The Best Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamin D and K2 Supplements

Feb 10, 2022

How Much Calcium and Magnesium Should You Take?

There appears to be a lot of conflicting information regarding the optimal amounts of calcium, vitamin D and magnesium. Recommendations for calcium intake varies across the world, with the United States having one of the highest recommendations and yet also one of the highest rates of osteoporosis and fractures.

The biggest demands for calcium and magnesium will be seen in growing children, post-menopasal women and athletes. The athlete’s demand is going to range based on individual (sweat loss, diet, and stress) and environmental aspects (extreme heat and cold).

Calcium supplementation recently got a scare because one study that came out showed that excess calcium supplementation led to calcification of the arteries, while another one came out saying “no it doesn’t.”

This is standard in the research world and one should never take the results of a supplement study with more than a grain of salt. It’s much more accurate to look at populations as a whole and look at the statistics.

Calcium is notoriously hard to absorb (75% for children, only 30% for adults and only 30% from dairy), making any other factors affecting absorption especially problematic.

A similar scene appeared in the early 1900’s when more than 80 percent of children in industrialized Europe and North America had rickets. It was during this time that the exposure to sunlight, cod liver oil and vitamin D fortification treated the problem. Interesting enough, this was the time when the diet was changing towards white flour, sugar, and processed foods and the connection between diet and disease was becoming clear.

The current recommendation is a roughly 2:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium, usually 1000mg of calcium and 400-500mg of magnesium in the U.S. Bones and teeth contain 99 percent of the body’s calcium, while roughly 55-60 percent of magnesium is in bone with 20-25% in soft tissues.

Studies of pre-agricultural diets actually show a 1:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium, and I would argue that this is the correct amount with an optimal diet and outdoor lifestyle. The theory that dairy is needed for healthy bones is nonsense, evident by the teeth and bones from the hunter gathers being in much better shape than their agricultural counterparts.

Highest Dairy = Highest Rates of Osteoporosis

Current statistics have shown that countries with the highest dairy consumption including Finland, Sweden, England and U.S. also have the highest rates of fractures and osteoporosis and are most likely the most vitamin D deficient.

The highest incidence of osteoporotic fractures is found in northern Europe, where dietary intake of vitamin A (retinol) is unusually high. A Swedish study found that the higher rates of vitamin A may be linked to osteoporosis.

A proposed reason was a high intake of cod liver oil and dairy products. But if you read the study, you see that margarine is fortified with vitamins A and D in many countries, but Sweden is the only European country that fortifies low-fat milk products with vitamin A.

Fortified milk in Sweden contains 0.45 mg of retinol per liter, almost twice the level found in normal, 3% fat milk. Vitamin A deficiency results in poor bone growth, but the most prominent features of excessive A are accelerated bone resorption, bone fragility, and spontaneous fracture.

Bone health is dependent on estrogen status in women, vitamin D levels, magnesium, calcium, boron, inositol, silicon, and K2. In post-menopausal women, estrogen levels that become too low drastically affect bone density. Vitamin D absorption and utilization goes down after age 50 and supplementation may be necessary based on your sun exposure.

Research shows that the estrogenic qualities of hops in beer promote bone density in post-menopausal women. This shows that phytoestrogen-rich food may help promote bone density by enhancing estrogen activity.

Rewinding 10,000 Years Before Dairy

Fish with bones, sea vegetables, wild greens, dark green vegetables, bone broths and days in the sun provided plenty of bone-building materials for the hunter-gatherers. In fact, rickets showed up in the Neolithic age from a deficiency of vitamin D and impaired calcium metabolism despite the introduction of dairy into the diet.

We now know that bones require much more than calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D. They also require vitamin C, boron, inositol, silicon, K1 and K2

This isn’t to say that healthy bones and teeth haven’t been found in societies with grains and dairy. Books written about the various indigenous people that Weston Price studied were sturdy with perfectly straight, cavity-free teeth and consumed both. But its introduction does not prove a cause and effect with better bone health.

So what happened? My theory is that the people of the Neolithic age consumed unleavened bread and porridge without fermentation, creating a high phytic acid diet that blocked absorption of calcium, magnesium, and other minerals. More work moved indoors creating less sun exposure for vitamin D and grains took the place of calcium and vitamin D rich foods.

