Unfortunately, the short answer is that coffee does deplete our magnesium. There are several studies that show the reasons why. Number one is that it causes an increased urinary output of Magnesium. So, when you're drinking coffee, your body pees out more magnesium.
Coffee does not directly affect magnesium in your body. But it halts the further absorption of magnesium gradually in your intestines. The more coffee you consume, the less your magnesium absorption rate gets. But a heavy dose of coffee can lead to magnesium depletion.
Caffeine can interfere with the absorption of certain minerals, including magnesium, calcium, and iron, but the loss is minimal.
In general the intake of magnesium is directly related to energy intake except when the majority of the energy comes from refined sugars or alcohol. Refining or processing of food may deplete magnesium content by nearly 85%.
Maybe your thinking, “vitamins, schmitamins.” But here's the deal, too much coffee depletes your supply of B vitamins, which is your natural source of energy. Caffeine also causes the body to dump other key nutrients like calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron.
For every cup of coffee, you consume, you lose an estimated 10 milligrams of calcium. While coffee does not directly affect magnesium levels already present in your body, it does, however, affect your body's absorption of magnesium.
Coffee isn't a great source of vitamins and minerals, but as a plant-based drink, it contains some, and a few that we should be getting more of. Let's start with magnesium. A cup of coffee contains about 7 mg, which is a drop in the daily-requirement bucket (420 mg for men, 320 mg for women).
Very low magnesium levels may cause:
Headaches. Nighttime leg cramps. Numbness or tingling in the legs or hands. General body weakness.
Diseases causing malabsorption such as celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease. Gastric bypass surgery. Hereditary syndromes causing poor absorption of magnesium (primary intestinal hypomagnesemia). Medications which can cause interference with magnesium absorption (proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole).
But caffeine causes the kidneys to release extra magnesium regardless of body status. If you drink caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and soda regularly, your risk for magnesium deficiency is increased.
Caffeine has a mild diuretic effect, which leads to an increase in urination. As a result, water-soluble vitamins, such as B-vitamins and vitamin C can be depleted due to fluid loss. Research also demonstrated that the higher the level of caffeine, the more it interfered with vitamin D absorption.
Tips for improving magnesium absorption
People wanting to increase their magnesium levels by improving absorption could try: reducing or avoiding calcium-rich foods two hours before or after eating magnesium-rich foods. avoiding high-dose zinc supplements. treating vitamin D deficiency.
If we don't get enough magnesium from our food, we are more vulnerable to high levels of stress and anxiety. More stress can lead us to lose even more magnesium through the kidneys in a process of urinary extraction. Caffeine and alcohol can accelerate the rate of magnesium excretion.
Common substances — such as sugar and caffeine — deplete the body's magnesium levels.
Since you can't properly metabolize vitamin D without the right level of magnesium, taking vitamin D by itself may not fix a deficiency. Taking vitamin D in large doses can also deplete magnesium, leading to a deficiency or making an existing one worse.
A blood test will be ordered to check your magnesium level. Normal range is 1.3 to 2.1 mEq/L (0.65 to 1.05 mmol/L). Other blood and urine tests that may be done include: Calcium blood test.
Chronic magnesium deficiency is often associated with normal serum magnesium despite deficiency in cells and in bone; the response to oral supplementation is slow and may take up to 40 weeks to reach a steady state.
Every organ in the body, especially the heart, muscles, and kidneys, needs the mineral magnesium. It also contributes to the makeup of teeth and bones. Magnesium is needed for many functions in the body. This includes the physical and chemical processes in the body that convert or use energy (metabolism).
Dark chocolates are confirmed as an excellent source of magnesium (252.2 mg/100 g) and iron (10.9 mg/100 g): in chocolate containing 90% cocoa, their content corresponds to, respectively, 67.0% and 80.3 of Nutrient Reference Values (NRV) in the European Union.