What Is It?
Health Benefits
Forms
Recommended Intake
General Interaction Cautions
What Is It?
Essential for hundreds of chemical reactions that occur in the body every
second, the mineral magnesium has received surprisingly little attention over
the years. Recent findings, however, suggest that it also has important
health-promoting benefits, from an ability to prevent heart disease to a role in
treating such chronic conditions as fibromylagia and diabetes.
Unfortunately, most people don't get enough magnesium in their daily diets,
mainly because they eat great quantities of processed foods, which provide scant
amounts of this important mineral. The effects of stress, intense physical
activity, or the use of certain medications can also cause magnesium deficiency.
Some diseases, such as diabetes and alcoholism, can cause low magnesium levels
too.
Supplements are one way to ensure that you get enough magnesium. You'll find
several forms available: magnesium citrate, magnesium aspartate, magnesium
carbonate, magnesium gluconate, magnesium oxide, and magnesium sulfate.
Health Benefits
Magnesium plays a variety of roles in the body. Not only is it critical for
energy production and proper nerve function, it also promotes muscle relaxation
and helps the body produce and use insulin. Like calcium, another mineral it's
commonly paired with in supplement products, magnesium is involved in the
formation of bones and teeth, the clotting of blood, and the regulation of heart
rhythm. Magnesium, sometimes taken in combination with calcium, is often used to
treat such ailments as back pain, high blood pressure, depression, anxiety and
panic, muscle cramps, and migraine headache.
Specifically, magnesium may help to:
# Prevent and treat heart disease, including angina and irregular heartbeat
(arrhythmia). Without adequate levels of magnesium, your heart will suffer: The
mineral helps coordinate the activity of the heart muscle as well as the
functioning of the nerves that initiate the heartbeat. It also helps keep
coronary arteries from spasming, an action that can cause the intense chest pain
known as angina. If you have a deficiency of magnesium--often true of those with
angina and abnormal heart rhythms--supplements may help. In a recent study of
more than 230 people with frequent arrhythmias, the likelihood of these abnormal
rhythms dropped significantly within three weeks after the participants
increased the amount of magnesium and potassium in their diets. In addition,
when given by injection in a hospital setting, magnesium has been found to aid
recovery from a heart attack by stabilizing heart rhythm, inhibiting blood
clots, and expanding coronary arteries. Some studies even indicate that drinking
"hard" water, which is high in magnesium, lowers the risk of death from heart
attack.
# Control high blood pressure. Even a slight decline in blood pressure can
reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Magnesium plays a part in reducing
elevated blood pressure by relaxing the muscles that control blood vessels,
allowing blood to flow more freely. Its beneficial effect on blood pressure is
further enhanced because of its ability to help equalize the levels of potassium
and sodium in the blood. A recent study
of 60 men and women with high blood pressure found that magnesium supplements
lowered both the systolic (the top number) and diastolic (the bottom number)
pressures. Magnesium is typically taken along with
calcium to treat high blood pressure.
# Limit complications of congestive heart failure. Because magnesium can help
lower blood pressure and inhibit dangerous arrhythmias, two common complications
in those with congestive heart failure, a weakened heart may benefit from extra
doses of this mineral.
# Prevent diabetes complications. Preliminary findings indicate that having
sufficient amounts of magnesium may protect against non-insulin-dependent (type
2) diabetes and its complications, such as eye disease. More research on this
potentially important role for magnesium in diabetes prevention is needed,
however.
# Reduce the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Magnesium's role in relaxing contracted
or stiff muscles makes it helpful for relieving the aching associated with
fibromyalgia, a chronic rheumatic disorder. Taking the mineral with malic acid
is often recommended for this purpose because the acid is believed to enhance
the absorption and fatigue-fighting actions of magnesium. Fibromylagia sufferers
involved in a study on the effectiveness of high doses of magnesium and malic
acid reported reduced pain and muscle tenderness after two months on the
treatment regimen. Interestingly, people suffering from chronic fatigue
syndrome--another disorder that can cause muscle aches and fatigue--may
similarly benefit from magnesium, according to a placebo controlled study in
which they reported an improvement in well-being after being injected with the
mineral. (Whether the same benefits are available to those who take the mineral
by mouth has yet to be determined.)
