Can Babies Have Magnesium? What Parents of Under-Ones Should Know
The short answer: babies under 12 months get the magnesium they need from breast milk or infant formula, and later from solid foods. Don't give a baby a magnesium supplement unless a doctor has advised it. Most children's magnesium supplements, including ours, are made for ages 1 and over. If you are worried about your baby's feeding, sleep or growth, speak to your health visitor or GP before buying anything.
Can babies have magnesium?
Yes, in the sense that every baby needs magnesium. It is an essential mineral, and babies take it in every day through their milk. What babies should not have, unless a doctor prescribes it, is a magnesium supplement on top of their milk and food. Those are two different questions, and a lot of the confusion online comes from mixing them up.
So if you have searched "can babies have magnesium" because a friend, a forum or an advert suggested it, the safe answer for a healthy baby under 1 is that they are already getting what they need, and a supplement is not something to start on your own.
How much magnesium babies need
| Age | UK reference intake |
|---|---|
| 0 to 3 months | 55mg a day |
| 4 to 6 months | 60mg a day |
| 7 to 9 months | 75mg a day |
| 10 to 12 months | 80mg a day |
For around the first 6 months, breast milk (with the recommended vitamin D supplement) or infant formula gives a healthy baby everything they need, magnesium included. These reference intakes are totals from milk and food, not a target for a supplement. Once your baby turns 1, the figure becomes 85mg a day for ages 1 to 3, which is covered in our guide to how much magnesium kids need.
Magnesium for babies under 1: what the milk already gives
Breast milk contains magnesium. Infant formula sold in the UK has to meet legal rules on its make-up, and magnesium is one of the minerals every formula must contain. That is why a baby who is feeding well does not need extra.
The one supplement the NHS does recommend for young babies is vitamin D. Breastfed babies should have a daily vitamin D supplement of 8.5 to 10 micrograms from birth, while babies having more than 500ml of infant formula a day don't need one because formula is already fortified. From 6 months to 5 years, the NHS recommends a daily supplement of vitamins A, C and D. Magnesium is not part of that advice. There is more in our guide to whether kids need vitamins.
Why supplements aren't advised for under-ones
- Young kidneys are still maturing, and the kidneys are what clear any extra magnesium from the body.
- Too much magnesium can cause diarrhoea, and babies become dehydrated quickly.
- Doses are hard to get right for someone so small.
- There's no need. Milk feeds and, later, a varied diet cover it.
Some babies, for example those born very early or with certain medical conditions, do need extra minerals. In that case the hospital team or GP will prescribe exactly what is needed.
Can you give a baby magnesium if a product says it is suitable?
You may come across baby magnesium supplements, drops or sprays sold online that say they are suitable from a few months old. A label saying a product is suitable is not the same as advice for your baby. Food supplements in the UK are not checked by a regulator before they go on sale, which we explain in are children's supplements regulated in the UK? If you are thinking about any supplement for a baby under 1, ask your GP, pharmacist or health visitor first.
Is magnesium safe for babies?
Magnesium from breast milk, formula and food is safe and necessary. A magnesium supplement for a baby is only safe when a doctor has decided it is needed and set the dose. No official upper limit for supplemental magnesium has been set for young children, which is one more reason to leave dosing for babies to a professional.
What about magnesium for colic, teething or sleep?
You may see magnesium suggested online for colic, teething or baby sleep. There is no good evidence that it helps with any of these. If you're worried about crying, feeding or sleep, your health visitor or GP is the best place to start.
Unsettled evenings, frequent waking and long crying spells are hard, and they are among the most common reasons parents look for something to try. A health visitor can check feeding, weight gain and anything else that might be going on, which a supplement cannot do.
Low magnesium in babies
Low magnesium in babies is rare. When it does happen, it is usually linked to being born early, to a medical condition, or to a problem the hospital team is already looking after, and it is found with a blood test rather than by watching for signs at home. If your baby is unwell, feeding poorly, unusually floppy or irritable, or has had a seizure, get medical help straight away.
Magnesium baths and lotions
Epsom salt baths and magnesium lotions are sometimes recommended for babies. Very little magnesium gets through the skin, and a baby's skin is thin and easily irritated. Check with your health visitor before adding anything to the bath. We look at the evidence in magnesium spray, lotion or drink?
Once they start solids
From around 6 months, solid foods start to add magnesium. Good first foods include:
- Porridge oats and wholemeal toast fingers
- Mashed beans, lentils and chickpeas, such as smooth hummus
- Smooth nut butters, spread thinly or stirred into porridge (never whole nuts for under-fives)
- Broccoli and other green vegetables
- Banana and avocado
- Full-fat plain yoghurt
Your baby's milk feeds still provide most of their nutrition through the first year, and solids build up gradually alongside them. More ideas for when they're older in magnesium-rich foods kids will actually eat.
From their first birthday
Children aged 1 to 3 need about 85mg of magnesium a day. Most get this from food, but fussy toddlers can fall short. If you choose a top-up, use one made for toddlers. Our magnesium for kids is 2.5ml (35mg) a day for ages 1 to 5. See magnesium for toddlers for more.
Can toddlers have magnesium?
Yes. From age 1, a supplement made for young children and given at the dose on the label is a reasonable top-up for a toddler whose diet is narrow. It is still a top-up rather than something every toddler needs, and the same rule applies: speak to your GP first if your child has a medical condition or takes medication.
Quick answers
Can babies take magnesium supplements?
Not unless a doctor has advised it. Breast milk or formula, and later solid food, give a healthy baby the magnesium they need.
Can I give my baby magnesium for sleep?
There is no good evidence that magnesium helps babies sleep, and supplements are not advised under 1. Talk to your health visitor about sleep worries.
When can a child start a magnesium supplement?
Most children's magnesium supplements, ours included, are made for ages 1 and over. Use one with a dose set for young children and stick to the label.
Our magnesium
Liposomal Magnesium for Kids (Age 1+) is truly unflavoured, gentle on little tummies, and built for absorption. Magnesium contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system.*
*Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Consult your healthcare provider before use if your child has a medical condition or takes medication.