Magnesium is a mineral essential to good health. About half of your body's magnesium is in the cells of your organs and tissues, about half resides in your bones and a small amount circulates in your blood. Because magnesium is critical to so many physiological processes, your body works hard to maintain your blood levels of this mineral. However, certain medical conditions or the consumption of supplements or magnesium-containing laxatives might lead to a magnesium imbalance. Consult with your health care provider before adding any nutritional supplements to your diet.
Importance
In addition to helping provide support to your skeletal system, magnesium helps you produce energy from the foods you eat. It keeps your muscle and nerve cells functioning properly and helps your heart maintain a constant rhythm. Magnesium is a cofactor for many enzymatic reactions in your body, including protein and DNA synthesis, carbohydrate and lipid synthesis, and antioxidant synthesis. Magnesium promotes a healthy immune system and also assists in regulating your blood sugar levels. To support all these vital processes and prevent a magnesium imbalance in your blood and cells, your body pulls magnesium from your bone stores if your dietary intake is low.
Deficiency
Despite the fact that magnesium is abundant in foods, and symptoms of deficiency are uncommon in the U.S., many people do not consume enough magnesium in their diets, according to the National Institutes of Health. However, your kidneys are normally able to limit how much magnesium passes into your urine if your dietary magnesium is insufficient. Kidney disease might allow excessive excretion of magnesium, while gastrointestinal problems, such as Crohn's disease or severe vomiting or diarrhea, might affect how much magnesium your body absorbs. These medical conditions might lead to a magnesium deficiency, with symptoms including fatigue, weakness, nausea and, as your magnesium imbalance worsens, muscle cramps and seizures.
Toxicity
Magnesium imbalance might also occur due to excessive magnesium intake. Toxicity can result from magnesium supplementation or from diseased kidneys unable to excrete excess magnesium into your urine. Laxatives and antacids often contain high levels of magnesium, and self-treating with these medications might lead to an unhealthy intake of magnesium. Toxicity symptoms mimic deficiency symptoms and might also include diarrhea, mental confusion, irregular heartbeat and depressed blood pressure. The Linus Pauling Institute notes that in healthy individuals, magnesium from dietary sources alone does not cause toxicity.
Other Considerations
Foods rich in magnesium include bran cereal, almonds, brown rice, halibut, cashews, soybeans and spinach. A well-balanced diet can provide all the magnesium you need to avoid a magnesium imbalance. However, certain medications -- digoxin, some antibiotics, bisphosphonates and anticoagulants -- might impact your body's absorption of this essential mineral.
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