What is Magnesium?
Key Takeaways
Magnesium is an essential mineral.
Magnesium is involved in many different processes throughout the body, including energy production, nervous system and muscle function, bone health, the regulation of blood sugar and blood pressure, and DNA repair.
Low magnesium may lead to symptoms like fatigue and anxiety, and raises the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis.
A blood test can be used to test your level of magnesium.
If you have low magnesium levels, eating more magnesium-rich foods may help.
Magnesium supplements are sometimes used to boost low levels.
Magnesium supplements are generally considered safe at usual doses, although they may cause side effects like diarrhea.
What is Magnesium?
Magnesium is an essential nutrient which is vital for many different bodily functions, including energy production, bone density, and the functioning of muscles and nerves. Ensuring that you get enough of this key mineral helps to promote overall health and well-being, and is also believed to be important for healthy aging and longevity.
As an essential nutrient, magnesium must be obtained through the diet or through supplementation. It also interacts with other nutrients, including vitamin D and calcium, to support healthy functioning of many different systems throughout the body. This article will discuss why magnesium is important, what may happen if you’re not getting enough, how magnesium levels are tested, and how you could increase your magnesium intake.
Functions of Magnesium in the Body
Magnesium has a huge variety of roles to play in the body. Some of its known functions include:
Energy production. Magnesium is needed for the production of ATP, which is your cells’ main energy molecule.
Nervous system function. Magnesium is needed for nerve cell signaling. This makes it a crucial mineral for brain and nerve function. Having enough magnesium may help sleep bydecreasing stress and anxiety, and reducing muscle cramps and restless legs that interrupt sleep.
Muscle function. Magnesium is needed for muscle cells to contract and relax. Because the heart is made up mostly of muscle, magnesium is crucial for the function of the heart.
Bone health. 50 to 60% of your body’s total magnesium is found in bone tissue. Along with other nutrients, like calcium and zinc, magnesium helps to maintain your bone density, decreasing the risk of fractures.
Blood sugar regulation. Magnesium is needed for the production of insulin, a hormone that helps to lower blood sugar by moving into cells for use as energy, or for storage. It also helps to maintain insulin sensitivity in cells throughout the body, to make insulin homrone work better on cells. Blood pressure regulation. Magnesium helps to keep blood vessels relaxed and open, which in turn helps to maintain healthy blood pressure.
DNA repair. Magnesium is important in the function of enzymes that help to repair damaged DNA in your cells. By helping to protect your genetic information from damage, magnesium may help to promote healthy aging and longevity.
Because of this huge variety of functions, your magnesium levels have a huge influence on many different aspects of your health.
Symptoms of low magnesium
When the body is low in magnesium, a person may experience symptoms like:
Neuromuscular hyperexcitability
Muscle spasms and cramps
Seizures
Involuntary movements
Tremors and shaking
Cardiovascular manifestations
Palpitations from heart rhythm issues (arrhythmias)
Confusion from delirium
Fatigue
Coma
Severe magnesium deficiency can result in dangerous medical conditions such as abnormal heart rhythms, seizures, and coma. These problems can be fatal if not treated promptly.
While a severe magnesium deficiency often leads to symptoms like these, even a more mild deficiency in magnesium raises the risk of chronic health problems, including:
Osteoporosis (low bone density)
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Because of these concerns, it’s important to ensure that you’re getting enough magnesium to protect your long-term health.
Testing and Monitoring Magnesium Levels
The most common way to test a person’s magnesium levels is with a serum magnesium blood test. This test looks at the levels of magnesium in your bloodstream. You don’t necessarily need to fast (refrain from eating) before having your blood drawn for this test.
A level between 1.6 and 2.6 mg/dL (0.66 to 1.07 mmol/L) is generally considered to be normal.
Testing magnesium levels can let you know whether you might need extra magnesium. If your levels are low, then you will likely need to take supplements of magnesium. If your levels are at the lower end of the “normal” range, then it may be helpful to boost them through eating more magnesium-rich foods or taking supplements. If your levels are at the high end of the “normal” range, then supplements are much less likely to be helpful for you.
Recommended Daily Intake
The recommended daily intake of magnesium depends on a person’s age and gender. For adults, the recommendations are:
| Age Group | Male | Female | Pregnancy | Lactation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19–30 years | 400 mg | 310 mg | 350 mg | 310 mg |
| 31–50 years | 420 mg | 320 mg | 360 mg | 320 mg |
| 51+ years | 420 mg | 320 mg |
Source: US National Institutes of Health
Women who are pregnant need an extra 40 mg of magnesium per day, in addition to the usual requirement for their age group.
