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Magnesium is a mineral that is important for normal bone structure in the body. People get magnesium from food, but sometimes supplements are needed.
Magnesium is needed for many bodily functions. Low levels in the body have been linked to diseases such as osteoporosis, high blood pressure, and stroke. An easy way to remember foods that are good magnesium sources is to think of fiber. Foods that are high in fiber are generally high in magnesium.
People commonly use magnesium for constipation, as an antacid for heartburn, for low magnesium levels, for pregnancy complications called pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, and for a certain type of irregular heartbeat (torsades de pointes). It's also used for many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support many of these other uses.
- Bowel preparation. Various magnesium salts are used for cleansing the bowel prior to procedures such as colonoscopy.
Login for details - Constipation. Magnesium salts are effective when used orally to treat constipation short-term. It is unclear if magnesium is beneficial for chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC).
Login for details - Dyspepsia. Magnesium salts are effective when used orally as antacids.
Login for details - Eclampsia. Magnesium sulfate is considered the drug of choice for control of seizures.
Login for details - Hypomagnesemia. Hypomagnesemia can be effectively treated with oral or parenteral magnesium.
Login for details - Pre-eclampsia. Magnesium sulfate is considered the drug of choice for seizure prophylaxis.
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- Cerebral palsy. Most evidence shows that antenatal magnesium reduces the risk of cerebral palsy in preterm infants, although there are some inconsistent results.
Login for details - Seizures. Intravenous magnesium sulfate is used for treating seizures of various etiologies.
Login for details - Torsades de pointes. Intravenous magnesium sulfate is the first-line treatment for torsades de pointes after measures to correct precipitating factors have been unsuccessful.
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- Arrhythmia. Magnesium sulfate is effective for the specific type of ventricular tachycardia known as torsades de pointes, and seems to be helpful for treating other types of arrhythmias. Evidence for the role of oral or intravenous magnesium in preventing postoperative arrhythmias is conflicting.
Login for details - Asthma. Parenteral magnesium sulfate can help to reverse severe acute asthma attacks and reduce the need for hospital admission. Oral or nebulized magnesium, however, does not seem to be beneficial.
Login for details - Colorectal cancer. Increasing dietary magnesium intake seems to lower the risk of colon cancer but not rectal cancer.
Login for details - Diabetes. Low dietary magnesium may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but evidence on the use of supplements for treating type 2 diabetes is conflicting.
Login for details - Hypercholesterolemia. Magnesium may help improve lipid levels by a small amount in people with this condition.
Login for details - Metabolic syndrome. Low dietary and serum levels of magnesium seem to be associated with the development of metabolic syndrome.
Login for details - Osteoporosis. Increased dietary and supplemental magnesium intake seems to increase bone mineral density and decrease bone loss in postmenopausal patients.
Login for details - Postoperative pain. Intravenous magnesium has been used with promising results for reducing pain postoperatively.
Login for details - Premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Taking magnesium orally seems to relieve symptoms of PMS.
Login for details - Vasospastic angina. Intravenous magnesium seems to prevent coronary spasm in patients with this condition.
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- Altitude sickness. Taking magnesium citrate orally does not seem to reduce acute altitude sickness risk.
Login for details - Athletic performance. Taking magnesium orally does not seem to improve energy or endurance during athletic activity.
Login for details - Bronchiolitis. Intravenous or nebulized magnesium is not beneficial in infants with this condition.
Login for details - Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Research on the effects of intravenous infusions of magnesium and calcium for preventing oxaliplatin neurotoxicity are inconsistent, but higher quality studies seem to show no benefit.
Login for details - Complex regional pain syndrome. Intravenous magnesium is not beneficial in complex regional pain syndrome type 1.
Login for details - Menopausal symptoms. Oral magnesium oxide does not seem to be beneficial for menopausal hot flashes.
Login for details - Muscle cramps. Oral magnesium does not seem to improve muscle cramp frequency or intensity.
Login for details - Neurological trauma. Magnesium does not improve clinical outcomes in patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. Its effect in patients with concussions is unclear.
Login for details - Nocturnal leg cramps. Oral magnesium oxide is not helpful for this condition.
Login for details - Sickle cell disease. Intravenous magnesium does not add any benefit to standard therapy for sickle cell disease in children.
Login for details - Stillbirth. Magnesium administered during pregnancy does not reduce stillbirth risk.
