Why Magnesium is the Mineral You Need More Of
Written by Leslie K. Hughes
Medically reviewed by Dr. Monique White-Dominguez
Magnesium. Chances are good you’ve heard about this mineral, and you’ve probably also heard that it’s something your body needs. However, we are guessing that you may not know the reasons why you need more magnesium in your life. And that’s why we are here to share with you what you need to know about magnesium.
What does magnesium do for the body?
Magnesium plays an important role in over 300 different chemical reactions in the human body.
You can count on this vital mineral to do the following:
Produce energy
Regulate muscle function
Regulate nerve function
Maintain blood sugar levels
Maintain blood pressure
Make protein
Produce DNA
Keep bones strong
Strengthen immune system
If you are someone who uses stimulant medications such as Adderall, your neuromuscular systems may not be functioning at their highest level. Magnesium can help with this.
If you suffer from restless legs syndrome (RLS), magnesium may be able to help calm your neuromuscular system and keep it from overworking when you’re trying to sleep.
If irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is something that plagues you on a regular basis, you may find that magnesium’s laxative effect helps to relax the muscles in your intestine and soften your stool so that you can create smoother bowel movements.
How much magnesium do I need?
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of magnesium for adults is as follows:
Men aged 19+: 400 - 420 mg
Women aged 19+: 310 - 320 mg
Pregnant women: 350-360 mg
Lactating women: 310-320 mg
Unfortunately, studies show that two-thirds of Americans are not getting the amount of magnesium they need to aid all of those chemical reactions to do their best work. Though you may not find yourself suffering from serious symptoms if you have low magnesium levels, chances are good that if low magnesium becomes a chronic issue, you may be putting yourself at risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and more.
How do I get magnesium?
About half of the magnesium in your body is stored in your bones and the rest of it is busy doing its job in your organ and tissue cells.
To get the amount of magnesium you need in a day, you have some options.
You can get most (if not all) of your required magnesium from food including:
Legumes
Nuts
Seeds
Potato skins
Whole grains
Yogurt
Milk
Spinach
To give you an idea of how much magnesium you can get from these foods, just one ounce of almonds provides you with 20% of the daily adult requirement.
Another easy way to increase your magnesium intake is by putting electrolytes in your water. Doing this daily will help boost your levels up to where they need to be.
If these options don’t work for you, or you still need more magnesium, then you can turn to supplements. It is important that you don’t take more than 350mg worth of magnesium supplements a day. By overdoing it, you may run into issues with diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal cramping.
How do I know if I’m getting enough magnesium?
The best way to tell if you have a magnesium deficiency is to get a blood test.
Pay attention to your body because it will give you signs of deficiency if it needs more of this mineral. If you aren’t getting ample magnesium, you’ll find yourself suffering from fatigue, grogginess, leg cramps, sugar cravings, high blood pressure, anxiety, constipation, sleep troubles, appetite changes, nausea, vomiting, weakness, and more.
However, the chance of you having a noticeable magnesium deficiency is pretty low, so there is no need to lose sleep over that.
Is it safe to take magnesium with other medications?
There are a number of medications that may interact with magnesium supplements. Some of those medications include:
Antibiotics (ex: demeclocycline, doxycycline)
Diuretics (ex: furosemide, spironolactone)
Bisphosphonates (ex: Fosamax for osteoporosis)
Proton pump inhibitors (ex: Nexium, lansoprazole)
Before taking any magnesium supplements, consult with your healthcare provider to ensure that they won’t cause any issues with your current medications.
