Magnesium is a vital mineral used by your body to build and maintain strong teeth and bones, produce energy and even help to utilize other vitamins and nutrients. Foods such as dark leafy greens are a good source of magnesium, but most Americans do not ingest enough of the mineral. Regardless, few people are truly considered to have a magnesium deficiency -- though some research has indicated supplementation may prove promising for patients with specific conditions.
Asthma Sufferers
Individuals at risk of developing asthma may benefit from taking magnesium supplements, because low dietary intake of the mineral can increase this risk. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, intravenous magnesium and inhaled magnesium can also help treat asthma attacks in adults and children over 6 years of age, though oral supplementation has not been shown to help asthma symptoms that already exist.
Diabetics and Prediabetics
Magnesium may play a role in helping the body regulate blood sugar levels. Patients with Type 2 diabetes have presented with low blood serum levels of magnesium, and research has indicated that supplementing the diet with this mineral could help prevent development of the disease, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Furthermore, a 1992 study published in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" found that supplementing the diet with magnesium enabled the body to better regulate insulin and blood glucose levels in elderly subjects.
Hot Flashes
A recent 2011 study published in "Supportive Care in Cancer" found that magnesium supplements helped to reduce the occurrence of hot flashes experienced by breast cancer patients. Though more research is needed to determine if the effect is specific to cancer patients, magnesium supplementation may present an inexpensive way to deal with this side effect of menopause.
Other Uses
Research is still lacking in the effects and benefits of taking magnesium supplements, but magnesium may assist in the treatment and prevention of conditions such as heart failure, fibromyalgia, premenstrual syndrome and even migraine headaches. You may be instructed by your doctor to take a magnesium supplement if lowered blood levels are caused by a medication you are taking. Always consult your physician prior to adding magnesium supplements to your diet.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Magnesium Supplement (Oral Route, Parenteral Route); November 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Magnesium; Steven D. Ehrlich; June 2009
- "Supportive Care in Cancer"; A Pilot Phase II Trial of Magnesium Supplements to Reduce Menopausal Hot Flashes in Breast Cancer Patients; H. Park, et al.; January 2011
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Daily Magnesium Supplements Improve Glucose Handling in Elderly Subjects; G. Paolisso et al.; June 1992
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