Magnesium can have a laxative effect in high doses; In fact, it is sold as a laxative in the form of magnesium hydroxide. Magnesium hydroxide is also an ingredient in some popular antacids used to treat heartburn and upset stomach; It is important to be aware of the laxative effect when magnesium hydroxide tablets are used for stomach upset. Prescription proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), such as esomeprazole magnesium (Nexium®) and lansoprazole (Prevacid®), when taken over a longer period of time (usually more than a year), can cause hypomagnesemia [64]. In the cases reviewed by the FDA, magnesium supplements often increased the low serum magnesium levels caused by PPIs. However, in 25% of cases, supplements did not increase magnesium levels and patients had to stop PPIs. The FDA advises healthcare professionals to consider measuring patients` serum magnesium levels before starting long-term PPI treatment and to regularly check magnesium levels in these patients [64]. Different types of medications have the potential to interact with magnesium supplements or affect magnesium status. Here are some examples. People who regularly take these and other medications should discuss their magnesium intake with their health care providers. It is difficult to assess magnesium status because most magnesium is found in cells or bones [3]. The most commonly used and readily available method for assessing magnesium status is to measure serum magnesium concentration, although serum levels have little correlation with overall magnesium levels in the body or concentrations in certain tissues [6]. Other methods of assessing magnesium status include measuring magnesium concentrations in erythrocytes, saliva and urine; measurement of concentrations of ionized magnesium in blood, plasma or serum; and perform a magnesium load test (or “tolerance test”).
No method is considered satisfactory [7]. Some experts [4], but not others [3], consider the tolerance test (which measures magnesium in the urine after parenteral infusion of a dose of magnesium) to be the best way to assess magnesium status in adults. In order to comprehensively assess the status of magnesium, laboratory tests and clinical evaluation may be required [6]. Supplements or magnesium-rich medications may reduce the absorption of oral bisphosphonates such as alendronate (Fosamax®) for the treatment of osteoporosis [61]. The use of supplements or drugs rich in magnesium and oral bisphosphonates should be separated by at least 2 hours [57]. If you decide to invest in magnesium supplements, choose them in the form of aspartate, citrate, lactate or chloride. Some research suggests that these forms are better absorbed and used by the body than magnesium oxide or magnesium sulfate. Some of the big brands to try (if that`s your thing) include Ned Mello Magnesium ($48), Nuun Rest ($23 for a pack of four), and Now Magnesium Citrate ($17). To make sure you`re on the right track, incorporate magnesium-rich foods into every meal and snack, Cording suggests. You and Zeitlin note that the following foods are excellent sources of magnesium: The Recommended Daily Intake (RDA) contains the magnesium you get from both the food you eat and any supplements you take.
Zeitlin and Cording agree: it`s possible to get enough magnesium by simply eating enough of the right foods. *DV = daily value. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has developed DVs to help consumers compare the nutritional levels of foods and supplements as part of an overall diet. The DV for magnesium is 420 mg for adults and children from 4 years of age [11]. The FDA does not require food labels to indicate magnesium levels unless magnesium has been added to the food. Foods that provide 20% or more of the DV are considered high sources of a nutrient, but foods that provide lower percentages of DV also contribute to a healthy diet. If you decide to take a magnesium supplement, you need to decide what type you want to take. Different types of magnesium vary in price, how your body can absorb them, and possible side effects. Research suggests that magnesium aspartate, lactate, chloride and citrate are better absorbed by our bodies. While magnesium oxide and magnesium sulfate (also known as Epsom salts), which can also be taken orally, are less readily absorbed. The National Headache Foundation suggests a daily dose of 400-600 mg of magnesium to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks; However, since it is superior to the RDA, it can cause side effects in some people (e.g., muscle weakness, diarrhea) and may not be safe under certain conditions.
They recommend discussing the use of high-dose magnesium supplements with a doctor. The diets of the majority of Americans provide less than the recommended amounts of magnesium, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), with men over the age of 70 and teenage girls being the most likely to have a low intake. And the deficiency is not to be taken lightly, as magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body, reports MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine`s website for consumer health information. Early signs of magnesium deficiency include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and weakness. When magnesium deficiency worsens, numbness, tingling, muscle contractions and cramps, seizures, personality changes, cardiac arrhythmias, and coronary cramps may occur [1,2]. Severe magnesium deficiency can lead to hypocalcemia or hypokalemia (low serum calcium or potassium levels) because mineral homeostasis is disturbed [2]. Keep in mind that your intake of soda, coffee, and wine reduces the amount of magnesium your body can cling to. Zeitlin says that if you`re worried, ask your doctor if you should do a blood test to check your levels at your next appointment. If you have mild insufficiency, she adds, you can probably fix it with a diet on your own. “But a supplement couldn`t hurt!” she says.
Some research even suggests that people who take supplements are more likely to meet or exceed their daily magnesium needs. Magnesium deficiency is common in people with chronic alcoholism [2]. In these people, poor food intake and poor nutritional status; Gastrointestinal problems, including vomiting, diarrhea and steatorrhea (fatty stools), resulting from pancreatitis; renal dysfunction with excessive excretion of magnesium in the urine; phosphate degradation; vitamin D deficiency; acute alcoholic ketoacidosis; and hyperaldosteronism secondary to liver disease may all contribute to decreased magnesium status [2,27]. Just be aware that, as with any supplement, it is possible to get too much of a good thing. Too high doses of magnesium can cause cramps and diarrhea. It could also interfere with some health problems you have or the medications you are taking, so be sure to work with your doctor and follow dosage recommendations when taking this route. Not getting enough magnesium can disrupt many of the physical processes that occur every day. And new evidence suggests that the consequences add up over time and may play a role in these chronic problems.