How Grains Almost Ruined Our Future Skeleton

According to the book Neolithic by Susan Foster McCarter:

Like most people, you may have always assumed that hunter-gatherers were usually hungry, tired and sick; and that things were much better once people began producing their food and living in permanent villages. In fact, the opposite is true: hunter-gatherers were extremely healthy and Neolithic farmers were not. Paleopathologists tell us that foragers had excellent teeth, they were rarely malnourished, they were taller than most people today, and they didn’t suffer from endemic or epidemic diseases.

We know this because the evidence is in the skeletal remains. The skeletons of the early Neolithic farmers show scurvy (vitamin C deficiencies), rickets (vitamin D deficiencies), poor dental health, bone infections and a stature roughly 6 inches shorter than the hunter-gatherers. So despite an abundance of food, people were often hungry and malnourished. Why? Because the diet shifted to a grain based diet of porridge and unleavened bread.

A diet that is very acidic (high in unleavened grains, hard cheeses, high sodium processed food, legumes, and grain-fed meat) without the presence of fruits and vegetables causes a net acid load and forces the bones to release calcium to buffer the acids. The sodium/potassium ratio is also what leads to a lot of health disorders.

As you can see, there is a delicate balancing act being played with calcium, and flooding the body with one mineral does not show a thorough understanding of its role. The absorption rate of calcium is kept small by foods and our body, albeit as a protective mechanism. I believe the evidence points towards a lopsided dose of calcium doing more harm than good, and that in fact it is our vitamin D status, K2, magnesium and trace mineral consumption that facilitates calcium reaching its proper destination.

Someone Forgot to Open a History Book on Nutrition

Later in the 20th century, the government created the food pyramid. They proclaimed that everyone should consume 6-11 servings of grains a day. This turned into cold cereal for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, crackers for a snack, pasta for dinner and cookies for dessert.

Foods that contained saturated fat and cholesterol including liver, beef, eggs, cheese, cream and butter were shunned, and instead, lean meat, fortified juice, cereal, skim milk and hydrogenated fats like margarine were recommended instead.

There are many problems here; the one related to this article is that they shunned foods rich in vitamin D, not to mention all the other fat-soluble vitamins including vitamin K2. Somehow we came full circle back to the Neolithic age with even worse additions! Either no one involved in the food pyramid had any anthropological and dietary knowledge, food corporations gained lobbying control, or it appeared to be the only way to feed an exploding population.

Nutrient dense food was considered blasphemy, sugar, and vegetable oils were considered Godly, while the education of how to prepare grains to make them suitable for consumption was ignored in favor of fast production. Bravo (insert slow dramatic golf clap here).

Vitamin/Mineral Ratios Based on Healthy Cultures

In the book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, Dr. Weston A. Price gathered some very interesting data on nutritional profiles from healthy, indigenous cultures from around the world. He was particularly interested in A, D, calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, copper and iodine. Finding this data gave me some incredible insight into understanding possible optimal ratios. Each one listed is the amount multiplied by the western diet.

He found that indigenous cultures had 10x the amount of vitamins A and D in their diet compared to industrialized societies and were virtually free of disease. He also found that these people became riddled with health issues in only one generation when switching to a western diet. But there was something else present in these indigenous diets; something called the “x factor” which would later be discovered as vitamin K2 and is now becoming a star in the research world for its role in calcium metabolism.

1. Native Eskimos: 5.4x calcium, 1.5x iron, 7.9x magnesium, 1.8x copper, 49x iodine, 10x vitamin A, 10x vitamin D

2. Indians of Northern Canada: 5.8x calcium, 5.8x phosphorus, 2.7x iron, 4.3x magnesium, 1.5x copper, 8.8x iodine,10x vitamin A, 10x vitamin D

