optimal levels.
No one has to miss out on nutrition, with supplements designed for those with dietary restrictions. Helping to bridge the gap missing from these diets.
- Vegan - Vegan supplements are vegan-approved by the Vegetarian Society to help those with restricted diets. Our oral sprays encourage optimal health with the supplements vegans should take.
- Vegetarian - Vegetarian supplements are made to support those with a restricted diet. With oral sprays approved by the Vegetarian Society to provide the supplements that vegetarians should take.
- Gluten-free - Gluten-free supplements are designed to support those who cannot eat gluten achieve nutritional balance.
Always adhere to Nutrient Reference Value guidelines when taking supplements.
Supplementing with BetterYou
At BetterYou, we pioneered pill-free nutritional supplementation. Support your healthy lifestyle with sleep supplements for restful nights, and baby vitamins for your little ones.
