What Is Magnesium?
Magnesium is a mineral that plays a big role in making your body work right. More than 300 chemical reactions inside you depend on the mineral.
Without magnesium, your muscles can't move properly, and your nerves can't send and receive messages. Magnesium also keeps your heart rhythm steady, blood sugar levels balanced, and your joint cartilage healthy. It helps your body make protein, bone, and DNA.
Your body doesn't make magnesium on its own. The amount you need depends on your age and gender. If you're a woman aged 19 or older, you need 310 milligrams a day — 350 milligrams if you're pregnant. If you're an adult man under age 30, you need 400 milligrams a day. After 30, men need 420 milligrams.
Where to Get Magnesium
It's always best to get magnesium from food, but you can also get it from multivitamins and supplements.
Foods With Magnesium
Many types of foods contain magnesium. These include:
- Leafy green vegetables
- Whole grains
- Beans
- Nuts and seeds
- Fish
Fish for magnesium
These types of fish provide magnesium:
- Salmon
- Halibut
- Atlantic mackerel
- Atlantic pollock
Vegetables and fruits with magnesium
Prickly pear has a lot of magnesium, but it isn't the easiest food to find or prepare.
Focus instead on these fruits and vegetables that have a lot of magnesium when you cook them and plenty of other nutrients, too:
- Spinach
- Swiss chard (and other leafy green vegetables)
- Bananas
- Tamarind
- Potato with skin
- Okra
- Broccoli
Whole-grain products with magnesium
Look for breakfast cereals fortified with magnesium and whole grains, such as:
- Bran cereals
- Wheat germ
- Quinoa
- Brown rice
Legumes, nuts, and seeds with magnesium
Meat and poultry don't have a lot of magnesium, but you can find it in soy, cheese, and yogurt.
These meat alternatives are also good magnesium sources:
- Black-eyed peas
- Black beans
- Chickpeas
- Edamame
- Tempeh (cooked)
- Soy nuts
- Tofu
- Almonds, cashews, and other nuts
- Pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, chia seeds, and other seeds
- Peanut butter
Magnesium in water
Depending on the source and brand, water may contain a small amount of magnesium.
Magnesium-fortified foods
Certain food products have added magnesium, but you need to look at the label to be sure. Some examples are:
- Meal replacement bars
- Protein powders
- Weight loss shakes
Magnesium and medications
Some medicines may keep your body from absorbing magnesium, such as:
- Bisphosphonates for osteoporosis
- Antibiotics
- High doses of zinc
If you take water pills or some medicines for acid reflux or peptic ulcers for a long time, they can also lower your magnesium levels.
Magnesium Benefits
Magnesium comes with many health benefits, but you shouldn't take too much.
Less chance of high blood pressure
In people with high blood pressure, magnesium supplements lowered blood pressure by a few points, reducing their systolic blood pressure by 3-4 points and diastolic blood pressure by 2-3 points. Getting more magnesium from foods was linked to an even greater drop in blood pressure. The DASH diet, which helps lower blood pressure, gives you all the magnesium and other nutrients you need. As foods offer many vitamins and minerals, it’s hard to figure out the exact effect of magnesium alone.
Magnesium and heart disease
A review of multiple clinical studies found that increased magnesium levels were linked to a lower risk of heart disease.
Magnesium and stroke
Another research review focused on stroke risk. It found that people who got more magnesium from their diet had a lower risk of stroke (especially stroke caused by clots). There’s a chance that other nutrients also played a role in that.
Magnesium and diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is less common in people whose diet is rich in magnesium. The same caveat applies with diet — foods deliver a lot of nutrients so it’s hard to isolate just one. On the other hand, there’s no downside to eating foods that are rich in magnesium as part of an overall healthy lifestyle. The American Diabetes Association has said that there’s not enough evidence to support magnesium supplementation to help with blood sugar control in people with diabetes.
Magnesium and asthma
Magnesium may lessen asthmatic spasms, as it helps muscles relax. But this effect is mainly seen with IV magnesium, not with the amounts typically obtained from food or supplements.
