Nonetheless, most individuals consider magnesium as a chilled mineral. “It actually relaxes every thing in our physique,” says Deepali Kashyap MD, IFMCP, NMCP, a licensed purposeful medication physician with Galleria Girls’s Well being. “In case you have leg cramps, it helps with that. In case you have abdomen cramps, it helps with that. It relaxes our blood vessels, so it helps to decrease blood stress.”
The perfect place to get your magnesium fill is thru magnesium-rich meals. Although generally, it helps to get a lift with dietary supplements. There are numerous various kinds of magnesium dietary supplements—some of the broadly out there and cheap kinds being magnesium oxide.
Magnesium oxide is a salt mixed with magnesium and oxygen, per the Nationwide Library of Medication (NLM). Whereas it is a frequent type of magnesium in over-the-counter (OTC) dietary supplements, it is typically not really useful by itself by docs.
In different phrases: Magnesium oxide might not be the greatest kind of magnesium to take when you have a deficiency, nevertheless it does have some well being advantages. Study what these are right here, plus how a lot to get per day, and the very best types of magnesium to take for explicit well being points.
How is magnesium oxide totally different from different magnesium dietary supplements?
Magnesium oxide could be discovered as an OTC complement and is usually bought in pill or capsule type. It is regularly taken as a dietary complement to assist heartburn, bitter abdomen, and constipation, per the NLM.
One of many greatest variations between magnesium oxide and different magnesium dietary supplements—akin to magnesium citrate and glycinate—is that magnesium oxide has much less bioavailability. Meaning much less of the magnesium within the complement is on the market on your physique to make use of, says Brynna Connor, MD, a household medication doctor and health-care ambassador at NorthWestPharmacy.com.
In actual fact, a July 2019 research in Vitamins examined the bioavailability of 15 totally different types of magnesium and located that magnesium oxide had the bottom solubility and, subsequently, bioavailability—regardless of having a excessive quantity of elemental (or whole) magnesium. This implies in the event you’re magnesium-deficient, it might not be the very best type to take. (Extra on this beneath.)
What’s the very best complement to take for magnesium deficiency?
As a result of magnesium oxide does not take in nicely into the bloodstream, it does not work in addition to different forms of magnesium which can be extra readily absorbed, says Dr. Connor. So when you have a deficiency, magnesium oxide will not be as efficient as different forms of magnesium in elevating your blood magnesium ranges.
Types of this mineral which can be higher absorbed than magnesium oxide—and are higher for treating magnesium deficiency on the whole—embody the next:
- Magnesium citrate
- Magnesium glycinate
- Magnesium aspartate
- Magnesium lactate
- Magnesium chloride
In case you assume you may have a magnesium deficiency, schedule a go to together with your physician to get your blood examined. Some frequent indicators of low magnesium ranges embody the next, per the U.S. Nationwide Library of Medication:
- Lack of urge for food
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fatigue and weak spot
- Muscle cramps
- Irregular heartbeat
6 potential well being advantages of magnesium oxide
Magnesium oxide is the least bioavailable of all various kinds of magnesium, nevertheless it does nonetheless provide some well being advantages for explicit points. (After all, in the event you’re coping with any of the beneath, step one is to speak to your physician to see if a magnesium complement is best for you.)
1. It could assist relieve your complications
Some analysis reveals that magnesium deficiency is related to complications and migraines.
A February 2021 randomized managed trial in Acta Neurologica Belgica discovered that 500 milligrams of magnesium oxide was efficient in stopping migraine just like the migraine medicine valproate sodium. One other randomized managed trial of 118 kids discovered that taking 9 milligrams per kilogram of oral magnesium oxide day by day considerably decreased headache days total in comparison with the placebo, per a September 2020 overview in Vitamins.
However magnesium oxide is not the one type of magnesium that is nice for migraine prevention. “The perfect type of magnesium for migraines or complications is definitely magnesium threonate,” says Dr. Kashyap. “We’ve got one thing known as a blood-brain barrier that stops many chemical substances from our physique from going to our mind. And magnesium threonate is without doubt one of the kinds that’s capable of cross the blood-brain barrier and really actually assist with complications,” she says.