Login for details - Tetanus. Intravenous magnesium sulfate does not seem to improve outcomes in patients with this condition.
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- Alcohol use disorder. Intravenous magnesium does not seem to help reduce symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.
Login for details - Allergic rhinitis (hay fever). Login for details
- Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is unclear if oral magnesium is beneficial in children with ADHD.
Login for details - Back pain. It is unclear if oral or intravenous magnesium is beneficial for acute or chronic back pain in adults.
Login for details - Bipolar disorder. Taking magnesium orally might improve manic symptoms in some people with bipolar disorder; however, it is unclear how it compares to current standard of care.
Login for details - Cancer-related neuropathic pain. It is unclear if intravenous magnesium is beneficial for this condition.
Login for details - Chemotherapy-induced leukopenia. It is unclear if oral magnesium is beneficial in pediatric patients at risk for cisplatin-induced febrile neutropenia.
Login for details - Cardiac arrest. Intravenous magnesium does not seem to be helpful in cardiac arrest; however, the risk of sudden cardiac death seems to be inversely correlated to higher plasma magnesium levels or dietary intake. It is unclear if magnesium supplementation is associated with similar risk reduction.
Login for details - Cardiovascular disease (CVD). Evidence regarding the effect of dietary magnesium on CVD risk is conflicting.
Login for details - Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Limited evidence suggests that magnesium may help improve CFS symptoms, but this is controversial.
Login for details - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Intravenous, but not nebulized, magnesium may be helpful in acute exacerbations of COPD.
Login for details - Cluster headache. It is unclear if a single intravenous dose of magnesium sulfate is beneficial for cluster headaches.
Login for details - Coronary heart disease (CHD). Some research suggests that oral magnesium oxide can reduce platelet-dependent thrombosis in adults with CHD.
Login for details - Depression. It is unclear of oral magnesium is beneficial for the treatment or prevention of depression in adults.
Login for details - Diabetic foot ulcers. Oral magnesium has only been evaluated in combination with other ingredients; its effect when used alone is unclear.
Login for details - Emergence delirium. It is unclear if intravenous magnesium reduces the occurrence of emergence delirium in children undergoing elective surgery.
Login for details - Exercise-induced muscle soreness. It is unclear if oral magnesium reduces muscle soreness in adults after resistance training.
Login for details - Fibromyalgia. It is unclear if oral magnesium is beneficial for this condition.
Login for details - Fractures. Population research suggests that higher intakes of magnesium may reduce fracture risk.
Login for details - Gastric cancer. Population research suggests that higher intakes of magnesium may reduce gastric cancer risk.
Login for details - Hearing loss. Oral magnesium may prevent and improve hearing loss due to environmental factors or loud noises.
Login for details - Hypertension. Oral magnesium supplementation may modestly reduce blood pressure, although these changes are not likely to be considered clinically significant.
Login for details - Insomnia. Oral magnesium may modestly improve sleep complaints in older adults, but evidence is conflicting.
Login for details - Intraventricular hemorrhage. It is unclear if antenatal intravenous magnesium sulfate can reduce the risk for intraventricular hemorrhage in neonates.
Login for details - Kidney stones (nephrolithiasis). Taking magnesium orally may prevent the recurrence of kidney stones, although evidence is conflicting.
Login for details - Liver cancer. Increased dietary magnesium intake is linked with a lower risk of liver cancer.
Login for details - Migraine headache. Oral magnesium may help prevent migraine in some adults and children. Also, intravenous magnesium may help treat migraine in adults, but evidence is conflicting.
Login for details - Myocardial infarction (MI). Research on the effects of intravenous or oral magnesium after myocardial infarction are conflicting.
Login for details - Neonatal encephalopathy. Intravenous magnesium may improve short-term outcomes in neonates with encephalopathy.
Login for details - Obesity. Evidence on the use of magnesium for weight loss in obese patients is conflicting; any benefit is likely small at best.
Login for details - Overall mortality. It is unclear if oral magnesium reduces the risk of overall mortality.
Login for details - Osteoarthritis. Population research has not found a link between magnesium intake and osteoarthritis risk.
Login for details - Pain (chronic). Population research suggests that higher intakes of magnesium may modestly reduce the risk for chronic pain.
Login for details - Physical performance. Oral magnesium may modestly improve physical performance in otherwise health, elderly females.
