Key takeaways
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  • Coffee & Tea: Caffeine and compounds like phytates in coffee, black, and green tea can reduce magnesium absorption. Space supplements at least 1–2 hours apart from these drinks.
  • Alcohol & Soda: Excessive alcohol and phosphoric acid in sodas can increase magnesium loss, raising deficiency risk. Limiting intake helps maintain levels.
  • Better Pairings: Drinks like mineral water, coconut water, and orange juice support magnesium absorption while keeping you hydrated.
  • Medically reviewed by Patricia Mikula, PharmD
  • Why this matters: Some drinks may affect how much magnesium your body absorbs or loses through urine.
  • What you can do: Choose mineral water, coconut water, or orange juice when taking a magnesium supplement.
  • The payoff: These drinks will help your body absorb magnesium while supporting hydration needs.

If you take a magnesium supplement every day, you may want to pay attention to what you’re drinking around the same time. Your morning coffee, favorite tea, or even a soda can affect how well your body absorbs magnesium. That doesn’t mean you need to give them up—it may just be a matter of spacing them out.

1. Coffee

Some studies have found that caffeine, the main ingredient in coffee, can lead to magnesium loss and may cause magnesium deficiency if consumed in excess.

While the exact mechanism remains unclear, caffeine appears to increase magnesium loss in urine by reducing the kidneys’ ability to reabsorb magnesium.

Increased magnesium loss in urine often increases the body’s demand for magnesium.

You can still enjoy a cup or two of coffee, but it may be best to wait at least an hour before or after drinking coffee to take your magnesium supplement.

2. Black Tea and Green Tea

While green tea and black tea may contain small amounts of magnesium, taking these teas together with magnesium supplements may modestly affect their absorption.

Green and black tea contain compounds like phytates, oxalates, and caffeine, which can bind to magnesium in the digestive tract, preventing your body from fully absorbing it.

If you take magnesium supplements, consider skipping your green tea for a while (if you are prescribed them only for a short time).

Alternatively, if you are taking magnesium supplements to correct a deficiency or have been taking them for a long time, you may space them out by at least two hours before taking a cup of black or green tea.

​3. Alcohol

Excessive alcohol can also contribute to lower levels of magnesium available for use and may increase the body’s demand for it.

Some studies have found that people who drink alcohol heavily have lower magnesium levels.

Alcohol intake may increase the amount of magnesium lost in urine and from tissues.

Some proposed ways alcohol may lead to magnesium deficiency (hypomagnesemia) include malnutrition, diarrhea, excessive urination, and alcohol-induced vomiting.

To reduce magnesium loss, especially if your healthcare provider recommends a magnesium supplement to correct a deficiency, it may be best to limit or avoid alcohol altogether.

4. Soda

Drinking too much soda can increase your risk of having a magnesium deficiency.

Soft drinks contain high levels of phosphoric acid, which can bind to magnesium, forming a compound that is harder for the body to absorb and use.

If you are taking magnesium supplements, it’s best to limit or avoid colas, or at least space your intake by one to two hours.

5. Milk

Some studies suggest that calcium and magnesium are absorbed through the same pathways in the gut and may therefore compete for absorption.

​This means if you take a magnesium supplement with a calcium-rich food like milk, it might slightly reduce how much magnesium your body absorbs.

​If you need milk for breakfast, it may be best to take your magnesium at dinnertime to avoid potential interactions.

Drinks That Pair Well With Magnesium

Here are some drinks that may work better with magnesium:

  • Mineral water: Mineral water can provide up to 37.5 milligrams of magnesium per cup, which is easily absorbed by the body and supports hydration.
  • Coconut water: It is also a good source of magnesium and other electrolytes that support hydration.
  • Orange Juice: Orange juice contains magnesium and can help increase your magnesium intake. In addition, if you dislike the taste of magnesium supplements, orange juice can help mask it.

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