The many benefits of magnesium
Magnesium is associated with a broad range of health benefits. It may help to lift you out of a down mood, boost muscle and nerve function, help regulate blood sugar levels, protect your heart and more.
In this article:
What is magnesium?
Magnesium has many benefits. “Magnesium is an essential nutrient for human health,” says nutritionist and exercise physiologist Stella Volpe, PhD, head of the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise at Virginia Tech. “It’s important to nearly every function and tissue in the body.” And yet an estimated half of all Americans have a magnesium-deficient diet.
Found naturally in many foods and in some antacids and laxatives, and available as a supplement, magnesium is involved in more than 300 metabolic reactions in the body. Much of magnesium’s benefits go toward maintaining bone strength and muscle and nerve function, but it’s also used to generate energy, regulate blood pressure and support a healthy immune system.More than half of the magnesium in our body is stored in bones with the remaining amount in various tissues throughout the body.
How much magnesium is recommended per day?
Want to know how much magnesium to take? The recommended dietary allowance for adults age 19 and older is 400 to 420 milligrams (mg) daily for men and 310 to 320 mg for women. Pregnant people require about 350 to 360 mg daily.
What does magnesium do?
What is magnesium good for? Studies suggest that the mineral may play a critical role in several acute and chronic conditions. One 2021 study review in the journal Nutrients found that consumption of the recommended amount of magnesium was associated with a 34 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to a lower dosage like 240 mg a day. Another study, published in Nutrients in 2016, showed that the risk for type 2 diabetes was lowered by 8 to 13 percent for every 100 mg of magnesium consumed each day. Several other small studies have shown that magnesium can reduce the frequency of or help prevent migraines when taken in safe doses.In addition, it can help people with mild and moderate tension-type headaches and cluster headaches.
Magnesium has also been touted as a mood booster. In one small 2017 study reported in the journal PLoS ONE, 126 volunteers with mild to moderate depression took 248 mg of over-the-counter magnesium chloride daily for six weeks. The researchers found that the magnesium supplements significantly improved symptoms of anxiety and depression in the volunteers, beginning at two weeks.
Why don’t we get enough magnesium?
Even though there are plenty of magnesium-rich foods, more than half of Americans don’t get enough of the nutrient from their diet. One reason is that the highly processed foods that many people live on lack sufficient magnesium.
In addition to dietary factors, “… an ever-increasing number of people are on a variety of medications, and some can lead to magnesium loss," says Volpe. A few such medications, she notes, are hydralazine for blood pressure, antibiotics amoxicillin and doxycycline and acid blockers such as Zantac. Moreover, the body’s intake or absorption of magnesium can be affected by aging, diabetes and other chronic diseases and even alcohol abuse.
What are the symptoms of magnesium deficiency?
Factors that can cause low magnesium levels include drinking too much coffee, soda or alcohol; taking in too much salt; heavy menstrual periods; excessive sweating and prolonged stress.
If you aren’t getting enough magnesium in your diet, symptoms of low magnesium may include:
Fatigue
Nausea
Loss of appetite
Weakness
How to get more magnesium
Foods high in magnesium
Food is a terrific source of magnesium, which is readily available in whole, unprocessed foods such as:
Leafy green vegetables
Nuts (especially almonds, peanuts, cashews)
Whole grains
Pumpkin seeds
Dark chocolate
Some fortified foods
One ounce of almonds, for instance, contains 20 percent of the daily magnesium that an adult needs.
Magnesium supplements
You can also consider an over-the-counter magnesium supplement.* “I always say ‘food first,’ but sometimes you may not get enough nutrients from your food,” says dietician and exercise physiologist Felicia Stoler, DCN, RDN. “In that case, there’s a value in adding a supplement.”
Choosing the best magnesium supplement can be confusing since there are numerous types or forms (e.g., magnesium oxide, magnesium glycinate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium citrate, magnesium lactate and others), as well as a wide range of suggested serving sizes (from less than 50 mg to more than 1,000 mg). Supplements are sold over the counter as tablets, capsules, liquids, powders and gummies.
Two of the most common formulations that are well tolerated and well absorbed in the body are magnesium glycinate and magnesium citrate. And an increasing number of magnesium supplements are being sold as combination formulations with multiple minerals or vitamins in a single product.They’re designed to give the body the nutrients they need to support optimal health. One example of a multi-mineral product is magnesium combined with calcium and zinc. “They can help a person consolidate three primary minerals that are compatible and synergistic in one simple formula,” says integrative pharmacist David Restrepo, RPh.
Magnesium side effects
Magnesium supplements, when taken in appropriate doses, appear to pose few risks. The kidneys of healthy individuals can eliminate any extra magnesium in the urine. But as with most supplements, there are dangers from taking too much magnesium. “Some people think that if a little bit is good, then a lot more is better,” says Stoler. Although oral magnesium supplementation is generally well tolerated, magnesium can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea — and, in some cases, muscle weakness and an irregular heartbeat. It’s always best to talk with your doctor or pharmacist about whether a particular supplement and dosage is right for you.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Consult with your health care provider before taking any vitamins or supplements, and prior to beginning or changing any health care practices.
*FOR DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.