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

Need to forestall cramps, keep nerve perform, strengthen your bones and maintain your coronary heart wholesome? Then make certain to satisfy your day by day magnesium necessities. This mineral is necessary on your physique, because it performs a key position in sustaining your total well being. So, have leafy inexperienced greens, nuts and seeds, legumes and complete grains. There are additionally dietary supplements that can assist you out. However don’t simply purchase them from a retailer with out consulting a physician. It is very important know the proper dose, as overdose can result in well being points. Listed below are among the magnesium unwanted effects to pay attention to.

What are the magnesium advantages?

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

• Helps coronary heart well being: It helps keep a gradual heartbeat by regulating muscle contractions, together with the guts muscle. It additionally helps loosen up blood vessels, decreasing blood stress and reducing the danger of stroke and coronary heart illness. A research, revealed in Vitamins, discovered that increased magnesium consumption, both dietary or by way of dietary supplements, helped in defending in opposition to main cardiovascular threat components, 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 position in bone formation. “It enhances calcium absorption, and helps forestall circumstances like osteoporosis, particularly in older individuals and postmenopausal ladies,” says nutritionist Falak Hanif.
• Reduces muscle cramps: This mineral helps muscular tissues loosen up after contracting, stopping cramps and stiffness. It’s particularly useful for health fans, athletes and pregnant ladies.
• Improves sleep high quality: It regulates neurotransmitters and melatonin, each of that are necessary for a great evening’s sleep. “It prompts Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chilled mind chemical, and this helps in falling asleep sooner,” says the skilled.
• Relieves menstrual discomfort: It reduces bloating, breast tenderness, temper modifications, and cramps throughout menstruation by regulating hormone ranges and calming nerve exercise.
• Aids digestion: This important nutrient attracts water into the intestines and helps loosen up the intestine muscular tissues, which helps in selling common bowel actions. “It acts as a pure laxative when taken in particular types like magnesium citrate,” shares the skilled.

Magnesium overdose

The dosage depends upon an individual’s age, gender, well being standing, and function of remedy. In keeping with the US Nationwide Institutes Of Well being, the Really helpful Dietary Allowances for this mineral are:

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

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 perform may additionally expertise magnesium overdose. “The kidneys are answerable for flushing out additional magnesium. In kidney dysfunction, the clearance of this mineral slows down, resulting in harmful buildup,” says the skilled.

Magnesium unwanted effects

Typically there aren’t any magnesium unwanted effects if you happen to go for pure meals sources. “The physique has a pure manner of regulating magnesium ranges, and any extra magnesium from meals is often excreted by way of the kidneys through urine,” explains Hanif.

Listed below are magnesium unwanted effects:

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

1. Diarrhea

An excessive amount of consumption of magnesium can result in free stools. Throughout a research, revealed in The New England Journal Of Drugs, its extreme consumption was seen as an necessary reason behind power diarrhea in 15 of the 359 individuals. “The mineral attracts water into the intestines, performing as an osmotic laxative. Diarrhea is more than likely brought on by magnesium citrate, magnesium oxide and magnesium hydroxide,” says the skilled.

2. Nausea

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

3. Stomach cramps

Because of the laxative impact or sensitivity to sure types, you’ll have stomach cramps, one of many frequent magnesium unwanted effects. “The cramps are more than likely brought on by magnesium sulfate and magnesium citrate,” says the skilled. You might also expertise fuel and bloating with the cramps.

4. Low blood stress

Low blood stress or hypotension can occur attributable to IV magnesium or taking very excessive doses of the complement, as they will loosen up 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 without doubt one of the magnesium unwanted effects. “Extraordinarily excessive magnesium ranges have an effect on the guts’s electrical exercise. It could result in skipped beats, gradual coronary heart price or fluttering sensation,” says the skilled. It’s largely brought on by extra IV magnesium.

6. Muscle weak point

This mineral impacts muscle and nerve conduction; and an excessive amount of of it could actually impair perform. You’ll really feel sluggishness, fatigue, and have issue shifting your legs and arms. Muscle weak point might occur if you happen to 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 skilled. You might expertise gradual or shallow respiration, discover it exhausting to maneuver, and in uncommon circumstances, go into coma. This will occur attributable to 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, you could be cautious, as there are magnesium unwanted effects.