3. High Mountain Swiss: 3.7x Calcium, 2.2x phosphorus, 2.5x magnesium, 3.1x iron, 10x vitamin A, 10x vitamin D

4. Gaelics in the Outer Hebrides: 2.1x calcium, 2.3x phosphorus, 1.3x magnesium, 1x iron, 10x vitamin A, 10x vitamin D

5. Aborigines of Austrailia: 4.6x calcium, 6.2x phosphorus, 17x magnesium, 50.6x iron, 10x vitamin A, 10x vitamin D

6. New Zealand Maori: 6.2x calcium, 6.9 phosphorus, 23.4x magnesium, 58.3x iron, 10x vitamin A, 10x vitamin D

7. Polynesians: 5.6x calcium, 7.2x phosphorus, 28.5x magnesium, 22.4x iron, 10x vitamin A, 10x vitamin D

8. Coastal Indians of Peru: 6.6x calcium, 5.5x phosphorus, 13.6x magnesium, 5.1x for iron, 10x vitamin A, 10x vitamin D

9. Indians of the Andean Mountains of Peru: 5x calcium, 5.5x phosphorus, 13.3x magnesium, 29.3x iron, 10x vitamin A, 10x vitamin D

10. Cattle Tribes of Africa: 7.5x calcium, 8.2x phosphorus, 19.1x magnesium, 16.6x iron, 10x vitamin A, 10x vitamin D

11. Agricultural Tribes of Central Africa: 3.5x calcium, 4.1x phosphorus, 5.4x magnesium, 16.6x iron, vitamin A 10x, 10x vitamin D

“All of the above primitive diets also provided a large increase in water-soluble vitamins (B-complex, vitamin C) over the number provided in the displacing modern diets.” – Dr. Price

Summary of the Traditional Diets

What can we extrapolate from this sample of diets from around the world? The calcium levels remain fairly constant but higher than our intake, while the magnesium levels can fluctuate dramatically higher or slightly below calcium.

You won’t see one example with 2:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium as the majority of calcium/magnesium supplements often provide, and magnesium in multivitamins is barely present.

What Blocks Calcium Absorption?

There are other elements that block calcium absorption, like oxalic acid-rich foods including beets, rhubarb, celery, swiss chard, spinach, eggplant, greens, okra, squash, currants, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, gooseberries, pecans, peanuts, tea and cocoa.

Interesting enough, some of these are high in magnesium, illuminating the importance in balancing calcium status. Too much calcium affects the absorption of magnesium, while higher amounts of magnesium increase the absorption of calcium.

Calcium loss can be a problem with excessive sweat, poor dietary intake and female athletes that are not menstruating. This is a problem not only for muscle contraction but also for fracture risk.

While studies have found that protein promotes urinary calcium loss, other studies have found that protein actually increases calcium absorption and decreases calcium secretion in the gastrointestinal tract to cause no change in total body calcium.1 Many of these protein foods are also high in phosphorus, which decreases calcium excretion.

Fermentation in the large intestine also plays a role and may release calcium that has bound to fermentable fibers like pectin (apples), with up to 10% of calcium being absorbed by the colon. Another reason to drink and eat fermented foods and avoid antibiotics when possible.

How Does Coffee and Alcohol Affect Calcium and Bone Health?

Caffeine in coffee pulls calcium from the bones, weakening the bone matrix and making it more prone to fractures. Caffeine also stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol, which can affect muscle tone, decrease bone formation and increase bone breakdown. Over 4 cups of coffee per day can affect bone health in certain individuals.

Our diet has also become very low in magnesium, due to losses in top soil from poor agricultural practices and low in water due to heavy treatment. Magnesium is a natural calcium channel blocker and needs to be in a 1:1 ratio or higher to ensure proper placement of calcium.

With just 2-3 ounces of alcohol per day, the stomach does not absorb calcium and vitamin D adequately due to interference with the pancreas. Alcohol also decreases estrogen, which is already decreasing in post-menopausal women and leads to bone loss. Hops in beer, however, help retain bone densit due to being estrogenic. This makes beer, especially IPA’s, an interesting addition for bone health in women.

The Disappearance of Magnesium and the High Need for Athletes

We have established the importance of vitamin D and K2 in the diet as major players of calcium metabolism. Now let’s look at magnesium. It is believed up to 80% are magnesium deficient in the United States. It is responsible for over 300 chemical reactions including muscle relaxation and preventing cramps.

Magnesium raises testosterone levels, helps build muscle, decreases inflammation and maximizes protein synthesis, making this mineral one of the most important for athletes.

As an athlete, when adrenaline and cortisol are pumping during your sport or heavy training, this stress response is strongly correlated with decreased magnesium. Since magnesium is an integral part of nerve conduction and electrolyte balance, low levels can increase anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances.

