Bloggbild för: Do I Really Need to Take a Magnesium Supplement? (2024)

Do I Really Need to Take a Magnesium Supplement? (2024)

Health
January 20, 2024 4 min reading

Many of us are deficient in magnesium. This can manifest as: leg cramps, muscle twitching, "restless legs", tense and aching muscles, weakness, tremors, anxiety, brittle bones and teeth, eye twitching, dizziness, headaches, and sleep problems. You may also feel lacking in energy.

Why does the body need magnesium?

The body uses up magnesium every day from normal functions, such as muscle movement, heartbeat, and hormone production.

Magnesium not only helps regulate calcium, potassium, and sodium, but is also important for cellular health.

Magnesium has been shown to help calm the body, muscles, and help improve mood.

8 bodily functions that magnesium affects

  • Electrolyte balance

  • Energy metabolism

  • Nervous system

  • Muscle function

  • Protein synthesis

  • Psychological functions

  • Bone structure

  • Teeth

Magnesium can therefore help you to:

  • relieve constipation

  • ease muscle pain

  • promote calm

  • prevent headaches

  • balance dehydration

  • promote good sleep

  • improve energy levels

  • improve bone health

Magnesium is especially important for you if you:

  • exercise hard and sweat a lot

  • are or have been exhausted

  • have migraines

  • have sleep problems

  • are older

  • experience a lot of stress, as stress increases magnesium excretion

  • have heart problems

  • have high blood pressure

  • have migraines

  • have PMS (a B-complex is also recommended)

  • have problems with your alcohol consumption

An arrangement of various healthy foods, including avocado, bananas, quinoa, dark chocolate, chia seeds, spinach and various beans.

How to find magnesium in food

Although we need smaller amounts of magnesium compared to other nutrients, we must regularly replenish either from food or with magnesium supplements to prevent deficiency symptoms.

Eat these 9 foods daily to get more magnesium:

  • dark leafy greens like spinach or chard

  • beans like mung beans and black beans

  • potatoes

  • pumpkin seeds

  • avocado

  • broccoli

  • Brussels sprouts

  • nuts like almonds and cashews

  • cocoa

But remember that significant amounts are lost when cooking food, so preferably eat your vegetables fresh, raw, or lightly cooked.

Most people unfortunately don't get enough magnesium from food alone, so magnesium supplements may be needed.

We can, for example, take magnesium supplements during periods when we feel we need to replenish our stores.

How much magnesium should I take as a supplement?

The recommended daily intake is approximately 200-300 mg per day via supplements.

You should get the rest through food. An average person gets approximately 200 mg through food.

Many people find that magnesium supplements work best when taken before bedtime or before dinner in the evening.

If you take medications, you should have at least 2-4 hours between taking medicine and supplements. This applies to all supplements and herbs.

Increased need for magnesium may exist when you take antiarrhythmics, cardiac glycosides, cholesterol-lowering drugs, neuroleptics, birth control pills, and estrogen.

However, magnesium can have negative effects if you take anticoagulants, diabetes medications, urological medications, and diuretics.

Talk to your doctor!

Wondering what type of magnesium you need? Read this blog article.

Did you know this about magnesium?

Magnesium is the second most common mineral in every cell. The body depends on magnesium for over 300 enzyme reactions.

The image shows a white outline drawing of a person sitting in lotus position against a blurred background of a sunset over the sea. The word "RELAX" is written below the figure. A blurred wooden dock is visible in the foreground.

Magnesium & Stress

Magnesium balances the body's natural stress response to maintain calm and tranquility.

Magnesium "plays a key inhibitory role in the regulation and neurotransmission of the normal stress response," so we need adequate amounts to maintain this stress response properly.

In the body, it's the HPA axis that leads the work of assessing and managing stress.

"A" stands for the adrenal glands, the almond-shaped glands that sit on top of the kidneys at the back of the body. They regulate stress by controlling the release of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.

The adrenal glands also use cortisol to manage the sleep-wake cycle. They get help from the hypothalamus and pituitary gland (the "H" and "P" in the HPA axis).

Adequate levels of magnesium, among other things, help maintain balance in the HPA axis, to promote a stable mood and help us stay calm. Magnesium is often called the "relaxation mineral."

Magnesium & Sleep

Magnesium relieves tension and contributes to restful sleep.

Magnesium also helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for putting you in a state of calm and relaxation.

Magnesium helps regulate certain neurotransmitters as well as melatonin, which is responsible for maintaining the body's internal clock (circadian rhythm).

Magnesium & Skeleton

In the musculoskeletal system, magnesium contributes to bone development, protein synthesis, and muscle and nerve function.

It also contributes to the active transport of calcium and potassium across cell membranes, which is crucial for maintaining normal heart rhythm, muscle tissue contraction, and nerve impulse conduction.

Since magnesium promotes healthy muscle function and recovery, it supports healthy muscles.

Although calcium and vitamin D as well as K2 get the credit when it comes to maintaining strong and healthy bones, magnesium also does its fair share.

Rahima Knutsson
Written by

Rahima Knutsson

Rahima is our product specialist in body care and nutrition. She's trained in nutrition, relaxation, yoga, massage, sound healing, and personal development. Basically, she knows a lot about everything that can make you thrive.