The intake of vitamin D and magnesium is important for health. But what should you pay attention to? And do they both work together?
There are various ways to do something for your own health. For example, sporting activities, conscious nutrition and sufficient sleep as well as recovery periods. A US study recently revealed eight factors that are said to help people live longer.
But what are the effects of taking nutritional supplements? This text is specifically about vitamin D, which is said to increase the chance of survival in cancer, and magnesium. You can find out how the two work together at the end of the article.
Vitamin D: what’s behind it?
According to the Federal Ministry of Health is vitamin D “the collective name for calciferols, a group of solid-soluble Vitamins“. When exposed to sunlight, the human body produces vitamin D. It is also contained in foods such as fatty fish, offal, eggs, edible mushrooms and cod liver oil, but only in small quantities.
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) lists vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) as the most important forms. Basically, vitamin D is involved in bone metabolism. Among other things, it promotes “the absorption of calcium and phosphate from the intestine and their incorporation into the bones.” It is also said to play a “key role in bone mineralization”.
According to the RKI, vitamin D also plays a role in “other metabolic processes, in the formation of proteins and the control of a large number of genes”. 80 to 90 percent of the vitamin is produced by the body itself in the skin. Since this happens via sunlight, you need to stay outdoors. The remaining ten to 20 percent comes from your diet. By the way: a deficiency can lead to depressive moods.
Magnesium: what’s behind it?
The Federal Ministry of Health provides information on this, Magnesium is “important for muscle, nerve and bone metabolism.” In contrast to vitamin D, the body cannot produce magnesium itself, which is why it must be consumed through food. Pregnant women, breastfeeding women, athletes and people with certain previous illnesses have an increased need.
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Magnesium is according to the house of Karl Lauterbach (SPD) “contained in many plant-based foods”. Larger amounts can be found “in nuts and oilseeds, green vegetables, legumes and whole grains.”
Vitamin D: How does a deficiency occur and what effects does it have?
Especially in northern regions, there is a lack of sunlight in the winter months to be able to absorb enough vitamin D. In this case, the RKI says that “UV-B radiation with a wavelength of 290 nm to 315 nm is required” and that this “only occurs all year round in regions below the 35th parallel”.
In Germany, “the body’s own education is only possible from around March to October when you spend time outdoors.” In addition, “UV-B radiation could be reduced by more than 90% even in the summer months due to unfavorable weather conditions, for example when there is heavy cloud cover.”
Factors include “age, skin color and body weight as well as influences of modern lifestyle”. According to the RKI, a vitamin D deficiency can also lead to “chronic gastrointestinal, liver or kidney diseases”. Medications such as antiepileptics or cystostatics could also impair vitamin D metabolism.
According to the Federal Ministry of Health, the following symptoms can indicate a vitamin D deficiency:
- Bone pain
- Deformations of the bones, especially the ribs, legs and spine
- Broken bones
- Swelling at the junction of cartilage and bone
- Softening of the back of the head
- Delayed closure of the fontanel in small children
- Muscle weakness
- Susceptibility to infections
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Magnesium: How does a deficiency occur and what effects does it have?
A magnesium deficiency can arise “as a result of an unbalanced diet or as a result of kidney disease,” writes the Federal Ministry of Health. Severe diarrhea can also be a trigger because even then there is a risk of not absorbing enough magnesium or excreting too much.
The human body has mechanisms that prevent too much magnesium from being excreted. However, due to a genetic defect, this regulatory mechanism does not function properly in very few people, “for example in Gitelman syndrome – a rare, hereditary kidney disease.”
In addition, the magnesium balance can also be negatively influenced by diseases such as diabetes mellitus, inflammation of the pancreas, chronic intestinal diseases such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis or thyroid diseases such as underactive parathyroid glands.
Magnesium preparations: Here too, attention should be paid to the dosage.
Photo: Jörg Carstensen, dpa (symbolic image)
According to the Federal Ministry of Health, a magnesium deficiency can also be due to high alcohol consumption. There is also an increased need due to stress, sport or pregnancy.
The symptoms often only become apparent when the deficiency is severe. In addition, the symptoms are not always clear and could also be interpreted as “signs of other illnesses”. The Lauterbach House lists the following symptoms:
- Muscle cramps and tingling or numbness in the arms and legs
- Falling body temperature and frequent freezing
- Headache
- heart racing
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- Digestive problems
Vitamin D and magnesium: How do they work together?
As the German Nutrition Society (DGE) informs when asked, vitamin D fundamentally supports the absorption of magnesium in the intestine. It is also true that a sufficient vitamin D level can improve magnesium absorption. However, it is emphasized: “In our view, this is no reason to unreservedly consume dietary supplements with these nutrients.”
The importance of vitamin D for magnesium homeostasis (balance in the body) is unclear. Some studies show that exogenous – i.e. from outside – intake increases the magnesium absorption rate. In addition, vitamin D administration appears to be associated with increased renal (via the kidneys) excretion. Consequently, it cannot be said with certainty whether the magnesium balance is positively influenced.
There is a warning against excessive intake of vitamin D and magnesium through dietary supplements. If reference values are exceeded, this can have negative effects. For vitamin D, the daily requirement is 20 micrograms per day. With regard to magnesium, the reference value increases with increasing age: from 24 milligrams per day in the first four months to 80 milligrams until the age of one, from the age of ten onwards with differences for girls and boys, from the age of 19 onwards finally 350 milligrams per day men and 300 milligrams in women.
According to the DGE, medication or an illness can also influence the interaction of vitamin D and magnesium, although it is advisable to contact a nutritionist. It is emphasized that taking medicines and dietary supplements at the same time should generally be avoided. A safety distance of at least one to two hours should be maintained.