Muscle cramps are often a sign of magnesium deficiencies, especially in the calves at night. If you are female and crave chocolate (especially during that time of the month) one of the reasons is – besides being delicious and like a giant hug – that it’s high in magnesium.

One of the reasons magnesium is so low in soils is that when you grow food in the same plot over and over again, the soil gets exhausted and the minerals are gone. Eventually, nothing will grow and you will be left with dust. Farmers adapted to this and found that rotating crops and replenishing the soil with compost helped put in more nutrients than was taken out. This became the basis for organic agriculture.

Chemical agriculture took a different approach and decided they could keep plants growing with synthetic NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) while neglecting all of the trace minerals like magnesium and the microorganisms. Since the plants became susceptible to disease easily due to these deficiencies, chemical agriculture’s solution was to spray the plants with neurotoxins known as pesticides.

Combine the lack of magnesium in the soil with processed foods, a high-grain diet, stress, sweat, alcohol and caffeine and presto! You have a deficiency.

*If you are female and crave chocolate (especially during that time of the month) one of the reasons is – besides being delicious and like a giant hug – that it’s high in magnesium and boosts serotonin.

The Health Beat’s Dosage Recommendation

According to the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine, “increases in dairy or total dietary calcium intake (above 400 to 500 mg per day) are not correlated with – or a predictor of – bone mineral density or fracture rate in children or young adults.”

That would make 400-500 of both calcium and magnesium the target for many people. Dr. Carolyn Dean, author of The Magnesium Miracle, claims 6-8mg per kilogram of body weight. 

It is my stance that a 1:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium is most likely optimal, with higher levels of magnesium possibly being even better.

  • 400-600mg of calcium and magnesium
  • 35-50 ng/ml of vitamin D (Sun and 500-5000IU depending on your level)
  • K2 from the diet or supplementation (requirements range)
  • Boron and silica from mineral water and diet
  • Phytoestrogens (flax seeds, fermented soy, lentils, hops) for post-menopausal women

The Best Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamin D and Vitamin K2 Supplements

1. Naturelo Plant-Based Bone Strength

Cost: $24.95 for 30 servings

Naturelo uses a blend of calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, K2 (MK-7), boron, silica, vitamin C, manganese, zinc, and potassium. This is an excellent formula if you want to get everything in one product for bone health. I do recommend supplementing with extra magnesium to balance the calcium to magnesium ratio. See #2.

For calcium, a natural option is to use Gerolsteiner Mineral Water, to get 345mg calcium, 100mg magnesium, boron, silica, and bicarbonate.

The Oslo Health Study found that alkali buffers, whether bicarbonate (in Gerolsteiner), vegetables, or fruits, can reverse urinary calcium loss. The advantage of doing it this way is that you get the benefits of all of the other minerals that work in concert together from both the water and diet, especially if you have a high protein diet or drink lots of coffee.

If you are interested in other electrolyte drinks, check out the article Best and Worst Electrolyte Drinks.

2. Pure Encapsulations Calcium and Magnesium 1:1

If you are taking a multivitamin and you only need to add more calcium and magnesium, this is a great choice.

3. Nordic Naturals Vitamin D Vegan

If you need extra vitamin D, these are excellent drops.

4. Innovix Labs Full Spectrum Vitamin K2

A good formula has both MK-4 and MK-7. All MK-4 is a bioidentical molecule, while MK-7 can be found as both bioidentical (trans) and non-bioidentical (cis). This formula uses the correct, bioidentical formula of MK-7. If you are attempting to approach vitamin K2 specific issues, you will likely need more than what is found in Naturelo’s Bone Strength.

Sources
1. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism 5th addition.

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27 Comments

  1. Annie

    If you take K2 MK-4, it will take the calcium to your bones and Not your arteries/soft tissue.
    It has a short shelve life in the body, and needs to be taken about 5 hours apart or more twice a day with a little healthy fat.

    Reply
  2. Bob

    Just found your web-site. (excellent) I’m a 60 yr. old with a PSA issue. (no symptoms) After much investigation. I’m curious what your response may be, concerning the product “Mezotrace” and my decision to use with 5000 iu. per day vitamin D3. It’s a naturally accuring sediment from sea beds. It’s made up on an average of 1650 mg. calcium and 960 mg. magnesium per serving. (1-teaspoon) It seems to fit almost with what your recomendation is. Being natural and having an abundance of trace minerals should hopefully fulfill my needs, as well as others. Would appreciate your feed back. Thanks! P.S.- It does wonders in the garden.

