Although severe deficiency is uncommon, many American adults do not get the recommended amount of magnesium from dietary sources. Magnesium plays an important role in bone growth and development, as well as immune protection, heart rhythm regulation and blood sugar control. As with any dietary supplement, see your doctor if you think you should start taking magnesium to boost your dietary intake.
Early Stages
According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, magnesium deficiency starts to manifest itself in a variety of symptoms, including loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and weakness. If the deficiency is not corrected, you might experience numbness, tingling, muscle contractions and cramps, seizures, and changes in personality. Because many of these symptoms are also side effects of other medical conditions, always discuss your symptoms with your doctor rather than attempting to treat them yourself.
Severe Magnesium Deficiency
In severe cases, magnesium can cause more threatening side effects, such as delirium, numbness, uncontrollable muscle contraction, tingling and hallucinations. If serious symptoms like abnormal heart rhythms or coronary spasms occur, seek medical attention immediately. You might need to receive magnesium intravenously, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Severe magnesium deficiency is uncommon and usually related to other health problems, like low potassium or calcium, or medications like diuretics, antibiotics and cancer medications.
Disease Protection
Long-term, mild magnesium deficiency is of much more concern in the United States than severe deficiency. Although more research is needed to confirm its effectiveness, magnesium may help protect the body from chronic conditions like asthma, diabetes, fibromyalgia, heart attack, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and migraine headaches, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Long-term low magnesium levels may increase the chances of developing these conditions even if they do not manifest as negative side effects.
Dietary Sources
For optimal health, obtain the recommended amount of magnesium each day from your diet. Adult men need 270 to 400 mg daily, and women need 280 to 300 mg. Pregnant women should have 320 mg per day, or 335 mg for breastfeeding women. Magnesium-rich foods include leafy green vegetables, spinach, legumes, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. If you don't get enough magnesium in your diet, see your doctor about supplements, and always choose products with less than 350 mg, which is the tolerable upper limit for magnesium supplements. There is no tolerable upper limit for magnesium in food sources.
References
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Magnesium
- MedlinePlus: Magnesium in Diet
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Magnesium
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration; FDA Drug Safety Communication: Low Magnesium Levels Can Be Associated With Long-term Use of Proton Pump Inhibitor Drugs; March 2011
Member Comments