2. It could assist help your physique’s stress response
Magnesium performs an essential position within the physique’s stress response—it helps regulate the stress hormone cortisol in addition to sure neurotransmitters within the mind, in keeping with the Cleveland Clinic.
Though extra analysis is required, “there may be some knowledge to point out that magnesium oxide might help when supplemented with vitamin B6 to cut back nervousness and stress in girls, notably those that have premenstrual syndrome,” says Dr. Connor, citing a Could 2017 systematic overview in Vitamins.
3. It may assist relieve constipation
Loads of analysis backs up magnesium oxide as a protected and efficient solution to discover aid once you’re, ahem, backed up. “As an osmotic laxative, magnesium oxide causes your intestines to launch water, which is drawn into and softens the stool, making bowel actions extra frequent and stool simpler to move,” says Dr. Connor.
In actual fact, a January 2021 randomized, placebo-controlled trial in The American Journal of Gastroenterology discovered that taking 1.5 grams of magnesium oxide was simply as efficient as the favored laxative senna in relieving constipation. And a February 2017 randomized managed trial in Magnesium Analysis discovered that taking 800 milligrams of magnesium oxide helped forestall constipation after cardiac surgical procedure.
In case you’re taking magnesium for intestine well being and constipation, it is typically within the type of a laxative—to assist regulate your bowel actions.
4. It could assist decrease blood stress
Magnesium helps chill out our blood vessels, and because of this, could assist decrease blood stress ranges, says Dr. Kashyap. Although the analysis on this impact is restricted, a small 2018 research in Vitamins discovered that individuals residing with hypertension who took 300 milligrams of magnesium oxide for a month considerably lowered their blood stress ranges.
In the end, when you have hypertension, it is best to go to your physician to debate sure prescription medicines and life-style changes first, earlier than making an attempt a magnesium complement.
5. It could enable you stabilize your blood sugar
Magnesium performs a task in insulin perform and breaking down carbohydrates—two elements that affect blood sugar ranges. This may increasingly recommend that, in some instances, taking magnesium dietary supplements may support your efforts to stabilize your blood sugar and insulin ranges.
A Could 2020 research in Lipids in Well being and Illness discovered that taking a mixture of 250 milligrams of magnesium oxide and 150 milligrams of zinc sulfate helped important decrease blood glucose ranges in individuals with coronary coronary heart illness (CHD) and kind 2 diabetes in comparison with a placebo. A small March 2017 research in Medication confirmed that correcting low magnesium ranges by taking magnesium oxide helps enhance blood sugar in kids with kind 1 diabetes. And one other small January 2019 research in Vitamins confirmed that taking 250 milligrams of elemental magnesium made up of magnesium oxide, gluconate, and lactate day by day for 3 months confirmed a big enchancment in HbA1C and insulin ranges. Nevertheless, extra analysis remains to be wanted to totally perceive magnesium oxide’s impact on blood sugar.
Have in mind: In case you have excessive blood sugar ranges, it is best to first flip to life-style adjustments like watching your sugar consumption, exercising, and taking prescription medicines (if suggested by your physician).
6. It could assist keep your pores and skin’s moisture and well being
As a result of magnesium helps open up our blood vessels, it could possibly enhance the blood provide to our organs, says Dr. Kashyap. This consists of your pores and skin—aka, your physique’s largest organ.
“Magnesium is important for sustaining pores and skin’s moisture and minimizing water loss,” says Dr. Connor. “There may be some knowledge to point out that individuals who have considerably dry or broken pores and skin additionally present low magnesium of their blood ranges.” However have in mind, this does not imply each individual with dry pores and skin has a magnesium deficiency; extra analysis is required to totally perceive this connection.
