Uses For Magnesium Vitamin Supplements

Vitamins are essential to life; they regulate your metabolism and assist the processes that release energy from digested food. Magnesium is not a vitamin -- it is a mineral, and minerals are required for the cells in your body to function properly. They are needed for the proper composition of body fluids and necessary for the building and formation of your blood and bones. Magnesium supplements are used for a variety of health-promoting purposes, but you should speak to your health care practitioner before supplementing with magnesium.

Magnesium Basics

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in your body; it is required for more than 300 biochemical reactions in your body, so it is vital for good health. Magnesium is required by your heart, muscles and kidneys, as well as every other organ in your body. It is even necessary for the synthesis of DNA. It also activates enzymes in your body that contribute to the production of energy. In addition, calcium, zinc, potassium, copper and vitamin D are all reliant on magnesium for proper absorption. You can get magnesium from food, but the University of Maryland Medical Center says most people do not get enough magnesium from diet alone.

List of Possible Uses

Magnesium supplements are commonly used to prevent and treat asthma, fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome, glaucoma, high blood pressure, migraines, muscle pain, premenstrual syndrome and heart disease. Magnesium might also help to treat alcohol-induced liver disease. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center warns, however, that these are just purported uses and that not enough solid scientific evidence is available to support the use of magnesium supplements for these purposes.

Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease, or CAD, is the most common form of heart disease, and it is characterized by a buildup of plaque in the arteries and, consequently, an inability of your blood to deliver an adequate oxygen supply to your heart. The Office of Dietary Supplements website says magnesium supplements might lower the risk for developing CAD and help reduce CAD symptoms, such as exercise intolerance and chest pain. The site warns, however, that additional studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of magnesium supplements for the prevention and treatment of CAD.

Diabetes

Insulin is a hormone that is required to regulate blood sugar levels. Diabetes is a disease characterized by chronic high blood sugar levels due to the body's inability to manufacture insulin, or an insensitivity to it. Magnesium plays an important role in the metabolism of sugars, and it might influence the release of insulin. The Office of Dietary Supplements website says low magnesium levels have been found to increase the risk for developing diabetes. In addition, the site says magnesium supplementation can help enhance insulin sensitivity and consequently regulate the blood sugar levels of diabetics.

Healthy Bones

Magnesium supplements support healthy teeth and bone formation, and they have been found to increase bone mineral content in adolescent girls. Magnesium is required for the proper absorption of calcium, and the Office of Dietary Supplements website says a magnesium deficiency is consequently thought to be a risk factor for postmenopausal osteoporosis.