Women’s Vitamins that Should Not Be Taken Together

The other day, I noticed how many podcasts advertise vitamin supplementation. From health and wellness podcasts to sports podcasts, it seems as if the vitamin supplement industry is singlehanded sponsoring half the podcast world. That’s not necessarily a bad thing – modern diets may be lacking in certain essential nutrients, and it makes sense in this day and age to supplement our nutritional demands. 

Thus, many of us take vitamins to optimize our health. It’s one of the healthy living edicts we hear often along with drinking plenty of water, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly. Yes, taking vitamins may help supplement certain nutritional deficiencies that it’s difficult to get through diet alone.

However, this doesn’t mean that all vitamins and supplements are a free-for-all. Certain vitamins should not be taken together, because they may counteract each other’s intended effects.

Here is a snapshot before breaking down each combination.

Can You Take Magnesium with Multivitamin?

Magnesium is an essential mineral in the human body that supports over 300 biochemical processes. Some functions magnesium helps play a role in include:

• Regulating nerve and muscle function
• Turning food into energy
• Supporting the synthesis of DNA
• Developing healthy bones

You can find magnesium in a range of foods, particularly in dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, legumes and fortified whole grains. The daily Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adults 19-51+ years old is 310-320 mg for women and 400-420 mg for women. Pregnant women require slightly more magnesium about 350-360 mg per day.

Daily multivitamins contain a combination of various vitamins and minerals – most commonly Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Potassium, and Calcium – designed to fill in the gaps where your regular diet falls flat. The FDA has not approved any multivitamins for improving health and there have been very few studies showing that multivitamins help reduce in heart disease or cancer.

That being said, there also aren’t any cons to taking a daily multivitamin, because you’re probably absorbing so little of these vitamins that it doesn’t make much of a difference. In the same vein, taking magnesium with your multivitamin is most likely fine because there isn’t enough of any vitamin or mineral in a multivitamin to counteract the magnesium. If you’re concerned about this, however, we recommend reading the label.

Can I take B12 Vitamin D and Magnesium Together?

Absolutely! In fact, B12, Vitamin D, and Magnesium taken together may create synergistic effects and optimize the way they are all used by the body. Your body uses Vitamin D to absorb calcium. Along with calcium absorption, Vitamin D also has antioxidant and neuroprotective cellular functions. The enzymes responsible for metabolizing this vitamin require magnesium, meaning that magnesium is essential for the absorption of vitamin D.

Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is one of the eight B vitamins. The water-soluble vitamin plays a key role in the functioning of the nervous system as well as the formation of red blood cells and regulating energy processing from food consumed. 

Vitamin B12 does not appear to counteract Vitamin D. Vitamin B works in conjunction with magnesium to promote nervous system and psychological function, which is why many supplements combine the two. In short, this combination may promote absorption and bodily function.

Can You Take Biotin and Magnesium Together?

Biotin is a B vitamin involved in an array of metabolic processes and perhaps most known for supporting skin and hair growth. Biotin can be found in foods like eggs, nuts, avocados, and sweet potatoes. There is no RDA for Biotin, but an adequate intake for adolescents and adults ranges from 30-100 micrograms per day. You may choose to take biotin for shinier skin, hair, and nails.  

There are no significant interactions between biotin and magnesium. 

Can You Take Vitamin D and E Together?

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that many people may recognize as an essential vitamin for healthy skin – you’ll find many topical beauty and skincare products labeled to “contain vitamin E.” Vitamin E is also an antioxidant, protecting against inflammation and chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

Supplementing Vitamin E doesn’t interfere with the absorption with Vitamin D, but research shows that it may be best to take fat-soluble vitamins like D and E apart from certain other fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin K. 

Mind Your (Vitamin) Ps and Qs… or Ds and Ks

If you take several vitamins a day, or take a multivitamin, it’s important to check what your multivitamin contains and if any of your other supplements may nullify their effects (and the point of supplementing).

If you take any medications, always check both the label and with your medical provider about potential counter-effects, as certain vitamins and minerals may mess with the absorption of certain medications – or even result in unpleasant side effects.