Login for details - Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It is unclear if oral magnesium is beneficial for improving metabolic indices in patients with PCOS.
Login for details - Pregnancy-related leg cramps. It is unclear if oral magnesium reduces leg cramps during pregnancy; evidence is conflicting.
Login for details - Preterm labor. The use of magnesium sulfate to inhibit uterine contractions in preterm labor (tocolysis) is controversial. However, its use for the purpose of fetal neuroprotection for up to 48 hours is supported by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
Login for details - Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE). It is unclear if oral magnesium is beneficial for PXE.
Login for details - Restless legs syndrome (RLS). Oral magnesium may help in RLS, although both magnesium deficiency and high blood levels have been observed in patients with the condition.
Login for details - Stroke. Increased dietary magnesium may decrease stroke risk, and using a magnesium-containing salt substitute may improve neurological performance post-stroke. However, intravenous magnesium has not demonstrated benefit.
Login for details - Subarachnoid hemorrhage. Intravenous magnesium sulfate may reduce the risk of adverse outcomes in people with subarachnoid hemorrhage, but evidence is conflicting.
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When taken by mouth: Magnesium is likely safe for most people. Doses less than 350 mg daily are safe for most adults. In some people, magnesium might cause stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and other side effects. When taken in doses greater than 350 mg daily, magnesium is possibly unsafe. Large doses might cause too much magnesium to build up in the body, causing serious side effects including an irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, confusion, slowed breathing, coma, and death.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Magnesium is likely safe for those pregnant or breast-feeding when taken by mouth in doses less than 350 mg daily. Magnesium is possibly unsafe when taken by mouth in doses greater than 350 mg daily. High doses can cause diarrhea and too much magnesium in the blood.Children: Magnesium is likely safe when taken by mouth in daily doses of less than 65 mg for children 1-3 years, 110 mg for children 4-8 years, and 350 mg for children older than 8 years. Magnesium is likely unsafe when taken by mouth in higher doses.
Alcohol use disorder: Alcohol abuse increases the risk for magnesium deficiency.
Bleeding disorders: Magnesium seems to slow blood clotting. Taking magnesium might increase the risk of bleeding or bruising in people with bleeding disorders.
Diabetes: Diabetes increases the risk for magnesium deficiency.
Kidney conditions: Kidneys that don't work well have trouble clearing magnesium from the body. Taking extra magnesium can cause magnesium to build up to dangerous levels. Don't take magnesium if you have kidney problems.
Antibiotics (Aminoglycoside antibiotics)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Some antibiotics can affect the muscles. These antibiotics are called aminoglycosides. Magnesium can also affect the muscles. Taking these antibiotics and getting a magnesium shot might cause muscle problems.
Some aminoglycoside antibiotics include amikacin (Amikin), gentamicin (Garamycin), kanamycin (Kantrex), streptomycin, tobramycin (Nebcin), and others.
Antibiotics (Quinolone antibiotics)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Magnesium might decrease how much antibiotic the body absorbs. Taking magnesium along with some antibiotics might decrease the effectiveness of some antibiotics. To avoid this interaction take these antibiotics at least 2 hours before, or 4 to 6 hours after, magnesium supplements.
Some of these antibiotics that might interact with magnesium include ciprofloxacin (Cipro), enoxacin (Penetrex), norfloxacin (Chibroxin, Noroxin), sparfloxacin (Zagam), trovafloxacin (Trovan), and grepafloxacin (Raxar).
Antibiotics (Tetracycline antibiotics)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Magnesium can attach to tetracyclines in the stomach. This decreases the amount of tetracyclines that the body can absorb. Taking magnesium along with tetracyclines might decrease the effectiveness of tetracyclines. To avoid this interaction take calcium 2 hours before or 4 hours after taking tetracyclines.
Some tetracyclines include demeclocycline (Declomycin), minocycline (Minocin), and tetracycline (Achromycin).
Bisphosphonates
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Magnesium can decrease how much bisphosphate the body absorbs. Taking magnesium along with bisphosphates can decrease the effectiveness of bisphosphate. To avoid this interaction take bisphosphonate at least two hours before magnesium or later in the day.
Some bisphosphonates include alendronate (Fosamax), etidronate (Didronel), risedronate (Actonel), tiludronate (Skelid), and others.
Medications for high blood pressure (Calcium channel blockers)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Magnesium might decrease blood pressure. Taking magnesium with medication for high blood pressure might cause your blood pressure to go too low.
