You may have heard lately about magnesium—from magnesium sprays to magnesium oils and other supplements that claim to reduce anxiety and help you sleep, among other health benefits. While the best way to get enough magnesium is to eat a well-balanced diet, supplements may help some people. However, there may be risks associated with these products, especially if you are taking them without guidance from your health care professional.
Jeffrey Mechanick, MD
In this Q&A, Jeffrey Mechanick, MD, Professor of Medicine and Medical Director of the Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Cardiovascular Health at Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital, explains how to ensure you are consuming enough magnesium and what to do if you think you need supplements.
What are the benefits of magnesium?
Magnesium has multiple benefits. It is an electrolyte (a mineral like sodium and potassium that your body needs to function properly) used in almost all the cells in the body to help cells communicate and function. It improves energy; bone health; muscle contraction and function; neurologic function, including sleep and mood; and cardiovascular and gastrointestinal functions, such as blood pressure and the movement of food through your digestive system. Magnesium also reduces anxiety, headaches, and depression, and it improves and relieves premenstrual syndrome and postmenopausal symptoms.
What are the symptoms of magnesium deficiency?
The symptoms can include fatigue, muscle weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, headaches, constipation, chest pain, numbness or tingling and muscle cramps, and abnormal heart rhythms. In severe forms, magnesium deficiency may cause seizures, alterations in mood, and even subtle changes in your personality.
What are best ways to get more magnesium?
The best and safest way to get magnesium is from eating a well-balanced diet. As with all nutrients found in certain foods, magnesium is a micronutrient, meaning the body requires it in small amounts. Magnesium can be found in leafy green vegetables; certain types of beans, lentils and nuts; dairy products; dark chocolate; grains, such as brown rice and oatmeal; and some fruits, especially bananas, blackberries, and avocados.
Are magnesium supplements safe?
My response to this question is the same for all supplements—you should seek guidance from a health care professional before taking them. When it comes to dietary supplements, you need to be concerned about the product and whether it really contains any of the supplement or is adulterated. This could mean it contains other compounds that can lessen or mimic the effects of the active ingredient, since the supplement industry is a competitive market selling these products. It could also mean the product contains a hazardous substance that is a contaminant from the manufacturing process.
That said, a number of my patients say magnesium helps them sleep better, has helped with premenstrual syndrome and postmenopausal symptoms, or reduces their anxiety. If you take it in small amounts and you are taking the supplement under the guidance of a health care professional, it should be safe.
What can happen if I take too much magnesium?
If you take too much magnesium, you can develop a toxicity state, which can cause low blood pressure and diarrhea, among other problems. If you are healthy and eating well, you probably do not need a magnesium supplement. The exception could be if you are a high performance athlete or have a particular condition, such as an illness or vitamin D deficiency that causes your magnesium to be low.
How much magnesium should I take?
You should not take more than 350 to 400 milligrams of magnesium per day. You can look at the labeling to see how much is in one tablet or capsule. If there is any confusion, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Which magnesium supplements should I take?
There is no simple answer for that, but your health care professional can offer the best guidance. These supplements can interfere with other supplements and medications, and they can adversely affect certain conditions you may have in ways you are unaware of, which is why it is important to speak with a health care professional before taking them.