Researchers hypothesize that magnesium may relax the central nervous system and cause chemical reactions in the body that increase sleepiness.
While this doesn't prove that magnesium alone can help with sleep, taking a magnesium supplement each night before bed won't necessarily hurt you. However, it's recommended that you see your healthcare provider before you start popping magnesium supplements at bedtime.
Does magnesium make you sleepy during the day? Although many people use magnesium for sleep support, it isn't known to cause tiredness during the day. However, if you want to maximize the benefits for better sleep, it's best to take your magnesium supplement an hour or two before bedtime.
Some promising research suggests that magnesium could play a part in improving one's sleep. One study, for instance, found that a group of older adults who were given 500 milligrams of magnesium before bed had better sleep quality than participants in the study who were given a placebo.
Most experts recommend taking magnesium supplements one to two hours before bed to give them enough time to spur sleepiness and kick-start the body's relaxation response.
High magnesium levels (hypermagnesemia) can result from taking too many magnesium supplements. It can lead to lethargy, gastrointestinal symptoms, low blood pressure, and cardiac arrest. The body needs magnesium for more than 300 biochemical processes.
Researchers hypothesize that magnesium may relax the central nervous system and cause chemical reactions in the body that increase sleepiness. View Source . Studies suggest that magnesium supplements might help to reverse age-related changes in sleep often seen in older adults.
The time of day doesn't matter so much—it's the consistency of taking magnesium daily that matters most. While some recommend taking magnesium supplements right before bed (to calm your mind and nervous system, setting the stage for sleep), do what works best for you to ensure that it becomes a daily healthy habit.
While no single nutrient can promise to help with reducing belly fat, magnesium may assist with preventing deficiencies and conditions that hinder weight loss, including inflammation, insulin resistance and poor blood sugar control.
The benefits of magnesium supplementation in healthy individuals aren't clear, but Dr. Nassar says that taking a magnesium supplement every day likely isn't unsafe for most people. Just be sure you're not taking too much magnesium. The maximum dietary allowance for most adults is around 400 mg or less.
Side effects of magnesium
Taking magnesium supplements can bring a range of side effects, such as drowsiness or fatigue during the day, muscle weakness, nausea, vomiting, skin flushing or diarrhea, Gurubhagavatula said.
But magnesium in itself does not make you tired. Magnesium is needed for hundreds of functions in the body, not just sleep! For example, if you take magnesium in the morning, magnesium will work with your body -- if you need energy, or clarity and mental focus, magnesium supports those functions.
Magnesium is important for many processes in the body, including regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure and making protein, bone, and DNA.
Generally speaking, you will find that magnesium supplements start to work after one week of using them. After one week of regular magnesium supplementation, individuals may experience benefits such as improved energy levels, reduced muscle cramps, better sleep quality, and reduced anxiety.
High doses of magnesium from supplements or medications can cause nausea, abdominal cramping and diarrhea. In addition, the magnesium in supplements can interact with some types of antibiotics and other medicines.
Does excessive magnesium intake cause weight gain? It is unlikely that excessive magnesium intake will lead to weight gain in most people. Since humans do not typically consume very large amounts of magnesium in their diet, it is difficult to take too much of this mineral by consuming food alone.
(2) But how exactly does magnesium contribute to shedding those extra pounds? Boosting metabolism: Magnesium plays a critical role in energy production, converting the food we eat into energy our cells can use. (3) With a healthy metabolism, your body can burn calories more efficiently, helping you lose weight.
Your body needs sufficient magnesium for it to function properly. If you're magnesium deficient it could be contributing to your weight gain or preventing you from losing weight.
Magnesium may also reduce the absorption of medications such as blood thinners, anti-diabetes drugs, diuretics, and drugs used to treat the brittle bone disease osteoporosis, Cooperman says. “Check with your doctor if you're considering using magnesium,” he says.
The good news is that some studies (study links, a and b) have identified how magnesium may ease certain symptoms of stress and anxiety. Here are the facts: Magnesium may help to control the chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) in the brain, resulting in a calming effect on the body.
Magnesium is important for healthy ageing as it can help reduce tiredness and fatigue.
In large doses, magnesium could interfere with normal digestion, causing some abdominal discomfort or loose stools. However, these symptoms are only associated with excessive magnesium consumption. Under normal circumstances, magnesium supplements shouldn't cause dramatic symptoms.
Who should avoid magnesium supplements? Magnesium supplements may be unsafe for people taking diuretics, heart medications or antibiotics [5]. People with diabetes, intestinal disease, heart disease, or kidney disease should only take this supplement if their healthcare provider prescribes it.