Magnesium is an important mineral for organs like your lungs, kidneys and heart. Due to medical conditions or other contributing factors, you may need to take extra magnesium to keep your levels in balance. However, consuming more of this mineral when you do not need it can have adverse effects and pose risks to your health. Talk to your doctor before you begin taking extra magnesium.
Risks of Too Much Magnesium
A magnesium overdose is rare and usually is not the result of eating too many magnesium-rich foods. More often it occurs when you consume excessive amounts of milk of magnesia, a laxative or antacid medication, or Epsom salts, a laxative or tonic. These medications put you at risk for overdosing, especially if you have kidney problems; if you have kidney failure, your risk of magnesium toxicity increases even more. Symptoms of an overdose include nausea, vomiting, dangerously low blood pressure, confusion, a slow pulse and other mineral deficiencies. If left untreated, it can result in a coma or even death.
RDA and Upper Limits
According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, healthy adult women between 19 and 30 need 310 mg of magnesium a day, and healthy men of the same age need 400 mg a day. After age 30, women's recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, increases to 320 mg, and men's RDA increases to 420 mg. It is possible to meet these recommendations through a healthy diet, though many people in the United States may not be getting enough magnesium. Nevertheless, a true magnesium deficiency is rare among healthy adults.
Who Needs Extra?
Some people have conditions or health factors that require them to take more than the RDA of magnesium. For example, a temporary intestinal virus can cause you to become deficient in the mineral, as can a chronic gastrointestinal disease like ulcerative colitis. People with diabetes, hyperthyroidism and pancreatitis are at risk for a deficiency as well. Additionally, heavy intake of diuretics, coffee, soda, alcohol and salt may upset your balance of this mineral, as can sweating profusely, having heavy menstrual periods and being highly stressed. If you fall into any of these categories or are otherwise concerned about your magnesium levels, consult with a doctor before attempting to self-diagnose.
Additional Considerations
The best way to get extra magnesium is by eating foods rich in the mineral, such as whole grains, legumes and dark leafy green vegetables. Other good dietary sources include dill weed, fennel seed, pine nuts and cashews. Talk to your doctor before taking a supplement, and let him know if you develop any adverse symptoms such as diarrhea or other kinds of digestive upset.
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