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Magnesium, vitamin D and B12: who needs them and how to choose

Why we need magnesium, vitamin D and B12, who runs short of them and how to choose the form and dose.

  • Vitamins
  • Dietary supplements
  • Magnesium
  • Vitamin-D
On this page

Magnesium, vitamin D and vitamin B12 are the supplements people ask about most. Here is what each one does, who tends to run short and which forms are available.

Magnesium

Magnesium helps muscles and the nervous system work and supports normal sleep and heart rhythm.

Signs of deficiency

  • muscle cramps and twitching, especially at night;
  • tiredness and irritability;
  • poor sleep.

These signs can have other causes too, so if they don't go away, see a doctor.

Food sources

Nuts and seeds, beans and lentils, buckwheat, leafy green vegetables, cocoa.

Magnesium supplements

Magnesium is often combined with vitamin B6, which helps the body absorb it. People with kidney disease should take magnesium only on a doctor's advice.

Vitamin-Magnidoz tablets №60

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium, for healthy bones and teeth, and for muscle and immune function. The skin makes it in sunlight, so in autumn and winter many people run short.

Who needs it most

  • babies in their first year — as drops, on a paediatrician's advice;
  • older people;
  • people who spend little time in the sun.

Which dose to choose

Doses on the packs vary widely, from 500 to 50,000 IU. High doses should only be taken on a doctor's advice, ideally after a vitamin D blood test (25-OH D). Vitamin D overdose is possible and dangerous.

Calcium with vitamin D3

For bones, calcium and vitamin D are often taken together: vitamin D helps calcium get absorbed.

Vitamin B12

B12 is needed to make blood and keep the nervous system working. It is found almost only in animal foods: meat, fish, eggs and dairy.

Who may run short

  • vegetarians and vegans;
  • people over 50;
  • people taking metformin or stomach-acid reducers for a long time;
  • people with stomach or bowel conditions.

Signs of deficiency

Weakness, pale skin, breathlessness, tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, poorer memory. A blood test confirms a deficiency.

Forms

Tablets, sprays and, for a marked deficiency, injections prescribed by a doctor.

The main points

  • Supplements don't replace a varied diet.
  • Before taking high doses, get tested and talk to a doctor.
  • If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have a chronic condition, check with a doctor first.

Questions? Ask the pharmacist at any ABAPharm pharmacy or write to us in the site chat.

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