The Top 10 Benefits of Magnesium

Magnesium Deficiency

Magnesium supplementation can significantly improve energy levels, sleep, mood, heart and vascular function, and overall health. 

Most people aren't getting even half the magnesium their bodies need daily. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 400-420 mg for men and 310-320 mg for women, but the average intake among healthy adults in the U.S. is only 143 to 266 mg/day. This creates a substantial deficit, and when nutrients are lacking, the body doesn't function properly.

Depleted magnesium in our food supply is a primary cause of deficiency, but it can also result from factors that reduce magnesium absorption or increase excretion, such as high calcium intake, alcohol, surgery, diuretics, liver disease, kidney disease, an acid-forming diet, and oral contraceptives.

Signs of magnesium deficiency include fatigue, mental confusion, irritability, weakness, heart issues, nerve conduction and muscle contraction problems, muscle cramps, loss of appetite, insomnia, and increased stress. Long-term deficiency, even at marginal levels, significantly raises the risk of heart disease.

What Is Magnesium?

Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in over 600 biochemical reactions in the human body, including enzyme activation, energy production, and regulation of other vital nutrients. It is crucial for the optimal functioning of organs, including the brain. Low magnesium levels can lead to significant health issues.

This is especially true in the brain, where magnesium deficiency can cause symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, depression, irritability, fear, insomnia, confusion, restlessness, and memory loss. Magnesium is also vital for heart function, blood pressure control, bone health, and proper nerve and muscle tone. Providing the body and brain with what they need leads to better function.

Top 10 Benefits of Magnesium

Here are the top ten uses of magnesium listed in order of importance.

1. Improved Sleep and Mood

Quality sleep is super important to our health for so many reasons. Everything in the body functions better with a good night’s sleep, especially our brain. Magnesium supplementation has been shown to be a valuable tool in improving sleep quality. This action not only boosts energy levels but also helps improve the ability to deal with stress and promote greater feelings of happiness. 

A recent detailed scientific review evaluated the overall clinical evidence of magnesium supplementation in improving sleep quality and feelings of stress. Despite differences in dosage, forms of magnesium used, and the duration of supplementation, the results of the analysis clearly indicated the possible benefits of magnesium supplementation in improving sleep quality and feelings of anxiety.^7.8 Additional studies have shown other benefits to mood and brain function.^9,10

2. Energy Booster

Improving sleep may also be one of the ways that magnesium supplementation boosts energy levels. Magnesium is critically involved in energy production. Hence, an underlying magnesium deficiency can result in chronic fatigue. Low red blood cell magnesium levels, a more accurate measure of magnesium status than routine blood analysis, have been found in many patients with chronic fatigue.¹¹ Clinical trials during the 1960s on patients suffering from chronic fatigue showed impressive results. These studies utilized oral magnesium and potassium aspartate and found between 75% and 91% of the nearly 3,000 patients studied experienced relief of fatigue during treatment with the magnesium and potassium aspartate.¹² In contrast, the number of patients responding to a placebo was between 9% and 26%. The beneficial effect was usually noted after only 4-5 days, but sometimes 10 days were required. Patients usually continued treatment for 4-6 weeks. 

3. Promotes Heart and Vascular Health

Magnesium has a well-established role in preventing heart disease and strokes.^1,4,5,13,14 This makes sense since magnesium is critical in the proper functioning of the heart and vascular system. Magnesium is required to maintain the electrical and mechanical aspects of heart function as well as metabolic functions, vascular health, and blood pressure control.^15,16 There is a substantial body of knowledge demonstrating that magnesium supplementation is helpful in supporting a wide range of cardiovascular issues including angina, congestive heart failure, arrhythmia, and high blood pressure.

4. Helps with Blood Sugar Control

Magnesium plays a key role in blood sugar metabolism as it is necessary for both the secretion and action of insulin.¹⁷ Several studies in patients with various forms of diabetes (type 1 or 2, and gestational diabetes) or prediabetes have shown magnesium to be of value in improving blood sugar control.^1,18-20 Magnesium supplementation (usually 400 to 500 mg per day) improves insulin response and action, glucose tolerance, and the fluidity of the red blood cell membrane. In addition, magnesium levels are often low in diabetics and lowest in those with severe diabetic eye disease (retinopathy). Diabetics have higher magnesium requirements and need dietary supplementation to meet that need.

