Taking too much magnesium? 7 side effects to watch out for

Need to forestall cramps, keep nerve operate, strengthen your bones and preserve your coronary heart wholesome? Then ensure that to satisfy your day by day magnesium necessities. This mineral is necessary to your physique, because it performs a key function in sustaining your total well being. So, have leafy inexperienced greens, nuts and seeds, legumes and entire grains. There are additionally dietary supplements that will help you out. However don’t simply purchase them from a retailer with out consulting a physician. You will need to know the best dose, as overdose can result in well being points. Listed here are a few of the magnesium unintended effects to pay attention to.

What are the magnesium advantages?

Earlier than studying about magnesium unintended effects, let’s discover out why it’s good for you:

• Helps coronary heart well being: It helps keep a gentle heartbeat by regulating muscle contractions, together with the guts muscle. It additionally helps chill out blood vessels, lowering blood stress and decreasing the chance of stroke and coronary heart illness. A research, revealed in Vitamins, discovered that greater magnesium consumption, both dietary or by dietary supplements, helped in defending towards main cardiovascular danger elements, together with kind 2 diabetes and hypertension.
• Strengthens bones: A significant portion of the physique’s magnesium is saved within the bones, so it performs a key function in bone formation. “It enhances calcium absorption, and helps forestall situations like osteoporosis, particularly in older individuals and postmenopausal girls,” says nutritionist Falak Hanif.
• Reduces muscle cramps: This mineral helps muscular tissues chill out after contracting, stopping cramps and stiffness. It’s particularly helpful for health fans, athletes and pregnant girls.
• Improves sleep high quality: It regulates neurotransmitters and melatonin, each of that are necessary for a very good evening’s sleep. “It prompts Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a relaxing mind chemical, and this helps in falling asleep sooner,” says the professional.
• Relieves menstrual discomfort: It reduces bloating, breast tenderness, temper adjustments, and cramps throughout menstruation by regulating hormone ranges and calming nerve exercise.
• Aids digestion: This important nutrient attracts water into the intestines and helps chill out the intestine muscular tissues, which helps in selling common bowel actions. “It acts as a pure laxative when taken in particular kinds like magnesium citrate,” shares the professional.

Magnesium overdose

The dosage is dependent upon an individual’s age, gender, well being standing, and objective of remedy. In response to the US Nationwide Institutes Of Well being, the Beneficial Dietary Allowances for this mineral are:

• Start to six months : 30 mg
• 7 to 12 months : 75 mg
• 19–30 years: 400 mg (males), and 310 mg (girls)
• 31–50 years: 420 mg (males), and 320 mg (girls)

Keep inside these limits in any other case there generally is a magnesium overdose, which can consequence from taking an excessive amount of of a complement or medication consisting of the mineral. Generally, individuals with kidney illness or impaired kidney operate might also expertise magnesium overdose. “The kidneys are accountable for flushing out further magnesium. In kidney dysfunction, the clearance of this mineral slows down, resulting in harmful buildup,” says the professional.

Magnesium unintended effects

Usually there are not any magnesium unintended effects for those who go for pure meals sources. “The physique has a pure means of regulating magnesium ranges, and any extra magnesium from meals is often excreted by the kidneys through urine,” explains Hanif.

Listed here are magnesium unintended effects:

These magnesium unintended effects are sometimes seen when the mineral is taken in excessive doses or poorly absorbed kinds, significantly from dietary supplements or intravenous sources.

1. Diarrhea

An excessive amount of consumption of magnesium can result in unfastened stools. Throughout a research, revealed in The New England Journal Of Medication, its extreme consumption was seen as an necessary reason behind continual diarrhea in 15 of the 359 members. “The mineral attracts water into the intestines, appearing as an osmotic laxative. Diarrhea is most definitely brought on by magnesium citrate, magnesium oxide and magnesium hydroxide,” says the professional.

2. Nausea

One of many magnesium unintended effects is that the dietary supplements can irritate the abdomen lining, particularly when taken on an empty abdomen. Nausea is most definitely brought on by high-dose magnesium dietary supplements (any kind, particularly poorly absorbed ones like oxide).

3. Belly cramps

Because of the laxative impact or sensitivity to sure kinds, you’ll have belly cramps, one of many widespread magnesium unintended effects. “The cramps are most definitely brought on by magnesium sulfate and magnesium citrate,” says the professional. You might also expertise fuel and bloating with the cramps.

4. Low blood stress

Low blood stress or hypotension can occur on account of IV magnesium or taking very excessive doses of the complement, as they’ll chill out the blood vessels an excessive amount of. You might expertise dizziness, fainting, blurred imaginative and prescient and really feel actually drained.

5. Irregular heartbeat

Irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia is likely one of the magnesium unintended effects. “Extraordinarily excessive magnesium ranges have an effect on the guts’s electrical exercise. It may well result in skipped beats, sluggish coronary heart fee or fluttering sensation,” says the professional. It’s largely brought on by extra IV magnesium.

6. Muscle weak spot

This mineral impacts muscle and nerve conduction; and an excessive amount of of it might impair operate. You’ll really feel sluggishness, fatigue, and have issue shifting your legs and arms. Muscle weak spot could occur for those who take IV magnesium in excessive doses.

7. Respiratory issue

“Very excessive magnesium ranges can suppress the central nervous system and have an effect on the respiration muscular tissues,” says the professional. You might expertise sluggish or shallow respiration, discover it arduous to maneuver, and in uncommon instances, go into coma. This will occur on account of extreme consumption of IV magnesium or unintentional overdose.

It’s good to have magnesium-rich meals like spinach, almonds, peanuts and soy milk. Nevertheless, whereas taking the dietary supplements, it is advisable to be cautious, as there are magnesium unintended effects.