The time of day doesn't matter so much—it's the consistency of taking magnesium daily that matters most. While some recommend taking magnesium supplements right before bed (to calm your mind and nervous system, setting the stage for sleep), do what works best for you to ensure that it becomes a daily healthy habit.
Magnesium malate: In the morning
Finally, this supplement pairs magnesium with malic acid—which has been shown to promote energy production4 in some studies. For this reason, most people will want to take this supplement in the morning hours or at the start of their day.
While this doesn't prove that magnesium alone can help with sleep, taking a magnesium supplement each night before bed won't necessarily hurt you. However, it's recommended that you see your healthcare provider before you start popping magnesium supplements at bedtime.
Very low magnesium levels may cause:
Nausea. Constipation. Headaches. Nighttime leg cramps.
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 is important for many processes in the body, including regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure and making protein, bone, and DNA.
Generally speaking, you will find that magnesium supplements start to work after one week of using them. After one week of regular magnesium supplementation, individuals may experience benefits such as improved energy levels, reduced muscle cramps, better sleep quality, and reduced anxiety.
Magnesium may also reduce the absorption of medications such as blood thinners, anti-diabetes drugs, diuretics, and drugs used to treat the brittle bone disease osteoporosis, Cooperman says. “Check with your doctor if you're considering using magnesium,” he says.
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.
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.
Volpe said it is recommended to take the magnesium supplement about 30 minutes prior to bed for those taking magnesium to see if it helps them to sleep. Ehsani said it's also recommended to take magnesium supplements with food, "so possibly with your last meal like dinner or evening snack."
So, get enough vitamin D—just take it in the morning or afternoon. At night, take supplements that support sleep quality and muscle relaxation, like magnesium and melatonin (which you'll find in soothing, sippable Bulletproof Sleep Collagen Protein).
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.
Can you take vitamin D and magnesium together? Yes. In fact, it's probably best to take both together. Because so many people have low magnesium levels, vitamin D supplements on their own aren't very helpful for a large portion of the population.
Magnesium helps to ensure your skin is armoured against external damage as it regulates cellular regeneration and repair. Everyday your skin is under attack from free radicals. This is one of the most important magnesium benefits for skin and hair because it actively helps your skin in terms of protection and recovery.
Side effects of magnesium
Taking magnesium supplements can bring a range of side effects, such as drowsiness or fatigue during the day, muscle weakness, nausea, vomiting, skin flushing or diarrhea, Gurubhagavatula said. Some risks are even more serious.
This mineral helps in maintaining function in our nerves and muscles and supports a healthy immune system. It also plays a role in keeping our heartbeat steady and bones strong. Current recommended daily requirements of magnesium for adults 51 and older is 420 milligrams for men and 320 milligrams for women.
Coffee does not directly affect magnesium in your body. But it halts the further absorption of magnesium gradually in your intestines. The more coffee you consume, the less your magnesium absorption rate gets. But a heavy dose of coffee can lead to magnesium depletion.
Vitamins and minerals
Let's start with magnesium. A cup of coffee contains about 7 mg, which is a drop in the daily-requirement bucket (420 mg for men, 320 mg for women). But because we don't eat enough fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, the average American's intake falls about 100 mg short of the daily goal.
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.