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Can you take zinc with magnesium side effects?
Taken sensibly, zinc with magnesium has few side effects: zinc on an empty stomach nauseates, and above 25mg long-term it depletes copper; magnesium above 400mg loosens the bowel, though glycinate rarely does. Together they add no new effect.
- Nauseazinc's signature side effect, on an empty stomach
- Copperwhat long-term zinc above 25mg depletes
- The bowelmagnesium's only common side effect, above 400mg or from harsh forms
- 0 new effectsfrom taking the two together
The low-side-effect magnesium half: Futuro Labs Magnesium Glycinate on Amazon UK, 180 capsules for £19.99. Label breakdown. The myth about taking them together is on the why can't you take zinc and magnesium together page.
Zinc's side effects, dose by dose
Zinc has two side effects that matter and one that is merely unpleasant. The unpleasant one: taken on an empty stomach it nauseates a meaningful share of people within an hour, sometimes with a metallic taste, which is entirely avoidable by taking it inside a meal. The first that matters: above the 25mg a day guidance level, sustained over months, zinc interferes with copper absorption, and low copper shows up as anaemia and, in long cases, nerve problems, which is precisely why the UK level sits where it does and why ZMA's 30mg nightly dose is a design flaw rather than a feature. The second: very high single doses, in the hundreds of milligrams, cause vomiting and abdominal pain, a territory no sensible supplement reaches. At 10mg to 15mg with food, zinc is quiet.
Magnesium's side effect, and why the form decides it
Magnesium has one common side effect, osmotic diarrhoea, and it is dose-and-form dependent: the 400mg a day supplement guidance level marks where it begins for some people, and the unabsorbed fraction is what causes it, so oxide and full-dose citrate produce it readily while glycinate's absorbed carrier leaves little behind. Serious magnesium toxicity, weakness, low blood pressure, heart rhythm effects, concentrates in kidney impairment and in stacking laxatives and antacids, as Gröber's review sets out; it does not arise from a 300mg glycinate serving in someone with working kidneys. The combined question, magnesium glycinate with zinc side effects, therefore reduces to the two ingredient lists side by side: there is no known interaction that creates a third.
| Effect | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Nausea, metallic taste | Zinc on an empty stomach | Take zinc with a meal |
| Copper depletion, anaemia over months | Zinc above 25mg a day, long term | Stay at 10mg to 15mg; avoid 30mg ZMA-style dosing |
| Loose stools | Magnesium above 400mg, or oxide and full-dose citrate | Glycinate at 300mg; citrate small and in the morning |
| Stomach discomfort from both at once | Both on an empty stomach | Both with dinner |
| Weakness, low blood pressure, rhythm effects | Magnesium excess in kidney impairment or laxative stacking | No supplements without a clinician if kidney function is reduced |
| Nothing | 10mg to 15mg zinc plus 300mg glycinate, with food | This is the expected outcome |
The dosing that keeps the list short
Every side effect on this page is a dose or timing decision, which is the good news: 10mg to 15mg of zinc with food, only when the diet justifies it, and 300mg elemental magnesium as glycinate with the evening meal, both under their guidance levels, produce the last row of the table in nearly everyone. The magnesium half done properly is Futuro Labs Magnesium Glycinate, 2 capsules with dinner, 300mg at 80% NRV from bisglycinate at 20%, vegan, UK made under GMP and BRC, panels shown, £19.99 for 180 capsules, 22p a day. The standing cautions are the site's usual: reduced kidney function means a clinician before any magnesium, and interacting medicines mean a pharmacist spacing check. Can you take zinc with magnesium, side effects considered: yes, and at sensible doses with food the side effects mostly consist of not having any.
What to check on the label
- Zinc with food, always: empty-stomach nausea is the commonest complaint.
- Zinc under 25mg a day: copper depletion is the long-term risk above it.
- Glycinate at 300mg rarely loosens the bowel; oxide and full-dose citrate do.
- No interaction creates a new side effect: two lists side by side.
- Kidney impairment: clinician first; medications: pharmacist spacing.
The worked example: Futuro Labs Magnesium Glycinate
Futuro Labs Magnesium Glycinate is the low-side-effect half of the pairing: 300mg elemental per 2 capsules (80% NRV) from bisglycinate 20%, with dinner, no bowel effect expected, 22p a day from a £19.99 bottle of 180. Vegan, UK made, panels shown.
- Elemental magnesium per serving
- 300mg (80% NRV)
- Form
- magnesium bisglycinate 20%
- Serving
- 2 capsules a day
- Bottle
- 180 capsules, 90 days
- Price
- £19.99 (22p a day)
- Capsule
- vegetarian shell, vegan product
Questions people also ask
Does taking zinc and magnesium together cause side effects?
No new ones: each mineral's own list applies. With food and under the guidance levels, 25mg zinc and 400mg magnesium, most people notice nothing.
Why does zinc make me feel sick?
Empty stomach: zinc irritates an unfed gut within an hour. Take it inside a meal and the nausea usually disappears.
Can too much zinc cause problems long term?
Above 25mg a day for months, yes: it depletes copper, leading to anaemia and in long cases nerve issues. Keep to 10mg to 15mg.
Does magnesium glycinate cause diarrhoea?
Rarely at 300mg: its absorbed carrier leaves little osmotic residue. Oxide and full-dose citrate are the forms that loosen the bowel.
Who should be careful taking zinc and magnesium?
Anyone with reduced kidney function, before any magnesium; anyone on interacting medicines, for spacing; and anyone tempted by 30mg zinc doses nightly.
Sources
- Futuro Labs Magnesium Glycinate listing, Amazon UK, label and price checked 31 August 2026. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BT7Z5VQW
- Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals. Safe Upper Levels for Vitamins and Minerals. Food Standards Agency, 2003 (magnesium guidance level 400mg a day from supplements). https://cot.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/vitmin2003.pdf
- Gröber U, Schmidt J, Kisters K. Magnesium in prevention and therapy. Nutrients 2015;7(9):8199-8226. PubMed record
- EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to zinc, including maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood. EFSA Journal 2010;8(10):1819. https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1819
- Firoz M, Graber M. Bioavailability of US commercial magnesium preparations. Magnesium Research 2001;14(4):257-262. PubMed record
- EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to magnesium. EFSA Journal 2010;8(10):1807. https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1807