Protein may be the MVP for building muscle, but magnesium wears the crown when it comes to recovery. Getting enough of the mineral supports your nervous system, reduces inflammation, and improves sleep quality. It can also aid with lowering anxiety, regulating blood sugar, and repairing DNA. As with any nutrient, the best way to get magnesium is through diet. But since many people fall short and seek out magnesium’s benefits, magnesium supplements have become a cornerstone to many stacks.
So it’s important to remember: it is possible to consume too much magnesium, and, according to functional medicine doctors we spoke to, you’re in for some pretty unpleasant side effects if you overdo it. When can taking a magnesium supplement be helpful? Considering that many people don’t consume enough magnesium through food, many people can benefit from upping their intake with a supplement.
“Magnesium deficiency is more common than many people realize, although inadequate magnesium intake is much more common than true magnesium deficiency,” says Bernadette Anderson, MD, MPH, a family medicine doctor with Central Ohio Primary Care. Andrea Colon, NMD, a naturopathic medicine doctor with Reclaim Integrative Medicine, says that the main reason why people don’t get enough is due to overconsuming ultra-processed foods, which typically don’t have magnesium.
She says that others who are at risk
She says that others who are at risk for not getting enough magnesium are anyone with gastrointestinal issues (which impair magnesium absorption), diabetics (high blood sugar causes the kidneys to excrete excess glucose and minerals through urine), and those who consume alcohol regularly (alcohol causes the kidneys to flush magnesium out through urine before it’s properly absorbed).
Even if you are getting the recommended daily requirement of magnesium, all of the doctors we talked to say that taking a supplement can still be beneficial, particularly if you want to use it for muscle recovery, sleep, or to manage anxiety. “I do see some evidence that it helps certain people—especially those who are low or borderline low—but I don’t view it as a universal treatment for insomnia or anxiety.
And I often remind patients that more is not necessarily better. Once your body has what it needs, increasing the dose doesn’t automatically lead to more benefit,” says Andrew Benin, MD, a primary care doctor at BeninMed. Magnesium isn’t a miracle drug either. Dr. Benin says that if your anxiety or sleep problems are caused by something other than magnesium deficiency, a magnesium supplement isn’t going to be the fix you want it to be; you still have to address the root cause.
How much magnesium is too much
How much magnesium is too much? Here’s the good news: All of the experts say that it’s pretty difficult to consume too much magnesium. “The kidneys are exquisitely sensitive to the balance of how much is excessive and needs to be excreted,” says Kenneth Ro, MD, a functional medicine doctor specializing in men’s health. But he adds that this means that anyone with impaired kidney function (such as people with kidney disease) are at risk of consuming too much magnesium because their damaged kidneys can’t filter out and remove the extra magnesium.
If you are going to take a magnesium supplement, Dr. Ro recommends a dose of between 100 and 200 milligrams, though Dr. Colon and Dr. Benin say that even going up to 350 milligrams is considered safe. When reading supplement labels, Dr. Ro says to look for the dose referring to elemental magnesium, which is how much you can count on actually absorbing. This is different from total magnesium, which also includes the molecule magnesium is bonded to (such as glycinate or citrate).
How much is too much? All four doctors say that consuming over 400 milligrams of magnesium a day in supplement form is too much. As you may remember, the recommended daily requirement for magnesium is between 400 and 420 milligrams. But taking more than 400 milligrams a day is too much because, as the doctors explain, if your getting a big dose of it all at once, which can overwhelm the system
It’s worth remembering that you’re still consuming
And it’s worth remembering that you’re still consuming at least some magnesium through your diet, even if you’re falling short of the recommended daily amount. Dr. Benin says that it’s easier to reach this upper limit than you may think, especially if you’re taking several supplements. For example, magnesium could be in a multivitamin as well as a supplement you’re taking for sleep.
“Some over-the-counter products can add up quickly if you’re not paying attention to the total daily intake,” he says. Here’s the thing: You’re definitely going to know if you’re getting too much magnesium because all four doctors say you’ll experience diarrhea. If your magnesium supplement has you running to the toilet, you’re taking too much. If that happens, all the experts say to dial back your dose and consider splitting it up instead of taking the whole dose at the same time.
Other than diarrhea, Dr. Benin says that there are some more serious complications that can come from taking too much magnesium, particularly for those with impaired kidney function. “At very high levels, magnesium can become much more serious and may lead to weakness, low blood pressure, confusion, abnormal heart rhythms, difficulty breathing, and in severe cases, cardiac arrest,” he says.
Medications that magnesium can interfere
Medications that magnesium can interfere with
As with any supplement, it’s worth a conversation with your doctor before starting a magnesium supplement if you have any underlying health conditions or are taking any medications. There are some medications that don’t play well with magnesium. Dr. Anderson says that magnesium can reduce the absorption of several medications, including certain antibiotics, bisphosphonates used to treat osteoporosis, and levothyroxine used for hypothyroidism.
“If you’re taking one of these medications, magnesium may need to be taken several hours apart, although the timing depends on the specific medication,” she says. Dr. Benin adds to this, saying, “Many of my patients are often shocked to learn that a supplement they consider ‘harmless’ can actually affect how well a prescription medication is absorbed.”
There’s no doubt that many people can benefit from taking a magnesium supplement.
But as with most things in life, it’s possible to overdo it. Especially if you’re taking multiple supplements, check how much magnesium is in each one that you’re taking. If the total is more than 400 milligrams, you’re taking too much, something your G.I. tract is sure to clue you in on.
Source: www.gq.com
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