    Reply
    • Bob

      I’m taking “Mezotrace” 2x daily. (am-pm) My total intake daily of vitamin D3 is 10,000 iu. Any feedback or concerns on this daily intake is welcome.

      Reply
      • Alex Swanson M.S.

        Hi Bob,

        The studies regarding an elevated PSA and calcium intake seemed to be mixed. Certain studies have found a high calcium intake to increase prostate cancer, while this study found that 1200mg actually had a possible protective effect. http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/14/3/586.full

        Depending on your diet, 1/2 tsp. of that dose would be more than sufficient. For vitamin D, it depends on your current vitamin D level. 5,000IU is the standard dosing for raising vitamin D to the target number. It is important to get a vitamin D test every 8-12 weeks from your doctor so he can adjust the dose as needed.

        P.S. I’m sure it does do wonders in the garden! Your vegetables will be mineral rich to begin with, making supplementation less necessary.

        Reply
  3. Ajeet

    Hi Alex,

    Would you recommend Omical for general bone health, as it mentions that calcium is sourced from Organic Milk and if it could suffice for daily requirement of calcium and magnesium.

    http://www.omical.com.sg/

    Reply
    • Alex Swanson M.S.

      Hi Ajeet,

      Interesting idea, but is there any reason you wouldn’t just have a serving of yogurt or kefir to get the equivalent profile? If you are concerned about general bone health, the evidence for dairy consumption and increased bone health isn’t very strong. You are better off focusing on calcium-rich vegetables, mineral water, magnesium, and K2. For tablets, alfalfa leaf is a good one that is higher in calcium and trace minerals.

      Reply
      • Ajeet

        Thanks Alex for your valuable inputs. Point noted.

        Reply
  4. Nina

    if my multivitamin has 70mcg of Vitamin K2 and 400IU of Vitamin D3 how much additional supplementation would I need for these vitamins if I don’t get enough sunlight exposure?

    Reply
    • Alex Swanson M.S.

      Hi Nina,

      The amount out of K2 is correct. For vitamin D, the amount ranges from 2,000IU to 5,000 IU depending on your vitamin D metabolism if you are not getting enough sun. The vitamin D receptor requires adequate A, magnesium, calcium, K2, boron and zinc.

      Reply
  5. Anne

    My husband and I just recently started taking Green Pasture Blue Ice Fermented Cod Liver Oil (raw and refrigerated). Do you know if this is a quality product, or would you recommend switching to the Nordic Naturals DHA, Virgin Cod Liver Oil, or Rosita Extra Virgin Cod Liver Oil over this? If so, why? We are taking 500mg with breakfast and dinner.

    To save us both from having a bunch of pills to swallow morning and evening, we have recently also started taking magnesium in a spay form. It is Ancient Minerals Genuine Zechstein magnesium chloride flakes (and trace minerals). I mix in in a spray bottle in a 1 part boiling water to 1 part magnesium flakes, and we spray it on the bottoms of our feet in the evenings. Thoughts on this?

    Regarding D3, my husband has been taking 5000IU daily of D3 (as cholecalciferol) from Dee Cee Laboratories In addition to 60mg in his multi-vitamin. I got him this D3 2-3 months ago, but he has only been taking it faithfully for about 2 weeks.
    Can you speak to the quality (or lack of) of Dee Cee Laboratories D3? Do you think we should switch to Optimal Vitamin D3 liquid? Is there a capsule form of D3 that you would recommend?

    Reply
  6. James H Hood

    Its unfortunate, but I have found you get he best deals on calcium magnesium in the 2:1 ratio like this chelated version from vitamin shoppe, I just wait for their buy 1 get half off deals – https://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/chelated-cal-mag-300-tablets/vs-1118

    I take it at lunch with d3/k2 and then make up the difference with some ZMA at night.

