What magnesium is and why you should drink it
Magnesium is a mineral that is involved in energy production, nervous system function, blood pressure regulation and blood glucose control.
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There are approximately 25 mg of magnesium present in the human body, about 50-60% of which is in the bones. Most of the rest is in soft tissues. The blood accounts for very little – less than 1%.
The daily intake of the mineral depends on sex and age. For example, a man of 19-30 years is recommended to receive 400 mg per day, and a woman – 310 mg. At the same time, the experts of the Examine portal believe that more than half of adults do not get the required dose from products, because their diet is low in magnesium-rich foods.
Lack of the mineral is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and osteoporosis. But, as a rule, you buy magnesium for sleep, and also to get rid of anxiety and stress.
Do magnesium supplements really help to normalise sleep?
Magnesium is thought to work as an antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate and gamma-aminobutyric acid, which helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle and thus promotes a healthy night’s rest. And there’s also some evidence that a deficiency of the mineral may be linked to sleep disorders.
A small study involving elderly people suffering from insomnia found that magnesium supplementation reduced the time it took to fall asleep by 17 minutes compared to a placebo. But at the same time, the supplement had no effect on the quality of night’s rest.
In another study, subjects were people with restless legs syndrome. Magnesium supplementation helped them reduce the symptoms of the condition and the number of nighttime awakenings. Due to this, the participants started sleeping better.
So, the mineral may be effective, but mostly for people with movement disorders. But to understand whether magnesium for sleep will help those who suffer due to other causes is not yet clear. More research is needed here.
Who actually needs magnesium supplements
Magnesium intake is considered effective for people who are at risk of deficiency of the mineral. This can happen due to several conditions:
Gastrointestinal diseases,
type 2 diabetes,
alcohol dependence,
old age.
Taking magnesium may also be beneficial for those who suffer from hypertension. The mineral is likely to lower blood pressure.
Who definitely should not take magnesium supplements
You should refuse to take it if you were once already allergic to preparations with the mineral. Also, supplements can harm if a person has kidney disease. Means can lead to an excess of magnesium in the blood. Because of this, unwanted side effects will appear.
Why you should not prescribe magnesium supplements on your own
Despite the fact that preparations with magnesium can be bought without a prescription, you should not drink them without a doctor’s prescription. There are several reasons for this.
Magnesium can cause allergies and side effects
A person who has started taking the supplement may experience allergy symptoms: hives, itching, swelling of the face and throat. In such a case, an ambulance should be called immediately.
You should stop taking the supplement if side effects appear:
nausea,
vomiting,
rapid or slow heartbeat,
dizziness,
fainting,
tingling or redness under the skin.
Magnesium may also cause diarrhoea, upset stomach or abdominal bloating.
It is not known how magnesium affects pregnant women and babies
Women who are planning to become pregnant or are already preparing to become a mother should not take the supplement without consulting a doctor. The fact is that there is no data that would show how magnesium will affect the development of the child.
It is also unclear whether the mineral from supplements gets into breast milk and whether it is harmful to the baby. Therefore, if you are going to drink magnesium during lactation, you should also warn your doctor in advance.
The mineral interacts with some medications
The artificial version of magnesium can affect the work of some medications. To understand whether it is possible to drink the supplement together with the drug, only a doctor can. Therefore, it is worth telling the specialist if you are taking antibiotics, as well as medications for osteoporosis:
penicillamine,
tetracycline,
doxycycline
minocycline,
ciprofloxacin,
levofloxacin,
lomefloxacin,
moxifloxacin,
norfloxacin,
ofloxacin,
alendronate,
ibandronate,
risedronate,
tiludronate.
Magnesium is available in different forms
Magnesium oxide, citrate and chloride are found in the composition of supplements. The absorption of different forms differs. Only a doctor can determine which one the patient needs.