# Ease muscle cramps, aches and pains. It has been shown that for proper muscle
contraction and relaxation, magnesium and calcium need to be present in balanced
amounts. A supplement containing these minerals, taken regularly, may lessen the
pain from sports injuries or excessive physical activity. Supplements with a
ratio of two parts calcium to one part magnesium are recommended for otherwise
healthy individuals
treating muscle cramps and aches. Increasing magnesium levels can even improve a
workout: A study of women over age 50 found that when magnesium levels were low,
the participants had higher heart rates and needed more oxygen during their
workouts.
# Protect against migraines. Many migraine sufferers are found to have low
magnesium levels in their systems. To maintain healthy blood flow to brain
vessels--and thus possibly protect against debilitating migraine headaches--it's
smart to correct any magnesium deficiency.
# Relieve PMS (premenstrual syndrome) discomforts. Because deficiencies in
magnesium have been found in many women suffering from PMS, taking magnesium
supplements may help this problem. Menstrual cramping, which is caused by
hormonelike substances called prostaglandins made by the endometrial cells, may
subside with supplemental doses of magnesium and calcium. Both minerals help to
lower the production of prostaglandins. Magnesium's muscle-relaxing properties
probably have a beneficial effect on cramping of the uterine muscle as well.
# Minimize the severity of asthma attacks. By helping the bronchial muscles to
relax and encouraging the lung's airways to expand, magnesium may ease an
asthmatic's breathing problems. Anyone suffering from severe or recurrent asthma
attacks should consider using magnesium supplements along with their usual
anti-inflammatory medications. When taken for preventive purposes in oral form,
the mineral's effects are gradual; it may take up to six weeks for any benefit
to become apparent. (Studies have shown that intravenous injections of
magnesium--but not necessarily oral doses--can stop some severe asthma attacks.)
# Prevent osteoporosis. Magnesium helps the body convert vitamin D--which the
body needs to take advantage of bone-strengthening calcium--into a form that it
can use efficiently. By contributing to increased bone density, the mineral may
help stall the onset of the debilitating, bone-thinning disease known as
osteoporosis.
# Reduce emotional irritability in chronic depression, anxiety, and panic
disorder. Magnesium and vitamin B6 are needed for the body to produce serotonin,
an important mood-enhancing brain chemical. When depression or a panic disorder
is persistent--and especially when the usual drugs have limited
effect--supplementing with magnesium and vitamin B 6 may provide significant
relief. It may take six weeks or
more of treatment for effects to be felt. Taking calcium along with magnesium
may also lessen an overreaction to stress that some research has linked to
anxiety and panic attacks.
Note: Magnesium has also been found to be useful for a number of other
disorders. For information on these additional ailments, see our Dosage
Recommendations Chart for Magnesium.
Forms
* tablet
* powder
* capsule
Recommended Intake
The government recently established new goals for the Recommended Daily Intake
of magnesium for men and women. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is now
just one component of the new calculations, but is still the figure most
important in trying to establish how much you need. The new RDAs are as follows
for magnesium:
--For men ages 19 to 30: 400 mg a day.
--For women ages 19 to 30: 310 mg a day.
--For men ages 31 to 50: 420 mg a day.
--For women ages 31 to 50: 320 mg a day.
--For men ages 51 to 70: 420 mg a day.
--For women ages 51 to 70: 320 mg a day.
For more information on RDAs and other dietary guidelines, see
Government Dietary Guidelines.
If You Get Too Little
# Low levels of magnesium can increase your risk for complications of heart
disease and diabetes. You may also be more susceptible to muscle cramps, various
chronic pain conditions, and muscle fatigue.
# Symptoms of a severe deficiency include irregular heartbeat, general fatigue,
muscle spasms, irritability, nervousness, and confusion.