    From what I have read elsewhere, it is really hard to get the k2 you need, I like the LEF brand the best also.
    K2 info – https://omegavia.com/how-to-choose-the-right-vitamin-k2-supplement/

    Reply
  7. Meet

    Hi Alex, i am 34. i have been taking 60k units of vitamin d3 liquid(once a week for 16 to 20 weeks yearly)as the levels tested were very low initially.
    I have been able to raise the levels from an undetectable stage to 25 ng tested recently, over 5 years.
    Would you recommend to continue with the 60k dosage? Also tried the thorne vitamin d/k2 supplement not sure of the daily dosage though. I have also been supplementing with Basic nutrients 2/day from thorne, one capsule daily,magnesium citramate or citrate, 135 mg *3 daily, choline form thorne since i am a vegetarian and i dont take eggs as well,
    algae omega 3 from nordic naturals, ashwagandha from gaia, vit c thorne.
    I have been able to overcome migraine issues almost completely due to this, but i am constantly fatigued and feel my energy levels are too low at this age, i do feel tired in the morning itself although i do try to get sufficient sleep too.Would you advise any further supplementation which could help with conquering constant fatigue. In addition,i feel constantly thirsty and drink excessive amounts of water, and battling belly fat and acne from many years.

    Reply
    • Alex Swanson M.S.

      Hi Meet,

      I think a bigger question I have is why your body is not absorbing the vitamin D, requiring such high doses. That is really a better question for your doctor who is monitoring your levels, but it seems very high to me.

      I’m glad to hear the program has helped you overcome your migraines. I’m not sure how long you have been a vegetarian, but I wonder if this a potential cause of what you are experiencing. I’ve seen constant thirst as a sign that cholesterol is too low, affecting cell membrane health and hormone production. Cholesterol is a precursor to vitamin D, showing a potential link to your deficiency there. Battling belly fat and acne may also be pointing towards issues regarding your hormones, where cholesterol is also a precursor. Have you had your cholesterol tested? How about your zinc/copper, iron and B12 levels?

      Reply
      • Meet

        Hi Alex,

        Thankyou for your prompt response. Arachitol Nano 5ML Syrup-cholecalciferol 60000 IU from Abott is routinely recommended by the physicians in India. i am just monitoring the levels myself through an annual test and the supplementation thereafter.Would it be advisable to take 10k dosage daily, tablets from Thorne? as Seeking health doesnt ship to Singapore(since i am based in sg) and how many months dosage could help to raise the levels.

        I did get my cholesterol tested recently,levels were 196 for Total, HDL-60, LDL-114,mg/dl. Iron levels were around 40 last year, increased to 128 microgram/dl this year, i did supplement with thorne iron bisglycinate, as per the recommendations in one of your articles at this valuable site, though only for about 2 months as i was concerned having read that iron supplementation is toxic for the liver,is that true?b-12 tested was 580 pg/ml, t3,t4 and tsh-104 ng/dl,7.3 ug/dl,2.12 uIU/ml

        For checking the hormone imbalances, which tests would you recommend?havent tested the copper and zinc levels, though i take one tablet of basic nutrients 2 daily.

        For the adaptogens, i am keen to try cordyceps after having read about its benefits especially in boosting energy levels? would that make a difference, i do have ashwagandha on a regular basis which helps in managing routine stress levels.

        I have been vegetarian since birth and my diet staple is rice and whole wheat along with local veggies and fruits.The list of tablets does get exhaustive,would a multivitamin and magnesium suffice for most days?

        Reply
        • Alex Swanson M.S.

          Hi Meet,

          At a high level of looking at potential reasons for low energy, you want to assess B12, iron, protein intake, thyroid (TSH, T3 and T4), cortisol, zinc/copper, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and pregnenolone, electrolytes (especially magnesium), viruses (Epstein Barre is one known to cause fatigue) and exercise (too low or too high). Typically, you will find the answer within these tests. For hormones, I would tell your doctor about the Dutch test. For vitamin D, 5-10K is a safer dose but you may want to monitor more often.

          Your cholesterol seems to be fine. Something still appears off if you are not absorbing vitamin D properly. Excess thirst seems like a major sign of an imbalance, perhaps more adrenal related. Another thought is if wheat is affecting your energy and vitamin D absorption. The next step would be to assess your hormones and adrenal health. Regarding iron, levels of iron that are too low or too high is an issue and iron supplementation used as needed is not a problem as long as your levels are not too high.

          Reply
  8. Meet

    Hi Alex,

    would like to add the memory loss i have been experiencing as well as in forgetting things and names often. i have tried Magnesium L-threonate for improving memory as well, is it advisable to use that on a regular basis.

