Two Popular Vitamins Could Help Lower High Cholesterol And Blood Pressure When Taken Together

You have a ton of choices in supplements these days, from multivitamins to specific herbs, amino acids, and enzymes for specific conditions. Although a healthy diet can provide most of the nutrients you need for optimum health, about half of people take a multivitamin to account for any vitamin or mineral deficiencies in their diet (per Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health).

If you have a condition like high blood pressure or cholesterol, limiting sodium and saturated fat from your diet can help you manage these conditions. Additionally, taking magnesium and zinc together could supplement your current treatment plan, according to a 2020 study in Lipids in Health and Disease. The study had people with coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes take 250 milligrams of magnesium oxide and 150 milligrams of zinc sulfate every day for 12 weeks.

The magnesium and zinc combination was associated with improved HDL cholesterol levels and better blood sugar control. The researchers also noticed people had higher antioxidant capacity and lower inflammation which may improve heart health. Magnesium and zinc may also help your heart by improving your blood pressure.

You need magnesium to help with more than 300 functions in your body, including maintaining nerve function and synthesizing protein. Magnesium also plays a role in supporting insulin function, regulating blood pressure, and metabolizing cholesterol. It can also counteract calcium's role in inflammation. Women need at least 310 milligrams of magnesium and men need at least 400 milligrams daily. According to a 2021 review in Nutrients, a deficiency in magnesium might be associated with high blood pressure, so a magnesium supplement is recommended as part of the DASH diet.

You might associate zinc with your immune function during the cold season, but it also helps with protein synthesis and activating enzymes that control heart rate and blood vessel function. Zinc also reduces inflammation and oxidative stress to improve blood flow and reduce the risk of blood clots. People with high blood pressure might also have a zinc deficiency, and zinc is thought to help blood vessels relax by boosting nitric oxide. Men should aim for 11 milligrams of zinc a day while women need at least 9 milligrams.

The 2020 study in Lipids in Health and Disease had people supplement their diets with 250 milligrams of magnesium oxide and 150 milligrams of zinc sulfate. The upper limit for magnesium supplements is 350 milligrams, and magnesium supplements could cause side effects such as nausea and diarrhea. Remember that some laxatives also contain magnesium, so be aware before you take a magnesium supplement. Magnesium supplements can also interact with medications such as antibiotics, diuretics, and proton pump inhibitors.

The amount of zinc supplementation in the study was more than 16.7 times the daily recommendation for a woman and 13.6 times that for a man. The tolerable upper limit for zinc supplements is 40 milligrams. Taking high levels of zinc through supplements could cause dizziness, nausea, or headaches. Excessively high zinc supplementation could also interfere with your body's ability to absorb copper and magnesium. Zinc supplements can interact with medications such as antibiotics, diuretics, and penicillamine. These medications may also affect your body's zinc levels.