Magnesium helps to increase the amount of water in the intestines, which can help with bowel movements. It may be used as a laxative due to these properties, or as a supplement for magnesium deficiency.
Stool softener: Magnesium draws water into the intestines, working as an osmotic laxative. This increase in water stimulates bowel motion, or motility. It also softens and increases the size of the stool. This prompts a bowel movement and helps to make stools easier to pass.
Magnesium citrate can help treat constipation. It is an osmotic laxative, which means it works by drawing water into the intestine to soften stool and make it easier to pass.
The laxative effect of magnesium appears to come through two different mechanisms. Magnesium relaxes the muscles in the intestines which helps to establish a smoother rhythm. Magnesium also attracts water; this increased amount of water in the colon serves to soften the stool, helping to make stools easier to pass.
A successful colonoscopy requires that the colon be completely free of all stool matter. Magnesium Citrate is a product that, when properly taken by mouth followed by 32 ounces of a liquid (from the clear liquid diet) will rapidly cleanse the bowel by causing a watery diarrhea.
Every organ in the body, especially the heart, muscles, and kidneys, needs magnesium. This mineral also contributes to the makeup of teeth and bones.
When taken in very large amounts (greater than 350 mg daily), magnesium is POSSIBLY UNSAFE. Large doses might cause too much magnesium to build up in the body, causing serious side effects including an irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, confusion, slowed breathing, coma, and death.
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.
Magnesium oxide is an osmotic laxative, and its key effect is a softening of hard stools; therefore, it is important to first ask the patient about the hardness of stools and the frequency of bowel movement.
Magnesium citrate usually causes a bowel movement within 30 minutes to 6 hours after taking it. Follow the directions on your product label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take magnesium citrate exactly as directed.
Early signs of excessive magnesium intake can include low blood pressure, facial flushing, depression, urine retention, and fatigue. Eventually, if untreated, these symptoms can worsen and include muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat, and even, in very rare cases, cardiac arrest.
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.
Recommend purpose: Magnesium Glycinate is effective for the management of inflammatory disease, as well as maintaining nervous system function. Magnesium glycinate is recommended to help manage symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress.
Sodium sulfate, potassium sulfate, and magnesium sulfate combination is used to cleanse the colon (bowel) before a colonoscopy. This medicine is a laxative. It works by causing you to have diarrhea to clean your colon.
Magnesium Citrate
If you suffer from occasional constipation, this is likely your best option. I prefer to use magnesium citrate in powder form so that the extra water will help promote regular bowel movements.
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.
What does magnesium do? Magnesium is important for many processes in the body. It is needed for muscles and nerves to work properly, to keep blood sugar and blood pressure at the right level, and to make protein, bone, and DNA. Low levels of magnesium over time can lead to low calcium and potassium levels.
Despite the unclear relationship between magnesium and sleep, there have been encouraging studies showing that magnesium supplements may improve sleep quality, sleep duration, and benefit people with sleep disorders like insomnia and restless legs syndrome.
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.
Although many people use magnesium for sleep support, it isn't known to cause tiredness during the day. However, if you want to maximize the benefits for better sleep, it's best to take your magnesium supplement an hour or two before bedtime.
Magnesium is a cofactor in more than 300 enzyme systems that regulate diverse biochemical reactions in the body, including protein synthesis, muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control, and blood pressure regulation [1-3]. Magnesium is required for energy production, oxidative phosphorylation, and glycolysis.
It helps to maintain normal nerve and muscle function, supports a healthy immune system, keeps the heartbeat steady, and helps bones remain strong.
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].