Magnesium: A Glimpse into Nutrition
As a nutritionist, it’s common to hear people focus on the big things, like carbs, protein, and fat, but when delving into someone's diet, it can be the small things that count. Magnesium is one such piece of the micronutrient puzzle that shines a spotlight onto why adequate nutrition is so important, beyond those big macronutrients. When a nutritionist makes a recommendation for pepitas on your salad, for instance, it's not just because they read in a textbook that they’re good for you. A wealth of information may be behind that decision.
It may be considered the “forgotten electrolyte”, but as the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, magnesium is super important.(1) For starters, do you remember learning about ATP in school? This is your body’s energy, and it needs to bind to magnesium in order to be active.(2) Magnesium is actually needed for all the enzymes in the process of turning glucose into energy.(3) This is because Magnesium is a co-factor, something like a computer processor, needed by the body to speed up chemical reactions for things such as energy production, healthy bones and teeth, nerve activity, and DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis (to name a few).(4) Magnesium actually has over 300 known important roles in our bodies.(3) It is so important that its deficiency and excess are considered in regards to heart failure, kidney disease, and diabetes, and its potential role in heart rhythm, nerve impulses, fluid balance, and blood sugar is not something to brush aside.(4,3)
How much do I need?
The RDA of magnesium changes throughout stages of life, but adults need 310-400mg (and slightly more after the age of 50).(5)
Leafy greens, nuts and seeds, black beans, broccoli, tofu and fish are examples of sources, with 156mg in 1 oz of pumpkin seeds, 80 mg in 1 oz of almonds, 78 mg in ½ cup of cooked spinach, and 50 mg in 1 cup of shelled edamame.(5)
What’s the deal with deficiency?
Many factors can contribute to deficiency, including older age (when more gets excreted in urine),(3) alcohol, medications (like some antacids, blood pressure medications, and antihistamines), food processing (making whole grain flour white may reduce magnesium by 300-400%),(6) chronic disease, gastrointestinal issues, and stress.(7,8)
The symptoms of stress and magnesium deficiency can actually share many similarities, and the cycle of stress reducing magnesium which in turn may increase feelings of stress was coined “the Vicious Circle” by researchers back in the 90’s.(2)
A domino effect can be very specific, like how magnesium deficiency may perpetuate vitamin D deficiency: if you are deficient in vitamin D and taking a high potency D3 supplement, well, magnesium is needed to activate and metabolize the vitamin D.(9)
General signs of Magnesium deficiency include fatigue, irritability/aggressiveness, loss of appetite, vertigo, muscle spasms, weakness, leg cramps, anxiety, headaches, and poor sleep.(6,7,5)
In thinking about the long term, deficiency may be associated with increased inflammation (as indicated by a marker called C-reactive protein),(10) dementia,(11) and depressed mood.(12)
Should I supplement?
Most likely, no. Adding some magnesium rich foods to your grocery list can help you meet the RDA while also providing other nutrients like fiber, protein, and vitamins. Only 1% of the body’s magnesium shows up in a blood test, and deficiency often goes undiagnosed, so eating well is the best place to start.(6,8)
More than 350mg as a supplement may cause gastrointestinal distress (like bloating or cramps), and the form of magnesium may matter.(6) The citrate form, for instance, may be easier to absorb than oxide,(13) and some think the glycinate form may be better for stress.
If you have impaired kidneys or are on certain medications, a magnesium supplement could lead to magnesium toxicity, so make sure to check with your healthcare provider before starting. On the flip side, remember some common medications can reduce your magnesium level.
Takeaways:
Magnesium is one strand of an intricate biochemical web, and a small but mighty example of why it is important to eat a variety of foods like leafy greens, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Many factors can be associated with deficiency, and often there is a combination of factors, such as a diet high in processed food, high stress, and alcohol use in addition to certain prescription medications.
Be thoughtful and cautious with supplementation, and seek out professional input if you’re on medications or have health issues.
References:
Ahmed F, Mohammed A. Magnesium: The Forgotten Electrolyte-A Review on Hypomagnesemia. Med Sci (Basel). 2019;7(4):56. Published 2019 Apr 4. doi:10.3390/medsci7040056
Pilchova I, Klacanova K, Tatarkova Z, Kaplan P, Racay P. The Involvement of Mg2+ in Regulation of Cellular and Mitochondrial Functions. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2017;2017:6797460. doi:10.1155/2017/6797460
Barbagallo M, Dominguez LJ. Magnesium and type 2 diabetes. World J Diabetes. 2015;6(10):1152-1157. doi:10.4239/wjd.v6.i10.1152
Costello RB, Moser-Veillon PB. A review of magnesium intake in the elderly. A cause for concern?. Magnes Res. 1992;5(1):61‐67.
Magnesium Fact Sheet for health professionals. Nih.gov. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
Schwalfenberg GK, Genuis SJ. The Importance of Magnesium in Clinical Healthcare. Scientifica (Cairo). 2017;2017:4179326. doi:10.1155/2017/4179326
Brown JE, Lechtenberg E, Murtaugh MA, et al. Nutrition through the Life Cycle. Boston, MA: Cengage Leaning; 2017.
DiNicolantonio JJ, O'Keefe JH, Wilson W. Subclinical magnesium deficiency: a principal driver of cardiovascular disease and a public health crisis [published correction appears in Open Heart. 2018 Apr 5;5(1):e000668corr1]. Open Heart. 2018;5(1):e000668. Published 2018 Jan 13. doi:10.1136/openhrt-2017-000668
Uwitonze AM, Razzaque MS. Role of Magnesium in Vitamin D Activation and Function. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2018;118(3):181-189. doi:10.7556/jaoa.2018.037
Mazidi M, Rezaie P, Banach M. Effect of magnesium supplements on serum C-reactive protein: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Med Sci. 2018;14(4):707-716. doi:10.5114/aoms.2018.75719
Ben Zaken S, Radomysky Z, Koren G. Association Between Serum Magnesium Levels and Alzheimer's Disease or Mixed Dementia Patients: A Population-Based Retrospective Controlled Study. J Alzheimers Dis Rep. 2020;4(1):399-404. Published 2020 Sep 28. doi:10.3233/ADR-20022011
Botturi A, Ciappolino V, Delvecchio G, Boscutti A, Viscardi B, Brambilla P. The Role and the Effect of Magnesium in Mental Disorders: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2020;12(6):1661. Published 2020 Jun 3. doi:10.3390/nu12061661
Kappeler, D., Heimbeck, I., Herpich, C. et al. Higher bioavailability of magnesium citrate as compared to magnesium oxide shown by evaluation of urinary excretion and serum levels after single-dose administration in a randomized cross-over study. BMC Nutr 3, 7 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-016-0121-3
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