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.
In addition, some people cannot tolerate magnesium because of the gastrointestinal (GI) side effects.
"Certain medical conditions, like kidney problems, can increase the risk of magnesium build-up and toxicity," warns Dr. Nassar. "And magnesium can decrease the absorption of some medications and interact with others."
You consume a lot of processed food and dairy
Milk and cheese both contain high quantities of calcium which may block magnesium absorption in some people. According to researchers, calcium-rich foods themselves aren't necessarily the problem. The issue is foods that contain a high ratio of calcium to magnesium.
Severe side effects from magnesium supplements are typically only linked to excessive dosages. When taken in high amounts, magnesium can cause vomiting and nausea, which is known to be magnesium toxicity or hypermagnesemia. This causes abdominal discomfort or loose stools.
In some cases, you may not be able to take magnesium oxide, or you may need a dose adjustment or special precautions. Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
To a certain extent, it may be possible to still supplement with magnesium despite a sensitivity. Many of the allergic responses to magnesium seem to be a result of simply getting too much magnesium at once. In essence, it's your body's way of saying “Whoa, slow down!”.
Diseases causing malabsorption such as celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease. Gastric bypass surgery. Hereditary syndromes causing poor absorption of magnesium (primary intestinal hypomagnesemia). Medications which can cause interference with magnesium absorption (proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole).
Phytates in the diet bind to magnesium and impair its absorption. However the quantities present in normal diet do not affect magnesium absorption. Other dietary factors that are thought to affect magnesium absorption are oxalate, phosphate, proteins, potassium and zinc.
Tips for improving magnesium absorption
People wanting to increase their magnesium levels by improving absorption could try: reducing or avoiding calcium-rich foods two hours before or after eating magnesium-rich foods. avoiding high-dose zinc supplements. treating vitamin D deficiency.
Very low magnesium levels may cause:
Headaches. Nighttime leg cramps. Numbness or tingling in the legs or hands. General body weakness.
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.
Magnesium also modulates activity of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis (HPAA) which is a central substrate of the stress response system. Activation of the HPAA instigates adaptive autonomic, neuroendocrine, and behavioral responses to cope with the demands of the stressor; including increasing anxiety.
Extreme cases can cause muscle spasms and tremors (shakes that you can't control). Over time, low magnesium can weaken your bones, give you bad headaches, make you feel nervous, and even hurt your heart.
Since you can't properly metabolize vitamin D without the right level of magnesium, taking vitamin D by itself may not fix a deficiency. Taking vitamin D in large doses can also deplete magnesium, leading to a deficiency or making an existing one worse.
Magnesium absorption increased linearly from 28-39 per cent intake with increasing dietary vitamin D.
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.
One study found that very high doses of zinc from supplements (142 mg/day) can interfere with magnesium absorption and disrupt the magnesium balance in the body [17].
Chronic magnesium deficiency is often associated with normal serum magnesium despite deficiency in cells and in bone; the response to oral supplementation is slow and may take up to 40 weeks to reach a steady state.
Magnesium supplements can cause excessive accumulation of magnesium in the blood, especially with patients who have chronic kidney disease. Accumulation of magnesium in the blood can cause muscle weakness, but does not damage the kidney directly.
If we don't get enough magnesium from our food, we are more vulnerable to high levels of stress and anxiety. More stress can lead us to lose even more magnesium through the kidneys in a process of urinary extraction. Caffeine and alcohol can accelerate the rate of magnesium excretion.
Magnesium is an important mineral that helps maintain a healthy mood. Low levels of magnesium are associated with fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Research shows that adults, as well as children, don't get enough magnesium and that this may be linked to climbing rates of mood and mental health problems.
For this reason, overdosing on magnesium supplements may lead to a condition known as hypotension—when blood pressure drops too low. And, while high blood pressure is damaging, low blood pressure could impair your ability to regulate blood flow and lead to dizziness or light-headedness.