Potential negative effects and dangers of magnesium oxide
Regardless that it is a pure mineral, taking magnesium dietary supplements does not come with out dangers. Which means, it is doable to take an excessive amount of of it. Based on Dr. Connor, indicators and signs of taking an excessive amount of magnesium (also called magnesium toxicity) can embody the next:
- Arrhythmias within the coronary heart
- Free stool and diarrhea
- Low blood stress
- Facial flushing
- Urine retention
- Despair and fatigue
- Muscle weak spot
- Vomiting and nausea
Individuals who ought to keep away from magnesium oxide
“Individuals with persistent kidney illness ought to seek the advice of with a doctor earlier than taking a magnesium complement, as an extreme quantity of magnesium can accumulate within the blood if the kidneys aren’t functioning appropriately,” says Dr. Connor.
It is also essential to notice that sure forms of magnesium dietary supplements can have added sugar or synthetic sweeteners, which might not be ultimate for individuals with excessive blood sugar. Earlier than buying a complement, learn the product label rigorously or ask your physician for model suggestions.
Attainable drug interactions
Magnesium oxide may also negatively work together with some medication, together with the next, per Dr. Connor:
- Levodopa/carbidopa (Sinemet)
- Sure antibiotics
- Bisphosphonates
- Calcium channel blockers
- Muscle relaxants
- Potassium-sparing diuretics
- Anticoagulant and antiplatelet medication
- Sulfonylureas
- Antacids
- Neurontin
- Ketamine
- Sevelamer (Renagel and Renvela)
Typically, it’s all the time a good suggestion to speak to your physician earlier than including any dietary supplements to your routine to keep away from any potential adversarial results.
How a lot magnesium oxide do you want per day?
There isn’t any particular day by day advice for sure varieties of magnesium (i.e., magnesium oxide). However on the whole, adults ought to purpose for between 310 and 420 milligrams per day (ideally from meals), in keeping with the NIH.
In case you’re low or poor in magnesium, your physician could advocate you begin a magnesium complement. However bear in mind, as with all different complement, magnesium impacts individuals in numerous methods and might include various advantages, dangers, and negative effects.
“I sometimes have sufferers begin on any kind of magnesium at 200 milligrams, and see how they do by way of the advantages they observe, in addition to the negative effects,” says Dr. Connor. “I typically have them keep underneath 500 milligrams of magnesium per day, however as a result of everyone is totally different, it’s essential to debate dosage and use together with your doctor.”
When to see a physician
In case you have signs like fatigue, nausea, weak spot, lack of urge for food, or muscle cramps, and also you assume it’s possible you’ll be magnesium-deficient, schedule an appointment together with your physician to allow them to run some blood checks. In case you are poor, they’re going to be capable of advocate sure forms of magnesium dietary supplements that will help you regain your blood magnesium ranges (and it will not probably be magnesium oxide on account of its restricted bioavailability).
That mentioned, in the event you’re contemplating magnesium oxide for treating issues like complications or constipation, attain out to your physician to see if any such complement is best for you.
FAQ
Ought to I take magnesium oxide within the morning or at evening?
Dr. Kashyap recommends taking magnesium oxide earlier within the day, both with water or meals. “For something to work, it has to get absorbed. As a result of magnesium oxide is insoluble in water, taking it on an empty abdomen means it will not get absorbed, so it’s simply going to be sitting in our abdomen like a rock,” she provides.
Can you’re taking magnesium day by day?
You possibly can take magnesium day by day in the event you take it in small dosages (20 milligrams at a time), says Dr. Kashyap. However in the event you’re utilizing magnesium oxide as a laxative in massive doses (akin to 1,000 milligrams), then take it for a most of 1 week, then name your physician to seek out various strategies for constipation aid.
Are there any drinks or meals excessive in magnesium?
Meals which can be naturally excessive in magnesium embody chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, black beans, almonds, darkish chocolate, spinach, edamame, candy potato, and avocado, per the Cleveland Clinic. There are additionally some drinks excessive in magnesium, together with milk, soymilk, and sizzling chocolate with actual unsweetened cocoa powder, per the Cleveland Clinic. And whereas some individuals assume that espresso has magnesium (or that espresso depletes magnesium), there may be not sufficient scientific proof to help these claims.
—reviewed by Jennifer Gilbert, MD, MPH
Nicely+Good articles reference scientific, dependable, latest, sturdy research to again up the knowledge we share. You possibly can belief us alongside your wellness journey.
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