Recently a family member told me his health professional recommended he take a magnesium supplement daily. She told him to look for a magnesium supplement that contain at least 200 milligrams (mg). He’s 75 years old and is also on blood pressure medicine. He asked me about what foods were high in magnesium which prompted me to write this column about magnesium. As a nutritionist, I always recommend foods over supplements unless my client doesn’t eat the foods high in the nutrient needed, they have a medical condition where they don’t absorb the nutrient well may cause a magnesium deficiency.  In fact, when I was working as a performance nutritionist, when an athlete suffered from muscle cramps, besides discussing hydration, potassium status, calcium status, I also talked about magnesium. Many of energy & muscle system reactions are magnesium dependent to work effectively.

Magnesium is a cofactor in more than 300 enzyme system that regulate lots of biochemical reactions in the body like:

1. Important in protein synthesis
2. Important in muscle contraction
3. Important in normal heart rhythm
4. Involved in blood glucose control
5. Involved in blood pressure regulation
6. Required for energy production, oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis
7. Contributes to the structural development of bone
8. Required for the synthesis of RNA, DNA and antioxidant glutathione
9. Plays tole in active transport of calcium and potassium ions across cell membranes

Here are the many benefits of maintaining healthy magnesium levels:

• Supports healthy heart
• Supports healthy brain function 
• Supports healthy digestive function 
• Supports strong and healthy bones 
• Supports healthy muscle performance and energy metabolism
• Supports healthy energy levels 

Table 1: Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for Magnesium

Life Stage                                                                        Recommended Amount                             

Table 2. Can too much magnesium be harmful?    

               Ages                                                                                                                       Upper Limit for Magnesium in Dietary

                                                                                                                                               Supplements and Medications

Table 3: Magnesium Contact of Selected Foods, Vitamins, Medical Tablets

Groups of People at Risk of Magnesium Deficiency

1. People with gastrointestinal diseases associated with chronic diarrhea like Crohn’s disease and fat malabsorption such as Adult Celiac Disease can lead to magnesium depletion over time.
2. People with Type 2 diabetes.
3. Older Adults.
4. People who are alcoholic.
5. People who have osteoporosis.
6. Migraine headaches.

Early signs of Magnesium Deficiency

1. Loss of appetite
2. Nausea
3. Vomiting
4. Fatigue
5. Weakness

As the Deficiency worsens:

1. Numbness
2. Tingling
3. Muscle contractions and cramps
4. Seizures
5. Abnormal heart rhythms
6. Coronary spasms

Severe Magnesium deficiency can result in in hypocalcemia (low calcium levels) or hypokalemia (low serum potassium which can affect your heart.

Magnesium can interact with Some Medications and other Dietary Supplements

Interactions with Medications

1. High doses of magnesium can decrease the absorption of Bisphosphonates used to treat osteoporosis.
2. Take antibiotics 2 hour before or 4-6 hours after a magnesium-containing supplement like a one-a-day vitamin-mineral tablet.
3. Diuretics like furosemide (Lasix), bumetanide (Bumex), thiazide diuretics like hydrochlothiazide (Aquazide H), and ethacrynic acid (Edecrin) can increase the loss of magnesium in the urine.
4. Diuretics like amiloride (Midamor) and spironolactone (Aldactone) reduces magnesium excretion.
5. Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) drugs like esomeprazole magnesium (Nexium) and iansoprazole (Prevacid) when taken over a year can cause hypomagnesemia.

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/?print=1

https://www.healthrangerstore.com/blogs/natural-health/health-benefits-of-magnesium

Feature Image from: https://chefd.com/foods-high-in-magnesium/