Magnesium helps the function of your body’s organs, including the heart, muscles and kidneys and helps to keep teeth and bones strong. This naturally occurring mineral also activates enzymes, aids in energy and protein production, and assists in regulating calcium and other nutrients in the body. Women should be able to get much of their magnesium from their diets, so speak to your health care provider before taking magnesium supplements.
Uses
While all healthy women can benefit from magnesium, this powerful mineral is especially important in the treatment of numerous conditions. People who suffer from type 2 diabetes are particularly deficient in this mineral. A study conducted by Pantox Laboratories in San Diego, and published in the journal "Medical Hypotheses," suggests that keeping magnesium levels up can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, migraine sufferers can also benefit from supplementing with magnesium because it can help prevent headaches and shorten the duration of migraines. Because this mineral is integral to heart health, it is also associated with reducing the symptoms and improving the survival rates of people with congestive heart failure. Other conditions that benefit from magnesium supplementation include arrhythmia, osteoporosis, preeclampsia, eclampsia, high blood pressure, premenstrual syndrome and restless leg syndrome.
Dosage
Adult females should take between 310 to 320 mg of magnesium per day. Your need for magnesium will increase during pregnancy, recovery from illness or intense exercise. If you’re pregnant, increase your dosage to 350 to 360 mg daily; if you are breastfeeding, the 310-to-320-mg-daily dosage is still recommended. If you're unable to meet your daily requirements and decide to supplement, add a B vitamin complex or a multivitamin containing B vitamins; vitamin B-6 will help your body absorb the magnesium into the cells.
Foods Containing Magnesium
You should be able to satisfy most of your magnesium needs just by following a healthy diet. A 1-oz. serving of pumpkin or squash seeds contains 151 mg, 1 oz. of Brazil nuts has 107 mg, and 1 oz. of ready-to-eat bran cereal contains 103 mg. Other foods containing more than 70 mg per 1-oz. serving include almonds, cashews, soybeans and pine nuts. Tofu, legumes, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, wheat bran, and other nuts are also great sources of this mineral.
Precautions
While it is rare to overdose with dietary sources of magnesium, overusing magnesium supplements or ingesting large amounts of milk of magnesia can cause serious health problems including nausea, vomiting, extremely low blood pressure, slow heart rate, deficiencies in other essential nutrients, confusion, coma or death. Magnesium supplements should not be used in conjunction with antibiotics, blood pressure medication, calcium channel blockers, diabetes medication, diuretics and other drugs without first consulting your health care provider.
References
- Medical Hypotheses; Toward Practical Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes; M.F. McCarty; May 2004
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Magnesium
- Office of Dietary Supplements; National Institutes of Health; Magnesium
- USDA; Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005; Appendix B. Food Sources of Selected Nutrients
- Medline Plus; Magnesium in Diet
- Mayo Clinic; Magnesium Supplement (Oral Route, Parenteral Route)
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