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What is magnesium and what does it do? Find out as our expert explains all about magnesium and what role it plays in our bodies
Summary
1What is magnesium good for?
“From tackling tiredness to potentially making menstrual cramps more bearable, there are lots of ways that good levels of magnesium can benefit...”
2How do our bodies use magnesium?
Wondering how getting a good balance of magnesium could support your body? Here are some of the main reasons why we need this mineral...
3What are the signs of magnesium deficiency?
“Early signs of a magnesium deficiency include fatigue, loss of appetite, cramps, muscle twitches and an irregular heartbeat,” Madalena says...
“Magnesium really is a super-important mineral that powers and maintains a lot of your body’s functions, such as the nervous system, metabolism and muscles,” says H&B Nutritionist Madalena Vieira Costa.1
You won’t hear that kind of glowing endorsement from a nutritionist every day, so we knew we had to take note... So here it is: why your body needs magnesium and what happens if you don’t get enough.
What is magnesium good for?
“From tackling tiredness to potentially making menstrual cramps more bearable, there are lots of ways that good levels of magnesium can benefit our bodies,” says Madalena.
“Having the recommended daily amount of magnesium helps to balance your fluids and electrolytes,2 may regulate blood pressure3 and reduce tiredness and fatigue”.4 It also keeps your nerves functioning and fuels electrical activity within the heart and the brain.5
Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in your body. Your body can’t make it, so you must get magnesium through the foods you eat (ideally) or through supplementation.
Magnesium is found in a wide variety of foods, and the amount of magnesium suggested by the NHS is 300mg a day for men and 270mg a day for women.6 Find out more about the different types of magnesium.
How do our bodies use magnesium?
Wondering how getting a good balance of magnesium could support your body?
Here are some of the main reasons why we need this mineral.
Magnesium is used to make energy
Magnesium plays an important role in energy metabolism. This is the process where the nutrients from your food are converted into energy to be used by the body.7,8
Magnesium is a key component in making the energy-carrying molecule adenosine triphosphate (ATP) work by attaching to it. ATP is responsible for delivering energy to every cell in your body.9
Without magnesium, this molecule can’t do its job effectively, which is why fatigue and low energy are common side effects of low magnesium levels.10
Magnesium helps your body build normal bones
Magnesium is found mostly in your bones, but also in other tissues such as your muscles and joints.11 Your bones rely on magnesium to stay strong.
Magnesium is essential for the absorption of calcium, and these two minerals work closely together. For example, magnesium helps the bones retain their calcium by taking calcium from the bloodstream back into the bones.
A long-term deficiency in magnesium causes loss of bone mineral density, which can lead to bone problems such as osteoporosis.12
Magnesium supports muscle function
Magnesium enables the relaxation of the muscles, which is vital because your muscles are constantly contracting and expanding, and magnesium is what enables the relaxing of the muscles.13,14 So, if you’re looking for supplements to support your workouts, magnesium might be one to look into.
This is why muscle aches, cramps and twitches (such as those irritating eye twitches some of us experience) are a common symptom of a magnesium deficiency.
Following on from this, it’s not difficult to see why magnesium glycinate helps prevent constipation, as it helps your digestive muscles and gastrointestinal tract to relax, helping you pass stools more easily.
A study from Japan showed that those with low magnesium intake in their diets tended to experience increased levels of constipation.15
Magnesium may help to keep your heart beating
As your heart is the most important muscle in the body, it’s no surprise that magnesium is so important to cardiovascular health.16
Magnesium may also help regulate heart palpitations and that ‘fluttery’ feeling in your chest according to some preliminary research.17
A prominent ongoing heart study reported in 2022 that low magnesium is associated with the development of irregular heartbeat.18
Magnesium keeps the nervous system working properly
A study in a small group of rugby players found that magnesium may also reduce cortisol, which is a hormone released by the body when under stress.19
According to a 2006 study on university students, they found a link between stress levels and low magnesium levels in the body20 so it could be important to pay attention to your levels if you’re prone to stress.
It has even been linked with depression in some small studies,21 although research into this is ongoing.
What are the signs of magnesium deficiency?
“Early signs of a magnesium deficiency include fatigue, loss of appetite, cramps, muscle twitches and an irregular heartbeat,” Madalena says.
While a severe deficiency is rare, many people in the UK have low levels of magnesium, particularly young women,22 as their bodies use more. This is because oestrogen actually enhances the amount of magnesium your body requires, especially around ovulation or taking oral contraceptives, when oestrogen levels are highest.23
“The harmful effects of low magnesium levels won’t happen overnight, but over the years, you might notice a lack of energy, slower muscle repair and weaker bones in later years,” she says.
What causes a magnesium deficiency and how can I avoid it?
Diet is usually to blame for a magnesium deficiency.1 It happens when people are not eating enough magnesium-rich foods or consuming too many unhealthy foods, such as white flour, which have often had their mineral levels reduced.24
If you’re looking to ensure a magnesium-packed plate, you can find it in leafy greens such as spinach, nuts like cashews and almonds, seeds, eggs, and seaweed and kelp. Choose organic varieties where possible too, which are grown in soil which tends to be higher in magnesium.25
The final say
Magnesium is a vital mineral that supports our body every day. From moving our muscles to regulating our stress response, having the recommended daily allowance through a balanced diet is important. And if you struggle to get it into your recipes, supplements are at hand to help.
While no-one needs more magnesium than recommended, there are symptoms you might experience through a deficiency, such as fatigue and cramps. Speak to your doctor if you think you have a magnesium deficiency as they can take a blood test and provide you with the right prescribed dose.
Wondering which magnesium might be right for you? Check out our guide to the different types of magnesium.
