Many dairy products, fruits and vegetables contain significant amounts of both magnesium and potassium. Because of this, most people can get enough of these minerals by eating a healthy and well-balanced diet, Some people, however, may need to rely on supplements to meet their nutritional requirements. Although it is typically safe to take magnesium and potassium supplements together, talk to your doctor if you have questions or concerns about how these supplements will affect you.
Magnesium and Potassium
Magnesium helps to regulate potassium levels in the body. When you become deficient in magnesium, it may cause you to have low levels of potassium, as well. You most likely will not have much luck correcting a potassium deficiency without correcting a magnesium deficiency. It is most effective, therefore, to correct a magnesium deficiency at the same time as a potassium deficiency. Since there are no known negative interactions between magnesium and potassium supplements, it is safe to take them together. In fact, several brands of vitamin supplements contain both of these minerals.
Recommended Dietary Allowances
The specific amount of magnesium and potassium you should take depends on a number of factors, including your age, gender, medical condition and overall nutrition. Generally, most adults should get as close to the recommended dietary allowance for their age and gender as possible. The recommended dietary allowances of magnesium is 400 mg for males between the ages of 19 and 30 and 420 mg for all males over the age of 30. The recommended allowances of magnesium for women are 310 mg for females between 19 and 30 years old and 320 mg for females over the age of 30. The recommended dietary allowance for potassium is 4.7 g a day for all adults, regardless of gender. Getting more than these amounts is generally safe, and possibly preferable. However, you should take caution not to exceed the tolerable upper intake level for magnesium.
Tolerable Upper Intake Levels
The Institute of Medicine has not established a tolerable upper intake level for potassium, which means that you are unlikely to experience an adverse reaction to potassium even if you take large amounts of it. Magnesium, however, does have a tolerable upper intake level, and exceeding this amount may cause unpleasant side effects. The tolerable upper intake level for magnesium is 350 mg a day for all adults. Getting too much magnesium through a supplement may cause an upset stomach, muscle weakness, diarrhea, appetite loss, low blood pressure, changes in mental state and an irregular heartbeat. While people with a potassium or magnesium deficiency may sometimes need to temporarily exceed this amount to get their levels up to a normal range, you should never do so without being under the guidance of a doctor.
Warning
While taking a potassium supplement and magnesium supplement at the same time is unlikely to cause an adverse reaction, taking them with other medications or supplements may be problematic. Magnesium supplements are known to interact negatively with antibiotics, blood pressure medications, calcium channel blockers, diabetes medications, digoxin, diuretics, hormone replacement medications, levothyroxine, penicillamine, tiludronate and alendronate. Many laxatives or antacids also contain magnesium, so taking these at the same time as a magnesium supplement may cause you to inadvertently consume too much magnesium. Potassium supplements are known to interact negatively with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ACE inhibitors, heparin, cyclosporine, trimethoprimand sulfamethoxazole, beta-blockers, diuretics, corticosteroids, amphotericin B, antacids, insulin, fluconazole, theophylline, digoxin and laxatives. Always report your current supplements and medications to a doctor or pharmacist before taking something new to prevent potentially harmful drug interactions.
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Magnesium
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Magnesium; Steven D. Ehrlich; June 2009
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Potassium; Steven D. Ehrlich; May 2009
- Linus Pauling Institute; Potassium; Jane Higdon, February 2004
- Institute of Medicine of the National Academies; Dietary Reference Intakes; Recommended Dietary Allowances
- Institute of Medicine of the National Academies; Dietary Reference Intakes; Tolerable Upper Intake Levels
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