Foods that are rich in magnesium are widely available and will help seniors meet their daily recommended allowances. Nuts, seeds, leafy vegetables, milk, yogurt, and whole grains contain plentiful amounts of magnesium. Tap, mineral, and bottled water also provide magnesium.
Magnesium citrate is one of the most common magnesium formulations and can be easily purchased online or in stores worldwide. Some research suggests that this type is among the most bioavailable forms of magnesium, meaning that it's more easily absorbed in your digestive tract than other forms ( 4 ).
Recommended forms include magnesium citrate, magnesium gluconate, and magnesium lactate, all of which are more easily absorbed into the body than other forms. Time release preparations may improve absorption. Ask your health care provider.
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.
Orally, magnesium citrate is the best absorbed form (but it's bonded to a big molecule so there is a smaller amount of magnesium by weight). Mg oxide is the most poorly absorbed form but has the highest Mg per weight, so actually you may get more elemental magnesium out of the same dose of Mg oxide vs.
It is not for long-term use. Anyone experiencing chronic, long-lasting episodes of constipation should avoid magnesium citrate. Using magnesium citrate regularly may cause the body to become dependent on it, making it difficult for a person to pass stools without using laxatives.
Magnesium citrate may be the most effective type if you want to try a supplement. If you're magnesium deficient, there may be other benefits from increasing your intake of this nutrient. And other remedies are available for leg cramping that may help.
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.
Current recommended daily requirements of magnesium for adults 51 and older is 420 milligrams for men and 320 milligrams for women.
Each has different advantages and disadvantages. For example, some types of magnesium are easier to absorb than others. Magnesium is one of the most common minerals in the body. It plays a role in over 600 metabolic reactions, including energy production, protein formation, and blood pressure regulation.
Magnesium glycinate/glycerophosphate - best for sleep and anxiety. Magnesium glycerophosphate is ideal for stress relief and sleep. Glycerophosphate has the lowest rate of diarrhea, as compared to other forms of magnesium.
Therefore, magnesium supplements can be taken at any time of the day, as long as you're able to take them consistently. For some, taking supplements first thing in the morning may be easiest, while others may find that taking them with dinner or just before bed works well for them.
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 citrate is a more common choice if you want to maintain magnesium levels for general whole-body health. On the other hand, magnesium glycinate has less bioavailability but can have a calming effect.
Recommend purpose: Magnesium Citrate is a more well-rounded form of magnesium for general wellbeing. It is helpful for calming the nervous system and muscle cramps.
Taking magnesium with these medications might cause blood pressure to go too low. Some of these medications include nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan), diltiazem (Cardizem), isradipine (DynaCirc), felodipine (Plendil), amlodipine (Norvasc), and others.
The claimed benefits of magnesium supplementation range from boosts in everyday wellness — better sleep, increased energy levels and improved mood — to specific health benefits, such as lower blood pressure, reduced risk of heart disease and improvement in migraines.
Since magnesium plays a role in neuromuscular transmission and muscle contraction, it has been hypothesised that magnesium deficiency may predispose to muscle cramps. Thus magnesium supplements are often recommended to prevent cramps.
Too little potassium, calcium or magnesium in your diet can contribute to leg cramps. Diuretics — medications often prescribed for high blood pressure — also can deplete these minerals.
Potassium. Potassium helps maintain normal cell function in the body, particularly in the nerves and muscles. It is relatively common for people to have a potassium deficiency. However, if a person has a severe deficiency , they may experience symptoms such as leg cramps.
Magnesium malate relieves muscle tension by relaxing tense areas. It is for this reason it is so effective as being a magnesium that helps muscle spasms.