Magnesium supplements side effects

Magnesium is one of the chemical elements, its symbol is Mg and it is usually derived from sea water. As a supplement, magnesium has been in use for some years now. Some of the most popular supplements are magnesium oxide and magnesium citrate. When a person decides to introduce the supplements into his or her diet an important thing to remember is not to overuse it. If a person does that, he or she may experience some side effects.

Magnesium supplement side effects

Lots of body parts and functions need magnesium in order to work properly. Muscles, heart and kidneys are only some of the organs that are magnesium dependent. Magnesium is one of the things that makes the enzymes going but it is also important for the energy metabolism and the regulation of certain vitamins and minerals. Magnesium can be found in high quantities in foods like whole grains, nuts and green vegetables. Almost every diet is supposed to supply the necessary amounts of magnesium for the normal body functions but there are some cases when the introduction of the supplements is required. If a person suffers from any kind of disease which causes diarrhea and vomiting or is suffering from diabetes or pancreas, that can lead to the insufficient amount of magnesium in the system.

Magnesium needsAccording to the experts, an adult male needs to intake from 270 to 400 mg every day while women need to intake about 300 mg. However, this dosage should be slightly higher when a woman is pregnant, breastfeeding or a person has had surgery or is in the process of athletic training.

Gastrointestinal upsetTwo of the most common side effects that occur when a person takes magnesium supplements are diarrhea and stomach upset. Abdominal cramping is pretty common as well. The active ingredient in milk of magnesia will make the water get into the intestines which will cause diarrhea and cramping.

Calcium deficiencyAccording to some researches, if a person overuses magnesium supplements he or she will end up being calcium deficient. Calcium and magnesium are battling for absorption in the gut. If a person lacks calcium he or she will experience problems with bone strength, muscle contraction, hormone secretion and even the functions of the central nervous system. It is important that the balance between magnesium and calcium is maintained.

Magnesium overdoseEven though this rarely happens it still may affect persons in some cases. The body will normally regulate the magnesium a person intakes through food but it will have a problem if that person is taking supplements as well. Some of the side effects that may occur in this situation are slowed heart rate, muscle weakness, lowered blood pressure and breathing difficulties.

A person should talk to a doctor before using these supplements.