Magnesium is one of the most abundant minerals in the body. It is crucial in hundreds of biochemical reactions and is essential for protein synthesis, muscle and nerve function, blood sugar control and energy production.
Since your body cannot produce magnesium, it is necessary to meet your needs through dietary intake. A deficiency puts you at risk for hypomagnesemia, or clinically low magnesium levels, which can have adverse effects on your health.
Interestingly, research shows that only about 0.3% of total magnesium in the body is found in the serum, which means that lab values may not always reflect your total magnesium levels. Therefore, it is important to understand the symptoms associated with magnesium deficiency.
Irritability and anger are relatively standard emotional responses, often triggered by stress and fatigue. Low magnesium levels can also heighten these emotions.
Without enough magnesium in your system, the brain may not be able to regulate essential neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine. These neurotransmitters are chemicals that affect mood and, when impaired, can increase emotional sensitivity, leading to increased irritability.
Magnesium deficiency can make it difficult to face daily challenges and manage mood stability. More research is needed to understand the effects of minerals on mood, especially when it comes to irritability with depression. Several other factors can contribute to mood swings.
Magnesium is involved in the contraction of smooth muscles, so it is necessary for intestinal motility. Poor intestinal motility can affect digestion and absorption of nutrients. Low magnesium levels are associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting.
Magnesium relaxes skeletal muscles, and a deficiency can cause serious digestive discomfort. Those who experience nausea and vomiting may also experience bloating and constipation.
Several factors can contribute to nausea, so it’s important to seek care if symptoms persist.
Loss of appetite is an early sign of low magnesium levels. Magnesium is necessary for the normal function of nerves and muscles, including those used for digestion. More research is needed to understand magnesium’s role in hunger, but decreased appetite may be due to slower digestion.
Low levels of magnesium are also associated with higher levels of leptin, a hormone that regulates body weight by controlling appetite. Magnesium deficiency can disrupt these hunger hormones, reducing the desire to eat.
Low magnesium levels can also contribute to problems such as nausea, bloating and indigestion, which can further suppress appetite.
Fatigue is a state of exhaustion characterized by a constant lack of energy and overwhelming tiredness. It can affect you physically and mentally. Factors such as stress, poor sleep and certain medications can contribute to this. Low magnesium levels can also be to blame.
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the primary source of energy in the body, and magnesium is necessary for the production of ATP. ATP binds to magnesium to create its functional form, which can deliver energy inside cells. Magnesium deficiency makes it challenging for the body to replenish and recover.
Magnesium is a key player in nerve function, and low levels can disrupt normal nerve signaling. Research has linked magnesium deficiency to numbness or tingling, especially in the extremities, and peripheral nerve damage caused by inflammation.
Magnesium helps regulate calcium levels in nerve cells, which is essential for regular nerve transmission. Without enough magnesium, your body can’t regulate calcium levels, which can lead to degeneration of peripheral nerves. This peripheral neuropathy is often characterized by numbness, pain, or a burning sensation.
Headaches are pain or discomfort in the head, neck or scalp. They can be of different intensity, from dull to sharp, throbbing pain. Headaches are often accompanied by other symptoms, such as nausea, dizziness and sensitivity to light, which can worsen their effect.
Tension headaches are the most common, and migraines tend to cause the most severe symptoms. Low magnesium can contribute to all headaches by affecting neurotransmitter function and blood flow. Magnesium plays a key role in the dilation of intracranial blood vessels, so low levels can negatively affect blood flow in that area.
Adequate sleep is one of the basic components of a healthy life. While individual needs vary, research shows that most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Some studies have shown that magnesium intake is associated with better sleep quality and length.
Magnesium is essential for regulating neurotransmitters that promote relaxation and maintain healthy levels of melatonin, the hormone responsible for the sleep-wake cycle. Magnesium also helps reduce or manage stress, a well-known antagonist of sleep quality.
Magnesium is crucial for muscle function and nerve transmission. A deficiency can lead to unexpected muscle spasms or twitching.
Muscle spasms are painful, involuntary muscle contractions. They usually have a sudden onset and can last from a few seconds to a few minutes. They often affect the legs and feet, but can affect any muscle group, often causing pain after an episode.
Magnesium deficiency is usually associated with nocturnal leg cramps or painful muscle spasms during sleep. It helps regulate calcium and potassium levels in muscle tissue, which are critical for muscle contraction and relaxation. Low magnesium levels affect calcium levels, making muscles more prone to involuntary spasms.
Magnesium is also involved in energy production. Low levels of magnesium can disrupt the production of energy necessary for muscle relaxation, causing muscle fibers to remain tight. Research on magnesium supplementation and muscle cramps is mixed, as many factors contribute to muscle health.
Magnesium plays a key role in cardiovascular health. Hypomagnesemia can disrupt the electrical activity of the heart, potentially leading to palpitations or arrhythmias.
Magnesium is necessary for regulating the heart muscle and maintaining the balance of electrolytes that control its rhythm. Low magnesium levels can cause palpitations, which feel like fluttering, racing, or pounding in the chest cavity.
Palpitations can also occur along with shortness of breath, anxiety and dizziness. Severe cases of magnesium deficiency can cause serious arrhythmias, requiring extensive cardiac care.
Certain groups have an increased risk of developing magnesium deficiency due to biological, environmental and social influences. Those at risk for low magnesium include:
- Older adults: Older adults tend to absorb less magnesium from the gut while losing more through renal excretion. Estrogen deficiency can also contribute to low magnesium levels in aging people.
- People with gastrointestinal diseases: Those with gastrointestinal diseases, such as Crohn’s disease, celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease, may not be able to absorb magnesium effectively.
- People with type 2 diabetes: High glucose levels can increase urine output, increasing the risk of excretory magnesium loss.
- People with alcohol addiction: Those affected by long-term alcoholism may have difficulty absorbing magnesium in the intestines.
- People taking certain medicines: Some medications, such as diuretics, proton pump inhibitors, and immunosuppressants, can affect magnesium levels.
Dietary intake is an effective way to increase magnesium levels. Focus on magnesium-rich foods such as leafy green vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Chia and pumpkin seeds are especially rich in magnesium. Spinach and salmon are also popular magnesium-rich foods.
Including these foods in a well-balanced diet can help increase magnesium levels naturally. If you can’t meet your nutrient needs through whole foods, magnesium supplements can help bridge the gap.
Magnesium supplements are available, such as magnesium citrate and magnesium oxide. Some forms are more easily absorbed, so it’s important to check with your doctor before starting a new magnesium supplement.
Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in hundreds of bodily processes. Signs of low magnesium levels include nausea and vomiting, fatigue, headaches, muscle cramps, decreased appetite, poor sleep, and palpitations.
The body cannot produce magnesium, emphasizing the importance of meeting your needs through diet. A doctor or registered dietitian can help you determine your individual magnesium needs.
Sources of magnesium include whole grains, leafy greens, nuts, seeds and legumes. Magnesium supplements can also help correct nutrient deficiencies.