Hypomagnesemia occurs with both loop diuretics (furosemide, bumetanide, torsemide, and ethacrynic acid) and thiazide diuretics (chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, indapamide, and metolazone).
A variety of drugs including antibiotics, chemotherapeutic agents, diuretics and proton-pump inhibitors can cause magnesium loss and hypomagnesemia (see Table 1) [10,27,28,33,34,39,41,42].
Magnesium deficiency in healthy people is rare but it can be caused by: a poor diet (especially in elderly people or those who don't have enough to eat) type 2 diabetes. digestive problems such as Crohn's disease.
One study found that very high doses of zinc from supplements (142 mg/day) can interfere with magnesium absorption and disrupt the magnesium balance in the body [17].
It is a good idea to take a B-vitamin complex, or a multivitamin containing B vitamins, because the level of vitamin B6 in the body determines how much magnesium will be absorbed into the cells.
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.
Hypokalemia and Hyperkalemia
Magnesium depletion typically occurs after diuretic use, sustained alcohol consumption, or diabetic ketoacidosis.
Thus, vitamin D at physiological doses may enhance magnesium absorption in non previously vitamin D-depleted pigs fed diets with abundant magnesium. This nutritional situation may help explain the predominant bone-resorbing effect of vitamin D supplementation.
Quite the dilemma. The good news is, stress and chronic fatigue that might result from low magnesium levels can be reversed. Supplementing with magnesium is shown to reverse low red blood cell magnesium and improved energy, emotional state, and pain levels in people with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Statins: Cholesterol-lowering medications, such as Lipitor, are intended to lower levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides. These prescription drugs bind to fats that are necessary for mineral absorption, reducing the body's capacity to use magnesium.
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.
Steroids and Antidepressants
Imipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant, and Zoloft, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) deplete magnesium. In brain and mood health, if you do not have enough magnesium, serotonin levels in your brain suffer.
The Risks of Too Much Vitamin D
According to Dean's research, high dose vitamin D actually depletes magnesium. That's why some people on magnesium supplements still have symptoms of deficiency.
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 supplements should be taken with meals. Taking magnesium supplements on an empty stomach may cause diarrhea.
Magnesium assists your body in regulating zinc levels, but high intakes of zinc can be detrimental to magnesium absorption – only abnormally high doses (around 142 mg of zinc per day) will reduce magnesium absorption.
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.
Common substances — such as sugar and caffeine — deplete the body's magnesium levels.
Magnesium deficiency can cause a wide variety of features including hypocalcaemia, hypokalaemia and cardiac and neurological manifestations. Chronic low magnesium state has been associated with a number of chronic diseases including diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and osteoporosis.
You can test your magnesium levels by purchasing a simple at-home finger prick test kit which is then analysed at an accredited lab. Forth offers a number of blood tests which include magnesium such as our Nutri-check test and Menopause Health blood test.