For individuals who need to take magnesium supplements, there is some encouraging news. Contrary to popular belief, these supplements do not cause weight gain. In fact, having higher levels of magnesium in the body can facilitate weight loss and aid in maintaining a healthy physique.
In addition to those health benefits, magnesium can also aid in weight management. A 2013 study in the Journal of Nutrition found that higher magnesium intake was associated with lower levels of fasting glucose and insulin (markers related to fat and weight gain).
No, magnesium doesn't make you retain water – it does the opposite. Magnesium can be helpful for water excretion.
The main concept around magnesium causing weight loss came from a 2012 study that found that people who were overweight or obese take magnesium to help control insulin and glucose levels, and in turn, they experience less bloating and water retention, and lose weight.
Vitamin B12, in particular, may be especially important for weight gain. Studies have shown that a vitamin B12 deficiency is sometimes associated with a partial or complete loss of appetite. Making sure your body is getting enough vitamin B12 can help increase appetite and thereby support your effort to gain weight.
High doses of magnesium from supplements or medications can cause nausea, abdominal cramping and diarrhea. In addition, the magnesium in supplements can interact with some types of antibiotics and other medicines.
It is not uncommon to experience diarrhea, stomach upset, bloating, and gas while taking magnesium supplements.
Decreased Appetite - decreased magnesium levels have been linked to a reduction in appetite. Increasing your levels should help to counter this. Nausea - an early sign of low magnesium levels is nausea and even vomiting.
Magnesium will not help you lose belly fat. You can't spot reduce fat. However, magnesium has a positive correlation with weight loss.
Magnesium Citrate (MC): Magnesium Citrate is important for gut health since it increases bowel movement and alleviates constipation. Magnesium Citrate also aids in weight loss by allowing the stool to soak, causing it to become softer and travel more swiftly through the body.
The increase in mass is due to the fact that oxygen from the air has combined with the magnesium to make magnesium oxide, MgO.
Magnesium has a key role in many other important biological processes such as cellular energy metabolism, cell replication, and protein synthesis.
Magnesium is important for maintaining muscle and nervous system function, cardiac electrical properties, and for supporting immune system as well as regulating glucose and insulin metabolism [2,3].
Too much magnesium from food does not pose a health risk in healthy individuals because the kidneys eliminate excess amounts in the urine [29]. However, high doses of magnesium from dietary supplements or medications often result in diarrhea that can be accompanied by nausea and abdominal cramping [1].
The benefits of magnesium supplementation in healthy individuals aren't clear, but Dr. Nassar says that taking a magnesium supplement every day likely isn't unsafe for most people. Just be sure you're not taking too much magnesium. The maximum dietary allowance for most adults is around 400 mg or less.
Magnesium for sleep
Some studies have found that magnesium supplements can: Make it easier to fall asleep. Improve sleep quality. Reduce symptoms of restless legs syndrome, which can interfere with a good night's sleep.
Antibiotics: Taking magnesium supplements may reduce the absorption of quinolone antibiotics, tetracycline antibiotics, and nitrofurantoin (Macrodandin). Magnesium should be taken 1 hour before or 2 hours after taking these medications. Quinolone and tetracycline antibiotics include: Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
In general, magnesium seems to have minimal side effects, and taking low doses is unlikely to cause much harm. According to the Institute of Medicine, healthy adults can safely take up to 350 milligrams of supplemental magnesium daily. Anything at or below that level is unlikely to cause any adverse health effects.
People with diabetes, intestinal disease, heart disease or kidney disease should not take magnesium before speaking with their health care provider. Overdose. Signs of a magnesium overdose can include nausea, diarrhea, low blood pressure, muscle weakness, and fatigue. At very high doses, magnesium can be fatal.
One of the main reasons that undereating can lead to weight gain is because consuming too few calories can cause your resting metabolic rate to slow down. This means you may burn fewer calories throughout the day.
You Might Be Eating Too Little
This phenomenon is called “starvation mode,” and while your body isn't actually starving, it will naturally hold onto whatever calories it receives in an effort to help you maintain your energy balance.
If you eat too much and exercise too little, you're likely to carry excess weight — including belly fat. Also, your muscle mass might diminish slightly with age, while fat increases.