Sources of Magnesium
Magnesium-rich diet
Many people are able to get enough magnesium through the foods that they eat. Some foods that are high in magnesium include:
Seeds
Nuts
Legumes (including beans, lentils, and peanuts)
Soy products (including soy milk, edamame, and tofu)
Leafy greens
Whole grains
Bananas
Dairy products (including milk and yogurt)
Dark chocolate
These foods are also healthy in other ways, such as providing fiber, protein, and/or vitamins and minerals. Focusing on incorporating magnesium-rich foods into your meals on a daily basis will not only help you to get more magnesium, but may also help to meet your other nutritional needs as well.
Magnesium Supplements
Studies have shown that some people don’t get enough magnesium through their diet alone.
For those who aren’t getting enough magnesium, focusing on eating more magnesium-rich foods may help. In some cases, magnesium supplements may also be useful. There are several different types of magnesium supplements, which may be useful in different situations.
Magnesium oxide is the most commonly used form. It’s easily accessible and contains a high proportion of magnesium, making it a good choice for most people who want to increase their magnesium levels.
Some types of magnesium, including magnesium oxide and magnesium citrate, are relatively poorly absorbed by the digestive tract. The magnesium that remains in the gut pulls in extra water, which can help to treat issues like constipation. However, this can also lead to diarrhea if these supplements are used at high doses, so it’s important to use caution when starting a magnesium supplement. Start with a low dose and work your way up, and if you experience issues like diarrhea, reduce your dose a bit.
Those who experience digestive issues with magnesium oxide may switch to an alternative form of magnesium, such as magnesium glycinate, which is less likely to cause these issues.
As with any supplement, it’s important to talk to a doctor before you start taking magnesium. While magnesium supplements are generally considered to be safe for most people, they can cause side effects, and can interact with other supplements or with prescription medications. Talking with your doctor will ensure that magnesium supplements are safe for you, as well as helping you to choose the type of supplement and the dose that will be most likely to be effective.
Magnesium and Other Nutrients
Magnesium interacts with other essential nutrients to support the healthy functioning of many different bodily systems.
For example, magnesium interacts with calcium and vitamin D to maintain good bone health. The body must activate vitamin D in order to use it, and magnesium is needed for this activation process. Activated vitamin D is needed for the body to absorb calcium from the digestive tract. Without enough magnesium, the body will not be able to activate vitamin D, and so calcium will not be absorbed well. Both calcium and magnesium are crucial components of healthy bone tissue, and if you’re not getting enough of both of these minerals, you may develop low bone density.
Activated vitamin D is also important for the absorption of other essential minerals, including iron, zinc, and copper. Getting enough magnesium is crucial in order to ensure that your body can absorb these important nutrients.
Magnesium also works together with another mineral, potassium. Both are important for muscle and nerve function, and help to regulate blood pressure. While potassium and magnesium work synergistically, high doses of potassium can reduce the absorption of magnesium. It’s important to make sure that you’re getting a balanced amount of both of these minerals. Many foods that are high in magnesium are also high in potassium, including seeds, nuts, beans, leafy greens, and bananas. Eating these foods helps to keep your levels of these two minerals in balance.
Magnesium as part of a healthy lifestyle
Magnesium is one of many nutrients that are important for your health and well-being, as well as for your longevity. Eating a balanced diet that contains plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, with minimal intake of processed or sugary foods, will help you to get the essential nutrients that your body needs to function well.
If you’re considering starting magnesium supplements, it’s a good idea to check in with your doctor first. This is especially true if you’re planning on taking these supplements to manage issues like anxiety, trouble sleeping, or constipation. While issues like these are very common, they can sometimes be signs of an underlying medical condition. Your doctor will check for signs of a medical issue, and will also ensure that the magnesium supplement won’t interact with your prescription medications or other supplements. They can also help you to determine which specific type of magnesium supplement would be best for your needs.
Magnesium, along with other nutrients, is also essential for healthy aging and longevity. If you’re interested in optimizing your healthspan and lifespan, it’s important to know whether you’re getting enough of this essential mineral.
Our NOVI Assessment Max clients receive testing for nutritional deficiencies, including magnesium as well as other nutrients, like iron and vitamin B12. This gives you actionable information you can use to work towards optimal levels and promote longevity.