Medically reviewed by Melanie Fiorella, M.D.
Adios, ashwagandha. Ciao, calcium. The newest complement darling on social media is magnesium. From the sleepy woman mocktail to migraines, there’s plenty of buzz about the advantages of magnesium. However how a lot of it’s true and do you have to take into account taking a magnesium complement?
We reached out to Melanie Fiorella, M.D., an integrative major care doctor and director of the Middle for Integrative Schooling at College of California San Diego, to get the info.
What’s magnesium?
Magnesium is a naturally occurring mineral in your physique. It helps you regulate blood sugar and blood strain and helps with nerve and muscle perform. Magnesium additionally helps hold your bones robust and your coronary heart beat regular amongst different vital issues.
When you’ve ever perused the complement aisle for magnesium, you recognize there are plenty of choices on the market. It is because many magnesium dietary supplements are blends of various varieties. Fiorella famous which you can tailor the dietary supplements to your signs. “As an example, you probably have constipation plus plenty of cramping I might use magnesium citrate as a result of it’s bioavailable so it’s simply absorbed,” she mentioned.
What are the various kinds of magnesium?
Totally different kinds of magnesium dietary supplements will help with totally different wants. The frequent varieties and related well being circumstances embrace:
Magnesium L-threonate for ache, temper and mind perform
What’s magnesium good for?
Magnesium helps greater than 300 enzymes create chemical reactions in your physique. So it’s good to your well being total. And this can be very true for ladies and other people assigned feminine at delivery.
“On the whole, we have now a magnesium deficiency in our weight loss program and there is plenty of affiliation with menstrual and hormonal-type points akin to painful durations or menstrual migraines due to this deficiency,” Fiorella mentioned. A complement might assist with cramping and in addition normal fatigue throughout your interval, too.
Analysis is ongoing concerning the advantages of magnesium, however research present magnesium can profit sure well being circumstances. These can embrace:
Analysis exhibits larger ranges of magnesium can scale back the chance for heart problems and stroke. In a single research of postmenopausal ladies, low magnesium consumption was related to a better threat of coronary heart failure.
Magnesium performs a task in managing blood sugar ranges. And individuals who eat much less magnesium are inclined to have larger blood sugars and a larger threat of Sort 2 diabetes.
Research present taking a magnesium complement might assist forestall migraine assaults in some individuals. “I’ve seen actually good advantages to individuals after they begin supplementing each day with the discount in what number of migraines they’ve. It isn’t nice for stopping a migraine as soon as it begins, but it surely’s good for prevention,” Fiorella mentioned.
Does the sleepy woman mocktail actually make you sleep higher?
You may’t imagine all the things you learn on the web, however there could also be one thing to the “sleepy woman” mocktail making the rounds on social media. Fiorella mentioned the combo of tart cherry juice and magnesium powder could be a good mixture to assist higher sleep. “Tart cherries comprise tryptophan and enhance melatonin so taking that earlier than mattress — plus the magnesium — is nice,” she mentioned. Magnesium has an total enjoyable impact on the physique as a result of it relaxes muscle groups and helps decrease anxiousness. “It’s one of many first issues I like to recommend for insomnia and simply normal sleep.”
What meals have magnesium?
You get magnesium from the meals you eat. These can embrace:
- Leafy greens
- Legumes
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Entire grains
- Fish
- Poultry
- Beef
“Pumpkin seeds and Brazil nuts are actually good,” Fiorella mentioned. Magnesium can also be added to meals like fortified cereal. Bottled, mineral and faucet water may comprise magnesium.
What does the FDA say about magnesium?
In 2022, the FDA introduced there was sufficient scientific proof to assist the connection between magnesium and lowered threat for hypertension. This implies meals and dietary dietary supplements can promote this well being declare on merchandise so long as that product has no less than 84 mg of magnesium per serving and, for dietary dietary supplements, not more than 350 mg.
The advisable each day allowance for magnesium is 320 mg for ladies ages 31-51 and 420 mg for ladies 51 and older.
Who shouldn’t take magnesium?
Sure medicines can work together with magnesium dietary supplements or lower the absorption of the treatment. These medicines can embrace:
- Antibiotics
- Diuretics
- Proton pump inhibitors
- Bisphosphonates
Fiorella famous that individuals with kidney illness ought to keep away from magnesium dietary supplements.
What else do we have to find out about magnesium?
Magnesium is protected to take total. Nevertheless, an excessive amount of magnesium could cause diarrhea, nausea and stomach cramping. Very excessive intakes of magnesium can result in irregular heartbeat and cardiac arrest. Discuss to your healthcare supplier earlier than taking magnesium or another complement.