    Apologies for so many queries, thank you for the wealth of information provided on the site,the recommendations has greatly helped my parents and myself to manage our health better.

    Reply
    • Alex Swanson M.S.

      Hi Meet,

      Are you obtaining enough choline each day? Estrogen levels and thyroid hormones are connected to memory. Magnesium L-threonate is good for memory, but at your age, there is something else that is affecting your memory.

      You are very welcome! I’m glad you found the information helpful.

      Reply
  9. Maggie

    Steele Spirit
    4.3 out of 5 stars 145 Reviews
    Multimineral with 1000mg Calcium Magnesium Zinc D3

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0038NF8MG/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_Lt3JEb2BZPFWX

    Hi Alex:
    What are your thoughts on this? My husband had a body scan and was told he has descalcificación in his bones. He was recommended 1000 calcium with Vitamin D and magnesium. I want him to take a good quality one.

    Reply
    • Alex Swanson M.S.

      Hi Maggie,

      What do I think of the Thorne product? I think it is a good product. However, be aware that this is just MK-4. I explain the difference between MK-4 and MK-7 here.

      Reply
  10. James

    You really should make this a permanent front page link !

    I see so many different websites recommending more Vitamin D(cancer, immunity) but they never mention it will wreck havoc with your calcium without k2.

    This is really supplements 101, you would think it would be everywhere, but it is really hard to find this information elsewhere.

    Reply
    • Alex Swanson M.S.

      Hey James,

      I agree. I think some of the recommendations with vitamin D have been a little reckless without understanding vitamin D metabolism better, how optimal levels may differ based on ethnicity, and the balance with other nutrients like K2 and vitamin A.

      Reply
  11. Christa

    Hi Alex,
    If I take Naturelo One Daily for women over 50, 500 mg of magnesium (citrate and glycimate (sp?) dosed morning and evening and Micro Ingredients D3 125mcg from sunflower seed oil + K2 (mk7), how much calcium and what type would I need? I can’t take high doses of vitamins due to nausea and find the multi from Naturelo easy to take. It seems like it has everything, but maybe I need more A?

    Reply
    • Alex Swanson

      Hi Christa,

      If you can get 500mg of calcium from your diet, I think that 500-600mg of calcium from supplementation is sufficient for bone health. I think calcium citrate is an easy one on the stomach. Pure Encapsulations Calcium Citrate is a good option.

      For bone health over age 50, you actually want reduce or avoid vitamin A from supplementation in favor of increasing vitamin D. Beta carotene/carotenoids are fine. Too much vitamin A pushes vitamin D levels down, and excess vitamin A from fortified products are actually what was found to be causing bone loss in studies.

      Reply
  12. Christa

    Hey!! It went through! I sent you coffee money (lol ~ that’s a great line) for helping me the other day when it wouldn’t go through, thanks for that. Sorry, Iol, I tried for days to comment. 🙂

    Reply
    • Alex Swanson

      Hi Christa,

      Thank you so much! I really appreciate it. Glad it is working now!

      Reply
    • Alex Swanson

      Hi James,

      Thank you for sending the article. It is a complex subject for many reasons. First, the research I presented was from indigenous diets where there was no supplementation. In the article you linked, Dr. Robert Heaney “spoke often on the importance of ensuring adequate co-nutrient intake as one of the main criteria for designing nutrient studies. Dr. Heaney provides examples in the link above where differing, and sometimes unexpected, results can come from studies that only look at one nutrient without considering the status of important co-nutrients.” This is the key takeaway when evaluating research study results with different ratios of calcium to magnesium. Vitamin D, vitamin K2, boron, bicarbonate, estrogen status, testosterone status, dietary choices and inflammation markers all affect calcium absorption and retention. So I could see how a higher supplemental magnesium intake could become detrimental to calcium levels and health outcomes with a poor intake of co-nutrients and low estrogen status in women. The more co-nutrients or hormones are insufficient, the more calcium is needed to make up for the losses. Poor health outcomes can also occur from high supplemental calcium intake to very low magnesium intake. I would argue the better the status of these co-nutrients and hormone levels, the more the requirement of calcium to magnesium hovers closer to 1:1.

      Reply

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