5. Pregnancy (toxemia, premature delivery, and other complications)

Magnesium needs increase during pregnancy as reflected by an increase in the RDA from 280 mg to 350 mg per day. Magnesium deficiency during pregnancy has been linked to gestational diabetes as well as preeclampsia (a serious condition of pregnancy associated with elevations in blood pressure, fluid retention, and loss of protein in the urine), preterm delivery, and fetal growth retardation. In contrast, supplementing the diet of pregnant women with additional oral magnesium has been shown to significantly decrease the incidence of these complications.^21,22

6. Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), Menstrual Cramps, and Menopause

Magnesium is involved in the proper utilization and function of female hormones and vice versa. Low magnesium levels result in hormonal stress that may manifest as PMS, painful menstruation, and, in later life, menopausal symptoms. While magnesium has been shown to be effective on its own in these conditions, even better results may be achieved by combining it with vitamin B6 and other nutrients. For example, several studies have shown that when PMS patients are given a multivitamin and mineral supplement containing high doses of magnesium and vitamin B they experience a better reduction in PMS symptoms compared to the results seen in studies with magnesium alone.²³

In addition to its effects on hormonal balance and action, magnesium also works to relax the smooth muscle cells of the uterus to relieve menstrual cramps and act on the blood vessels in menopausal women to reduce hot flashes. When dietary magnesium levels are low it may contribute to the development of menstrual cramps and hot flashes. In a study of menopausal women with breast cancer, researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University found that magnesium supplementation restores proper tissue levels of magnesium leading to blood vessels becoming more stable and thereby less reactive to the hormonal changes of menopause. As a result, hot flashes were reduced in menopausal women.²⁴

7. Migraine and Tension Headaches

Low magnesium levels can trigger both migraine and tension headaches. In individuals with low magnesium levels, magnesium supplementation has been shown to produce excellent results in double-blind studies. The magnesium dose recommended by the American, European, and International Headache Societies and the Neurological Academy is 400–600 mg per day.²⁵

8. Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)

Magnesium deficiency may play a role in ADD as research indicates many children with ADD have lower levels of magnesium. Several human clinical studies have shown very positive results with magnesium supplementation.²⁶ In the first study, magnesium reduced hyperactivity in children with ADD with hyperactivity (ADHD) in 50 children with low magnesium (as determined by red blood cells, hair, and serum levels of magnesium).²⁷ These children were given 200 mg of magnesium per day for six months and compared with 25 other magnesium-deficient ADHD children who did not get magnesium. Those given magnesium supplementation had a significant decrease in hyperactive behavior.

Several of the studies with magnesium supplementation in ADD or ADHD utilized magnesium with other nutrients.^28,29 For example, in one of the latest studies, 66 children with ADHD were given both magnesium (6 mg per kg body weight daily) and vitamin D3 (50,000 IU/week) or matching placebos for eight weeks.²⁹ Results showed a significant improvement in emotional problems, conduct problems, and social problems as well as general feelings for the children getting the D3 and magnesium. compared with children treated with the placebo.

9. Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a common cause of chronic musculoskeletal pain and fatigue. Magnesium levels are generally low in fibromyalgia and magnesium supplementation at 300 to 600 mg per day, usually as magnesium malate, has produced improvements in energy as well as the number and severity of tender points on muscles.^4,30,31

10. Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Magnesium promotes relaxation of the bronchial smooth muscles, as a result, airways open and breathing is made easier. Intravenous magnesium is a well-proven and clinically accepted measure to halt an acute asthma attack as well as acute flare-ups of COPD. Oral supplementation has been shown to raise magnesium levels over time as well as intravenous methods and several studies have shown benefits from oral magnesium supplementation improving airway function in both adult and child subjects with asthma.^32,33 

Forms of Magnesium

Magnesium is available in several different forms. Absorption studies indicate that magnesium is easily absorbed orally, especially when bound to citrate and glycine, aspartate, malate, and threonate. Inorganic forms of magnesium such as magnesium chloride, oxide, or carbonate are generally well absorbed but are more likely to cause diarrhea at higher dosages.

Recommended Dose

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of magnesium supplementation is 400-420 mg per day for adult males and 300-320 mg per day for adult females. Many nutritional experts feel the ideal intake for magnesium should be based on body weight (6 mg/2.2 pounds body weight). 

From a practical perspective, I recommend taking magnesium at night in a powdered drink form. Magnesium is calming, relieves stress, and promotes overall relaxation and restful sleep. For best results, I recommend using a highly absorbable form of magnesium like magnesium citrate, malate, or bis-glycinate. 

Side Effects

In general, magnesium is very well tolerated. Magnesium supplementation can sometimes cause a looser stool, particularly magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts), hydroxide, or chloride.

Overdosage can result in diarrhea. Do the following in case of accidental overdose: If the victim is unconscious or having convulsions, call for an ambulance immediately. If you take the victim to an emergency room, be sure to bring the bottle or container with you. If the victim is conscious, call your local poison control center or a healthcare professional. The poison control center may suggest inducing vomiting with ipecac syrup (available without a prescription at any pharmacy). DO NOT induce vomiting unless specifically instructed to do so.

Cautions and Interactions

If you suffer from a serious heart disease or kidney disorder, please consult a physician before taking any magnesium supplement.

There are many drugs that appear to adversely affect magnesium status. Most notable are many diuretics, insulin, and digitalis.

There is an extensive interaction between magnesium and calcium, potassium, and other minerals. High dosages of other minerals will reduce the intake of magnesium and vice versa. A high calcium intake and a high intake of dairy foods fortified with vitamin D result in decreased magnesium absorption. Vitamin B6 works together with magnesium in many enzyme systems.