Although magnesium has no direct analgesic effect, it inhibits calcium ions entering cells by blocking NMDA receptors, which causes an antinociceptive effect.
“It can interfere with absorption of other minerals, so if you take a multivitamin, calcium or zinc, take magnesium at a different time of day,” Cooperman warns.
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 can bind with certain medications, preventing their full absorption. If you are taking a tetracycline-type medication (such as demeclocycline, doxycycline, minocycline, tetracycline), separate the time of the dose from the time of the magnesium supplement dose by at least 2 to 3 hours.
This medication is a mineral supplement used to prevent and treat low amounts of magnesium in the blood. Some brands are also used to treat symptoms of too much stomach acid such as stomach upset, heartburn, and acid indigestion.
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].
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)
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.
If you are taking a magnesium supplement, it can affect the way your body absorbs some medications, including bisphosphonates (osteoporosis medication) and some antibiotics. Some prescription drugs used to treat acid reflux or stomach ulcers, and some diuretics can affect the levels of magnesium in the body.
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.
Phytates in the diet bind to magnesium and impair its absorption. However the quantities present in normal diet do not affect magnesium absorption. Other dietary factors that are thought to affect magnesium absorption are oxalate, phosphate, proteins, potassium and zinc.
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 assists in the activation of vitamin D, which helps regulate calcium and phosphate homeostasis to influence the growth and maintenance of bones. All of the enzymes that metabolize vitamin D seem to require magnesium, which acts as a cofactor in the enzymatic reactions in the liver and kidneys.
Taking vitamin D in large doses can also deplete magnesium, leading to a deficiency or making an existing one worse.
Yes! You can and should take magnesium and vitamin D together. In fact, the bioavailability of vitamin D largely relies on magnesium. Also, many nutrients wouldn't work efficiently without magnesium, further highlighting the importance of this mineral!
Magnesium deficiency is diagnosed via a blood test and sometimes a urine test. Your doctor may order the blood test if you have symptoms such as weakness, irritability, abnormal heart rhythm, nausea and/or diarrhoea, or if you have abnormal calcium or potassium levels.
Ideally, you should take magnesium at the same time every day, whether that's in the morning with your cup of coffee or in the evening right before you go to bed. The time of day doesn't matter so much—it's the consistency of taking magnesium daily that matters most.
When taken in combination, magnesium and zinc have mutual benefits. Magnesium helps the body regulate its zinc levels, while zinc ensures that magnesium is absorbed effectively by the body. Zinc is important to digest food, boost the immune system, synthesize proteins, and keep bones strong and healthy.
When taken together, magnesium and zinc have mutual benefits. Magnesium helps your body regulate its zinc levels, while zinc does the job of allowing it to absorb magnesium more effectively. Taking magnesium alongside zinc is good for supporting your body to: process food and food supplements.
Very low magnesium levels may cause:
Headaches. Nighttime leg cramps. Numbness or tingling in the legs or hands. General body weakness.
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.