Some medications for high blood pressure include nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan), diltiazem (Cardizem), isradipine (DynaCirc), felodipine (Plendil), amlodipine (Norvasc), and others.
Muscle relaxants
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Magnesium seems to help relax muscles. Taking magnesium along with muscle relaxants can increase the risk of side effects of muscle relaxants.
Some muscle relaxants include carisoprodol (Soma), pipecuronium (Arduan), orphenadrine (Banflex, Disipal), cyclobenzaprine, gallamine (Flaxedil), atracurium (Tracrium), pancuronium (Pavulon), succinylcholine (Anectine), and others.
Water pills (Potassium-sparing diuretics)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Some "water pills" can increase magnesium levels in the body. Taking some "water pills" along with magnesium might cause too much magnesium to be in the body.
Some "water pills" that increase magnesium in the body include amiloride (Midamor), spironolactone (Aldactone), and triamterene (Dyrenium).
Boron: In females, taking boron supplements can slow down how quickly the body processes magnesium. This can raise magnesium levels in the blood. This effect appears to be greater in young, inactive females. In postmenopausal females, the effect is greater in those who eat less magnesium in the diet. It's not clear if this is relevant for males.
Calcium: Calcium supplements can decrease the absorption of dietary magnesium, but only at very high doses (2600 mg per day). In people with normal magnesium levels, this doesn't seem to be an issue. People at high risk for magnesium deficiency should take calcium supplements at bedtime, instead of with meals, to avoid interfering with dietary magnesium absorption. Magnesium does not seem to affect calcium absorption.
Herbs and supplements that might slow blood clotting: Magnesium might slow blood clotting and increase the risk of bleeding. Taking it with other supplements with similar effects might increase the risk of bleeding in some people. Examples of supplements with this effect include garlic, ginger, ginkgo, nattokinase, and Panax ginseng.
Vitamin D: Some forms of vitamin D increase magnesium absorption, especially when taken in high doses. This effect has been used to treat low magnesium in people with conditions that make it difficult for them to absorb magnesium.
Zinc: High doses of zinc (142 mg per day) might decrease magnesium absorption and magnesium balance in healthy adult males. Also, moderately high dietary zinc intake (53 mg per day) seems to increase magnesium loss after menopause. This might harm bone health.
There are no known interactions with foods.
Magnesium is an important nutrient. The amount that should be consumed on a daily basis is called the recommended dietary allowance (RDA). The RDA depends on age and gender for both adults and children, and is also different when pregnant or breast-feeding. For adult males, the RDA is 400-420 mg daily, depending on age. For adult females, the RDA is 310-320 mg daily, depending on age.
Magnesium supplements vary depending on the particular salt form used (magnesium aspartate, magnesium citrate, magnesium oxide, etc.). It's also available in many multivitamin products. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what type of product and dose might be best for a specific condition.
Aspartate de Magnésium, Atomic Number 12, Carbonate de Magnésium, Chelated Magnesium, Chlorure de Magnésium, Citrate de Magnésium, Dimagnesium Malate, Epsom Salts, Gluconate de Magnésium, Glycérophosphate de Magnésium, Glycinate de Magnésium, Hydroxyde de Magnésium, Lactate de Magnésium, Lait de Magnésium, Magnesia, Magnesia Carbonica, Magnesia Muriatica, Magnesia Phosphorica, Magnesia Sulfate, Magnesia Sulfurica, Magnesio, Magnésium, Magnesium Ascorbate, Magnesium Aspartate, Magnesium Carbonate, Magnésium Chelaté, Magnesium Chloride, Magnesium Citrate, Magnesium Disuccinate Hydrate, Magnesium Gluconate, Magnesium Glycerophosphate, Magnesium Glycinate, Magnesium Hydroxide, Magnesium Lactate, Magnesium Malate, Magnesium Murakab, Magnesium Orotate, Magnesium Oxide, Magnesium Phosphate, Magnesium Phosphoricum, Magnesium Sulfate, Magnesium Taurate, Magnesium Taurinate, Magnesium Trisilicate, Malate de Magnésium, Milk of Magnesia, Mg, Numéro Atomique 12, Orotate de Magnésium, Oxyde de Magnésium, Phosphate de Magnésium, Sels d'Epsom, Sulfate de Magnésium, Trisilicate de Magnésium.
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