Is There a Right and Wrong Way to Take Your Magnesium Supplement?

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nearly 50 percent of Americans aren't getting a sufficient magnesium in their diet.

If you're like most people, you may not know that you're magnesium deficient — in fact, you may not even know that magnesium is a vital nutrient for the proper function of many systems in your body.

So, how can you be sure that you're getting enough magnesium?

Many people use a variety of magnesium supplements to boost their body's magnesium levels to a healthy range.

Like anything you put into your body, there are some things you need to know.

What is Magnesium?

Magnesium is an essential mineral for the body, as a cofactor in over 300 body functions, ranging from nerve and muscle function to maintaining healthy bones, regulating blood sugar, supporting heart health, and aiding in energy production.

This means that serious magnesium deficiency can result in some severe side effects.

Most people consume an amount of magnesium that, while it may not be as much as they need, is enough that they aren't able to identify the symptoms.

For example, if you find yourself feeling tired or weak on a daily basis or experiencing joint pain, it may actually be due to magnesium deficiency, but you probably won't realize it.

How Do Magnesium Supplements Affect the Body?

When taken correctly, magnesium supplements can boost the effectiveness of bodily systems in performing crucial reactions and boost chronic health.

Sufficient magnesium levels in the body support the function of the vital organs that carry out these many roles, but is there a wrong way to take magnesium? Can you take too much?

Here are your burning questions about magnesium supplements, answered:

Can You Take Too Much Magnesium?

The recommended daily allowance of magnesium needed for optimal levels is between 240mg and 400mg for adults. When you exceed this range, adverse effects can occur, including irregular/fast heartbeat, nausea, and vomiting.

What Other Vitamins Can You Take with Magnesium?

While you can take magnesium by itself (magnesium oil, for example), it is often manipulated into a chemical compound with other vitamins and minerals to make it able to absorbed more efficiently.

Examples of this are magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) and magnesium chloride.

Magnesium is also often taken with vitamin D, because in order to absorb vitamin D, your body needs to have sufficient magnesium levels.

This is complicated, however, because Vitamin D actually steals magnesium from the body when this occurs.

This means that if you're taking Vitamin D, you have to find a balance between the vitamin and the magnesium supplements you're using.

What Vitamins Should Be Avoided?

Similar to vitamin D, there are other nutrients that steal magnesium in order to be absorbed. Two of the most notable are calcium and phosphorous.

If your body has too much of either of these substances, it could render a magnesium supplement ineffective.

Should You Take Magnesium with Food?

If you are taking oral magnesium supplements, it's best to take them with food.

Magnesium, like a large number of medications and supplements, can upset the digestive system and GI tract when consumed, causing nausea, stomach issues, and diarrhea.

What Are the Best Ways to Take Magnesium?

If you are unable to take oral supplements or you're just looking for a different way to consume the mineral, try soaking in a bath of Epsom salt or magnesium chloride flakes.

Magnesium can be absorbed through the skin, and also helps relieve stress when used topically. Take magnesium throughout the day to aid absorption.

At Greenway Biotech, we offer a variety of products aimed at helping you boost magnesium levels and benefit from the myriad positive effects of magnesium on your chronic health. 

Learn more about our pharmaceutical grade magnesium products here or continue shopping below.

Related Posts: 

• What is the Best Way to Take Magnesium - Orally or Transdermally?
• Here's How to Know You're Magnesium Deficient
• How to Make Magnesium Chloride Solution to Consume Orally?