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Can you take zinc and magnesium together?

Short answer: Probably yes at normal doses. The worry comes from one 1994 study in which very high zinc (142 mg a day, far above the 40 mg adult upper limit) lowered magnesium absorption in adult men on a metabolic ward. No trial we found tested ordinary supplement doses taken together, so the evidence is graded weak. If you want to be cautious, you can take them at different times of day. There is no proven best time to take magnesium, so pick a time you will remember.

TakeItWhen grade: weak

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Common questions

What did the 1994 study find?

In a metabolic-ward study of adult men, 142 mg of zinc a day decreased magnesium absorption and magnesium balance when the three groups were combined. In the individual groups, the drop was clear only at one of the three calcium intakes tested.

Is a zinc-magnesium combination product a problem?

There is no direct evidence that it is at normal doses. The only direct human data used a zinc dose more than three times the adult upper limit.

Does zinc clash with other minerals?

Iron and zinc are the better-known pair. See our guide on taking zinc with iron, where the evidence is also graded weak.

Sources

How we grade: strong consistent human trials, moderate some human trials, weak limited or indirect evidence, myth evidence says no. This is general information, not medical advice. If you take a prescription medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

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