Magnesium is a mineral in food that has many benefits for older adults—if they are consuming the right amounts, and many don't. In fact, according to the Cleveland Clinic, about half of U.S. adults don't get enough. Consumer Reports states that more than 70% of people age 70 and older are magnesium deficient.
Current recommended daily requirements of magnesium for adults 51 and older is 420 milligrams for men and 320 milligrams for women.
Seniors need magnesium for energy production. Magnesium is necessary for the structural development of bones. Aging people require sufficient amounts of the mineral to strengthen bones. The mineral transports calcium across cell membranes, which contributes to normal heart rhythms.
In the elderly, the importance of an adequate magnesium intake is reiterated as research shows it may preserve cognitive function. Eating a diet rich in magnesium foods can support the daily recommended intake. Another option to consider is food supplements.
Too much magnesium from foods isn't a concern for healthy adults. However, the same can't be said for supplements. High doses of magnesium from supplements or medications can cause nausea, abdominal cramping and diarrhea.
People with diabetes, intestinal disease, heart disease or kidney disease should not take magnesium before speaking with their health care provider. Overdose. Signs of a magnesium overdose can include nausea, diarrhea, low blood pressure, muscle weakness, and fatigue. At very high doses, magnesium can be fatal.
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.
Magnesium deficiency is diagnosed via a blood test and sometimes a urine test. Your doctor may order the blood test if you have symptoms such as weakness, irritability, abnormal heart rhythm, nausea and/or diarrhoea, or if you have abnormal calcium or potassium levels.
Magnesium is important for maintaining muscle and nervous system function, cardiac electrical properties, and for supporting immune system as well as regulating glucose and insulin metabolism [2,3].
Magnesium for sleep
Some studies have found that magnesium supplements can: Make it easier to fall asleep. Improve sleep quality. Reduce symptoms of restless legs syndrome, which can interfere with a good night's sleep.
Medical research has linked magnesium to reduced anxiety. Magnesium helps you to relax by stimulating the production of melatonin and serotonin which boost your mood and help you sleep. Magnesium also reduces the production of cytokines and cortisol, which lead to increased inflammation and stress.
Magnesium glycinate -- Magnesium glycinate (magnesium bound with glycine, a non-essential amino acid) is one of the most bioavailable and absorbable forms of magnesium, and also the least likely to induce diarrhea. It is the safest option for correcting a long-term deficiency.
Which form of magnesium is best for sleep and anxiety? Generally, magnesium glycinate is recognized as the best form of magnesium to help with sleep because it's easy for the body to absorb.
Magnesium citrate is a more common choice if you want to maintain magnesium levels for general whole-body health. On the other hand, magnesium glycinate has less bioavailability but can have a calming effect.
The research team took these facts into account from previous studies that suggest that low magnesium levels could contribute to chronic inflammation and joint degenerative disease. Low-grade systemic inflammation may play an important role in the development and progression of osteoarthritis.
When taken in very large amounts (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.
Most authorities state that doses less than 350 mg daily are safest for most adults; in other words, the “daily upper intake level” for magnesium is 350 mg for anyone over 8 years old.