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.
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.
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.
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.
Intravenous calcium, diuretics, or water pills may also be used to help the body get rid of excess magnesium. People with renal dysfunction or those who have had a severe magnesium overdose may require dialysis if they are experiencing kidney failure, or if magnesium levels are still rising after treatment.
Magnesium also modulates activity of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis (HPAA) which is a central substrate of the stress response system. Activation of the HPAA instigates adaptive autonomic, neuroendocrine, and behavioral responses to cope with the demands of the stressor; including increasing anxiety.
"Most magnesium will stay in the body for anywhere from 12 to 24 hours. So it's not something you can just take once, see results, and then never take again," explains registered dietitian Amanda Li, R.D.
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 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.
UL: The Tolerable Upper Intake Level is the maximum daily intake unlikely to cause harmful effects on health. The UL for magnesium is 350 milligrams from supplements only. High-dose supplements can lead to diarrhea, nausea, and cramping in some people.
From regulating mood, maintaining healthy heartbeat to supporting sleep, muscle and nerve function along with energy production to name just a few. It's clear the mineral is vital for both men and women.
Symptoms of magnesium toxicity, which usually develop after serum concentrations exceed 1.74–2.61 mmol/L, can include hypotension, nausea, vomiting, facial flushing, retention of urine, ileus, depression, and lethargy before progressing to muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, extreme hypotension, irregular heartbeat, ...
Magnesium supplements should be taken with meals. Taking magnesium supplements on an empty stomach may cause diarrhea.
Medical research has linked magnesium to reduced anxiety. Magnesium helps you to relax by stimulating the production of melatonin and serotonin which boost your mood and help you sleep. Magnesium also reduces the production of cytokines and cortisol, which lead to increased inflammation and stress.
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).
Recap. Some research has shown that people with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis may benefit from magnesium in their diet or as a supplement. Since arthritis can cause inflammation, magnesium's anti-inflammatory effects might help some people with the condition.
One of the side effects of magnesium might be drowsiness. In this case, you should consider magnesium supplementation at the end of the day (with dinner) to prevent the midday magnesium slump.
Magnesium glutamate and aspartate -- Avoid these two forms of magnesium completely. Glutamic acid and aspartic acid are components of the dangerous artificial sweetener aspartame, and both of them become neurotoxic when unbound to other amino acids.
Magnesium can remove a variety of toxins and heavy metals from your body including aluminum, mercury, and lead. While it's likely that these chemicals will only be present in your body in minute traces, even the tiniest amounts of these can be harmful. As such, flushing them out of your cells is important.
Magnesium deficiency can lead to mental health symptoms like apathy and lack of emotion. In severe cases, it can cause delirium and coma. Studies have shown that magnesium deficiency may be associated with depression and anxiety.
Extreme cases can cause muscle spasms and tremors (shakes that you can't control). Over time, low magnesium can weaken your bones, give you bad headaches, make you feel nervous, and even hurt your heart. It can also lead to low levels of other important minerals like calcium and potassium.
So, magnesium is safe to take for sleep? In essence, yes. A good, moderate dose of magnesium is about 100 to 350 milligrams daily, says Dr. Winter. That dose should be void of any side effects.
Melatonin vs Magnesium for Sleep
Magnesium helps regulate muscle relaxation, hormone production, inflammation levels, and energy metabolism, all contributing to better sleep quality. Meanwhile, melatonin helps reset your internal body clock, so you can fall asleep quickly and stay asleep for extended periods.