Magnesium and migraines
Some people who get migraines have low levels of magnesium. But it's still unclear whether magnesium supplements effectively help manage migraines. There have only been small studies on this, and the effect is modest. You should only consider supplements for this reason if your doctor recommends it. They might consider it if the main medications and traditional treatments don’t help.
Magnesium and mental health
Magnesium levels are low in some people with certain mental health conditions, including depression. A 2020 review of research on whether supplementing magnesium alongside other treatments had mixed results. Magnesium supplementation “could be beneficial,” the researchers wrote, noting that studies are needed to find out if magnesium is effective alone or with antidepressants.
Magnesium and bone health
There haven’t been a lot of studies on this topic, but the National Institutes of Health notes that research shows boosting magnesium from food or through supplements may increase bone mineral density in women after menopause. Exactly how much you’d need is not clear. A healthy diet does support bone health.
Magnesium Risks
Because the kidneys filter out excessive amounts of magnesium, it’s unusual for a healthy person to suffer from getting too much magnesium from foods they eat. If you take supplements, don’t take more than the upper limit unless your doctor suggests so. Getting too much magnesium can cause diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal cramps. Extremely high doses can lead to irregular heartbeat and heart attacks.
Also, keep in mind that supplements aren't regulated in the same way as prescription medicines. It's always a good idea to check with your doctor before taking something new.
Who should not take magnesium
Don't take a magnesium supplement if you have certain conditions, such as:
- Heart block
- Kidney failure
- Bowel obstruction
- Myasthenia gravis
Conditions linked to low magnesium
Certain conditions can give your body a long-term shortage of magnesium. These include:
- Crohn's disease
- Celiac disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Alcoholism
- Chronic diarrhea
Common symptoms may include:
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fatigue
Magnesium Dosage and Recommendations
The recommended daily allowance of magnesium varies by age, biological sex, and whether you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Again, foods are the best source. If you take supplements, check the label to see how much magnesium is present, and confirm with your doctor that it’s OK for you to take.
Some general recommended guidelines for magnesium intake are as follows:
- Infants need 40-80 milligrams/day.
- Children should get 120-170 milligrams/day.
- Women and people assigned female at birth should get 280-300 milligrams/day. You may need more if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Men and people assigned male at birth need 270-400 milligrams/day.
Magnesium supplements can be taken in many forms including:
- Capsule
- Tablet (regular, extended-release, or chewable)
- Powder
- Solution
Takeaways
Magnesium is an essential mineral your body needs. It's best to get it from foods, including vegetables, beans, and fish, but you may also take supplements if you can't get enough in your diet. Ask your doctor, nutritionist, or dietitian if you're worried about not getting enough magnesium in your diet.
Magnesium-Rich Foods FAQs
How can I raise my magnesium levels quickly?
If you have low levels of magnesium and need to get more, it's a good idea to talk to a doctor, nutritionist, or dietitian. A healthy diet is the best way to raise your levels. You could take a magnesium supplement, but it's important not to take too much.
What foods are highest in magnesium?
Many foods have magnesium. Some good ones include nuts and seeds, legumes, whole grains, dairy, fruits, and veggies.
What drink increases magnesium?
Juices containing plenty of whole fruits and veggies may have a good amount of magnesium. Milk has 24-27 milligrams per cup. Water from your tap as well as mineral or bottled waters also could give you a good amount of magnesium if you drink the recommended two liters a day.
Which fruit has the most magnesium?
Avocados are high in magnesium. An avocado has 58 milligrams. Bananas, papaya, and blackberries are other good choices.
Is it OK to take magnesium every day?
It's best to get magnesium and other nutrients from food. But it's generally safe to take a magnesium supplement. Be careful not to take too much.
What are the signs of too much magnesium?
Signs of taking too much magnesium include diarrhea, nausea, and cramping. Magnesium is sometimes used as a laxative. If you take toxic levels of magnesium, it can lead to even worse side effects, including depression, lethargy, trouble breathing, low blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, and cardiac arrest. Your risk for this is greater if your kidneys aren't working well or you have kidney failure.
