Taking too much magnesium? 7 side effects to watch out for

Magnesium is important for vitality manufacturing and maintaining your bones sturdy. However extreme consumption could trigger well being issues. Be careful for the magnesium negative effects.
Wish to stop cramps, keep nerve perform, strengthen your bones and preserve your coronary heart wholesome? Then be sure that to fulfill your each day magnesium necessities. This mineral is vital on your physique, because it performs a key position in sustaining your total well being. So, have leafy inexperienced greens, nuts and seeds, legumes and complete grains. There are additionally dietary supplements that can assist you out. However don’t simply purchase them from a retailer with out consulting a physician. You will need to know the suitable dose, as overdose can result in well being points. Listed below are among the magnesium negative effects to pay attention to.
What are the magnesium advantages?
Earlier than studying about magnesium negative effects, let’s discover out why it’s good for you:
- Helps coronary heart well being: It helps keep a gentle heartbeat by regulating muscle contractions, together with the guts muscle. It additionally helps chill out blood vessels, decreasing blood stress and reducing the danger of stroke and coronary heart illness. A research, printed in Vitamins, discovered that larger magnesium consumption, both dietary or by dietary supplements, helped in defending towards main cardiovascular danger components, together with sort 2 diabetes and hypertension.
- Strengthens bones: A serious portion of the physique’s magnesium is saved within the bones, so it performs a key position in bone formation. “It enhances calcium absorption, and helps stop circumstances like osteoporosis, particularly in older individuals and postmenopausal ladies,” says nutritionist Falak Hanif.
- Reduces muscle cramps: This mineral helps muscle groups chill out after contracting, stopping cramps and stiffness. It’s particularly helpful for health fanatics, athletes and pregnant ladies.
- Improves sleep high quality: It regulates neurotransmitters and melatonin, each of that are vital for a very good night time’s sleep. “It prompts Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chilled mind chemical, and this helps in falling asleep sooner,” says the knowledgeable.
- Relieves menstrual discomfort: It reduces bloating, breast tenderness, temper modifications, and cramps throughout menstruation by regulating hormone ranges and calming nerve exercise.
- Aids digestion: This important nutrient attracts water into the intestines and helps chill out the intestine muscle groups, which helps in selling common bowel actions. “It acts as a pure laxative when taken in particular varieties like magnesium citrate,” shares the knowledgeable.

Magnesium overdose
The dosage is determined by an individual’s age, gender, well being standing, and objective of therapy. In accordance with the US Nationwide Institutes Of Well being, the Really helpful Dietary Allowances for this mineral are:
- Delivery to six months : 30 mg
- 7 to 12 months : 75 mg
- 19–30 years: 400 mg (males), and 310 mg (ladies)
- 31–50 years: 420 mg (males), and 320 mg (ladies)
Keep inside these limits in any other case there could be a magnesium overdose, which can outcome from taking an excessive amount of of a complement or drugs consisting of the mineral. Generally, individuals with kidney illness or impaired kidney perform can also expertise magnesium overdose. “The kidneys are liable for flushing out further magnesium. In kidney dysfunction, the clearance of this mineral slows down, resulting in harmful buildup,” says the knowledgeable.
Magnesium negative effects
Typically there aren’t any magnesium negative effects for those who go for pure meals sources. “The physique has a pure manner of regulating magnesium ranges, and any extra magnesium from meals is normally excreted by the kidneys by way of urine,” explains Hanif.
Listed below are magnesium negative effects:
These magnesium negative effects are sometimes seen when the mineral is taken in excessive doses or poorly absorbed varieties, notably from dietary supplements or intravenous sources.
1. Diarrhea
An excessive amount of consumption of magnesium can result in free stools. Throughout a research, printed in The New England Journal Of Drugs, its extreme consumption was seen as an vital explanation for persistent diarrhea in 15 of the 359 members. “The mineral attracts water into the intestines, performing as an osmotic laxative. Diarrhea is most certainly attributable to magnesium citrate, magnesium oxide and magnesium hydroxide,” says the knowledgeable.
2. Nausea
One of many magnesium negative effects is that the dietary supplements can irritate the abdomen lining, particularly when taken on an empty abdomen. Nausea is most certainly attributable to high-dose magnesium dietary supplements (any kind, particularly poorly absorbed ones like oxide).
3. Belly cramps
Because of the laxative impact or sensitivity to sure varieties, you might have stomach cramps, one of many widespread magnesium negative effects. “The cramps are most certainly attributable to magnesium sulfate and magnesium citrate,” says the knowledgeable. You may additionally expertise gasoline and bloating with the cramps.
4. Low blood stress
Low blood stress or hypotension can occur as a consequence of IV magnesium or taking very excessive doses of the complement, as they’ll chill out the blood vessels an excessive amount of. Chances are you’ll expertise dizziness, fainting, blurred imaginative and prescient and really feel actually drained.
5. Irregular heartbeat
Irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia is without doubt one of the magnesium negative effects. “Extraordinarily excessive magnesium ranges have an effect on the guts’s electrical exercise. It will probably result in skipped beats, gradual coronary heart price or fluttering sensation,” says the knowledgeable. It’s principally attributable to extra IV magnesium.

6. Muscle weak point
This mineral impacts muscle and nerve conduction; and an excessive amount of of it may possibly impair perform. You’ll really feel sluggishness, fatigue, and have problem transferring your legs and arms. Muscle weak point could occur for those who take IV magnesium in excessive doses.
7. Respiration problem
“Very excessive magnesium ranges can suppress the central nervous system and have an effect on the respiratory muscle groups,” says the knowledgeable. Chances are you’ll expertise gradual or shallow respiratory, discover it exhausting to maneuver, and in uncommon circumstances, go into coma. This may occasionally occur as a consequence of extreme consumption of IV magnesium or unintentional overdose.
It’s good to have magnesium-rich meals like spinach, almonds, peanuts and soy milk. Nevertheless, whereas taking the dietary supplements, you’ll want to be cautious, as there are magnesium negative effects.
Associated FAQs
What does magnesium do to females?
Magnesium is concerned in muscle perform, nerve transmission, vitality manufacturing, and hormonal regulation. So, it could cut back signs like irritability, fatigue, and bloating whereas experiencing premenstrual syndrome.
Is it okay to have magnesium daily?
Sure, it’s typically secure and helpful to devour magnesium each day, so long as you keep throughout the really useful dosage. It’s a vital mineral that performs a crucial position in quite a few bodily features, and satisfactory each day consumption helps your total well being.