If You Get Too Much
# Diarrhea and nausea are the most common side effects of ingesting too much
magnesium.
# If the body is unable to process particularly high doses of magnesium, muscle
weakness, lethargy, confusion, and difficulty breathing may develop.
# Serious overdose of this mineral is rare.
General Dosage Information
Special tip: When selecting a magnesium product, try magnesium citrate
first; it's the form that the body absorbs best. Magnesium oxide is often the
cheapest form available, but it's also the most poorly absorbed.
# For heart disease prevention: Take 400 mg of magnesium a day.
# For angina prevention: Take 200 mg twice a day.
# For arrythmias, congestive heart failure, and asthma: Take 400 mg twice a day.
Be sure to check out our Dosage Recommendations Chart for Magnesium, which lists
therapeutic dosages for specific ailments at a glance.
Guidelines for Use
# To enhance absorption, take magnesium supplements with food. If you happen to
consume a high-fiber diet and also don't get much magnesium, however, take the
supplements between meals--and not with soda or wheat bran. These contain
substances (phosphoric acid and phytates, respectively) that can interfere with
the absorption of the magnesium.
# If diarrhea develops with magnesium supplements, either reduce the dose or
take magnesium in the form of magnesium gluconate or magnesium sulfate. Both of
these forms are easy to digest.
# When calculating your daily dose, keep in mind that some prescription and
over-the-counter medicines--certain antacid products, for example--contain
magnesium as well.
# When taking magnesium to control asthma, fibromyalgia, heart disease, or other
chronic conditions in particular, be patient. It may take six weeks or more to
absorb adequate amounts of magnesium to benefit stressed body parts and notice a
difference in your condition.
# Muscle cramps, aches, and pains related to sports injuries are best treated
with a regimen that supplies two parts calcium to one part magnesium.
# When taking magnesium to protect against migraines, first correct any
magnesium deficiency and then take a 2-to-1 calcium-magnesium combination to
maintain a healthy balance of these two minerals and protect against future
headaches.
# To most effectively relieve PMS pain, it's usually a good idea to take
magnesium along with vitamin B6.
General Interaction
# Magnesium and calcium have competing effects on many of the body's chemical
pathways. For this reason, combination magnesium and calcium products--or
multimineral supplements--are often recommended for maintaining a proper balance
of these minerals.
# Magnesium can reduce the effectiveness of tetracycline antibiotics. Take
magnesium supplements one to three hours before or after using this type of
medication.
Note: For information on interactions with specific generic drugs, see our
WholeHealthMD Drug/Nutrient Interactions Chart.
Cautions
# If you have any type of kidney or heart disease, consult your doctor before
taking magnesium.
Ailments
Dosage
ADHD
500 mg a day. Available in a powder form that can be mixed with juice.
Angina
400 mg twice a day
Arrhythmia
400 mg twice a day
Asthma
400 mg twice a day. May be partially covered by your daily
multivitamin/antioxidant.
Bronchitis
Acute: 400 mg twice a day until recovered. Chronic: 400 mg twice a day
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 400 mg twice a day
Chronic Pain 400-600 mg a day
Congestive Heart Failure 400 mg twice a day
Constipation 400-800 mg a day as needed
Crohn's Disease 400 mg twice a day
Diabetes 400 mg a day. May be partially covered by your daily
multivitamin/antioxidant.
Fatigue 400-800 mg a day
Fibrocystic Breast Changes 400 mg a day
Fibromyalgia 150-250 mg magnesium and 400-800 mg malic acid 3 times a day
Heart Disease Prevention 400-800 mg a day
Kidney Stones 400 mg magnesium citrate twice a day
Multiple Sclerosis 400 mg a day
Muscle Aches and Pains 400 mg magnesium twice a day
Osteoporosis 250-400 mg twice a day
Raynaud's disease 400 mg twice a day
Strains and Sprains 400 mg twice a day
Stress 400-800 mg a day
Stroke 400 mg a day
Tinnitus 400 mg twice a day
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Alternative Views on Health
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