The advice in this article is for information only and some of the information reflects the opinion of our in-house nutritionist and should not replace medical care. Please check with your GP or healthcare professional before trying any supplements, treatments or remedies. Food supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
1. National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements - Magnesium [Internet]. National Institutes of Health. 2022. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
2. Shrimanker I, Bhattarai S. Electrolytes [Internet]. Nih.gov. StatPearls Publishing; 2023. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541123/
3. Schutten JC, Joosten MM, de Borst MH, Bakker SJL. Magnesium and Blood Pressure: A Physiology-Based Approach. Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease [Internet]. 2018 May 1;25(3):244–50. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1548559517302161
4. Cox IM, Campbell MJ, Dowson D. Red blood cell magnesium and chronic fatigue syndrome. Lancet (London, England) [Internet]. 1991 Mar 30;337(8744):757–60. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1672392/
5. Boyle N, Lawton C, Dye L. The Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Subjective Anxiety and Stress—A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2017 Apr 26;9(5):429.
6. NHS. Vitamins and Minerals [Internet]. NHS. 2020. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/others/
7. Energy Metabolism - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics [Internet]. www.sciencedirect.com. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/energy-metabolism
8. Food and Feed Information Portal Database | FIP [Internet]. Europa.eu. 2024 [cited 2024 Aug 20]. Available from: https://ec.europa.eu/food/food-feed-portal/screen/health-claims/eu-register/details/POL-HC-6403
9. Jahnen-Dechent W, Ketteler M. Magnesium basics. Clinical Kidney Journal [Internet]. 2012 Feb 1 [cited 2019 Jul 24];5(Suppl 1):i3–14. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4455825/
10. Swaminathan R. Magnesium metabolism and its disorders. The Clinical biochemist Reviews [Internet]. 2003;24(2):47–66. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1855626/
11. Rondanelli M, Faliva MA, Tartara A, Gasparri C, Perna S, Infantino V, et al. An update on magnesium and bone health. BioMetals [Internet]. 2021 May 6;34(4). Available from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10534-021-00305-0
12. Castiglioni S, Cazzaniga A, Albisetti W, Maier J. Magnesium and Osteoporosis: Current State of Knowledge and Future Research Directions. Nutrients [Internet]. 2013 Jul 31;5(8):3022–33. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3775240/-
13. Carolina A, Añdrea Rodrigues Vasconcelos, Denise Deo Dias, Geovana Komoni, José João Name. The Integral Role of Magnesium in Muscle Integrity and Aging: A Comprehensive Review. Nutrients. 2023 Dec 16;15(24):5127–7.
14. Cameron D, Welch AA, Adelnia F, Bergeron CM, Reiter DA, Dominguez LJ, et al. Age and Muscle Function Are More Closely Associated With Intracellular Magnesium, as Assessed by 31P Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Than With Serum Magnesium. Frontiers in Physiology [Internet]. 2019 Nov 27;10:1454. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6892402/
15. Murakami K, Sasaki S, Okubo H, Takahashi Y, Hosoi Y, Itabashi M. Association between dietary fiber, water and magnesium intake and functional constipation among young Japanese women. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition [Internet]. 2006 Dec 6 [cited 2019 Jul 7];61(5):616–22. Available from: https://www.nature.com/articles/1602573
16. DiNicolantonio JJ, Liu J, O’Keefe JH. Magnesium for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Open Heart [Internet]. 2018 Jul;5(2):e000775. Available from: https://openheart.bmj.com/content/5/2/e000775
17. Magnesium test [Internet]. nhs.uk. 2018. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/magnesium-test/
18. Negru AG, Pastorcici A, Crisan S, Cismaru G, Popescu FG, Luca CT. The Role of Hypomagnesemia in Cardiac Arrhythmias: A Clinical Perspective. Biomedicines [Internet]. 2022 Oct 1;10(10):2356. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/10/10/2356
19. Dmitrašinović G, Pešić V, Stanić D, Plećaš-Solarović B, Dajak M, Ignjatović S. ACTH, Cortisol and IL-6 Levels in Athletes Following Magnesium Supplementation. Journal of Medical Biochemistry. 2016 Oct 1;35(4):375–84.
20. Grases G, Pérez-Castelló JA, Sanchis P, Casero A, Perelló J, Isern B, et al. Anxiety and stress among science students. Study of calcium and magnesium alterations. Magnesium research [Internet]. 2006 [cited 2024 Aug 20];19(2):102–6. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1695572
21. Tarleton EK, Littenberg B, MacLean CD, Kennedy AG, Daley C. Role of magnesium supplementation in the treatment of depression: A randomized clinical trial. Song Y, editor. PLOS ONE. 2017 Jun 27;12(6):e0180067.
22. Minerals and trace elements - British Nutrition Foundation [Internet]. www.nutrition.org.uk. Available from: https://www.nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/nutrients-food-and-ingredients/minerals-and-trace-elements.html
23. Workinger J, Doyle Robert, Bortz J. Challenges in the Diagnosis of Magnesium Status. Nutrients. 2018 Sep 1;10(9):1202.
24. Zafar TA, Aldughpassi A, Al-Mussallam A, Al-Othman A. Microstructure of Whole Wheat versus White Flour and Wheat-Chickpea Flour Blends and Dough: Impact on the Glycemic Response of Pan Bread. Thomas Danguin T, editor. International Journal of Food Science. 2020 Oct 5;2020:1–9.
25. Crinnion WJ. Organic foods contain higher levels of certain nutrients, lower levels of pesticides, and may provide health benefits for the consumer. Alternative Medicine Review: A Journal of Clinical Therapeutic [Internet]. 2010 Apr 1;15(1):4–12. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20359265/
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