Why You Should Combine Vitamin D with B12 and Magnesium

In an ideal world, supplements would be superfluous. We would get all the nutrients we need from the food we eat day after day, our water would be completely free of contaminants, we would get the requisite amount of sleep every night and, when our bodies were well rested, we would shun a sedentary life in favour of the regular exercise our bodies intuitively crave.

What a world that would be, right?

The fact is, quality health supplements continue to have a place for many of us. A more pertinent question to ask would be, which health supplements fulfil a need, i.e. a cover natural shortfall in modern diets. Solid arguments can be made for half a dozen or so. But three nutrients are especially useful for several reasons, which we intend to outline in this article. Namely, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and magnesium. And getting enough of them, in combination, couldn’t be more timely.

Let’s look at why you should take Vitamin D, B12 and magnesium in tandem.

Magnesium’s role in boosting Vitamin D (1) is somewhat unheralded. Most people associate the mineral with other benefits. For example, did you know that calcium cannot be absorbed without sufficient magnesium?

Our muscles contain roughly 27% magnesium, and our bones 60%, with the mineral heavily involved in well over 300 biochemical reactions.

Magnesium helps to keep bones and teeth strong and plays a key role in maintaining healthy blood pressure (2).

Actually, a 2016 meta-analysis (3) of 40 cohort studies totalling over a million participants showed that higher magnesium intake reduced the risk of heart failure by 22%, and the risk of stroke by 7%.

Magnesium is also intimately associated with energy production, electrolyte balance (read: hydration) and oxygen uptake, which is why it’s viewed as one of the best nutrients for athletic performance.

According to magnesium expert Dr. Carolyn Dean, as much as 70-80% of the world’s population may be deficient in magnesium. Sadly, the message about widespread magnesium deficiency has never truly translated into clinical application.

Symptoms of deficiency (4) can include fatigue, mood swings, depression and insomnia.

As noted in a review published by The Royal Society in June, 2020 (5), “Vitamin D diminishes the production of inflammatory cytokines, which appear to play a central part in the pathogenesis of severe COVID-19.”

Ask any nutritionally aware doctor (it’s a great shame that prefix needs to be used), naturopath or nutritionist which nutrients they consider most important and vitamin D, vitamin B12 and magnesium are likely to come up time and time again.

While it’s possible you get enough of the latter two (if you are a meat-eater, and follow a very nutritious diet), you’re unlikely to get vitamin D unless you supplement.

The study from Singapore (6) certainly makes for interesting reading, and we will keep our eyes peeled for others which highlight the preventive measures we can all take as far as nutrition and lifestyle is concerned.

Water for Health Ltd began trading in 2007 with the goal of positively affecting the lives of many. We still retain that mission because we believe that proper hydration and nutrition can make a massive difference to people’s health and quality of life. Click here to find out more.

Updated October 2024