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NUTRITION " Evidence Based

10 Evidence-Based
Health Benefits of
Magnesium
Written by Franziska Spritzler on
September 3, 2018

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Magnesium is the fourth most

abundant mineral in the human body.

It plays several important roles in the

health of your body and brain.

However, you may not be getting

enough of it, even if you eat a healthy
diet.

Here are 10 evidence-based health

benefits of magnesium.

1. Magnesium Is Involved
in Hundreds of
Biochemical Reactions in
Your Body
Magnesium is a mineral found in the
earth, sea, plants, animals and
humans.

About 60% of the magnesium in your

body is found in bone, while the rest
is in muscles, soft tissues and fluids,
including blood (1 ! ).

In fact, every cell in your body

contains it and needs it to function.

One of magnesium’s main roles is

acting as a cofactor or helper
molecule in the biochemical
reactions continuously performed by
enzymes.

In fact, it’s involved in more than 600

reactions in your body, including
(2 ! ):

Energy creation: Helps convert

food into energy.

Protein formation: Helps create

new proteins from amino acids.

Gene maintenance: Helps

create and repair DNA and
RNA.

Muscle movements: Is part of

the contraction and relaxation
of muscles.

Nervous system regulation:

Helps regulate
neurotransmitters, which send
messages throughout your
brain and nervous system.

Unfortunately, studies suggest that

about 50% of people in the US and
Europe get less than the
recommended daily amount of
magnesium (1 ! , 3 ! ).

SUMMARY

Magnesium is a mineral that

supports hundreds of
chemical reactions in your
body. However, many
people get less than they
need.

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2. It May Boost Exercise

Performance
Magnesium also plays a role in
exercise performance.

During exercise, you may need 10–

20% more magnesium than when
you’re resting, depending on the
activity (4 ! ).

Magnesium helps move blood sugar

into your muscles and dispose of
lactate, which can build up during
exercise and cause fatigue (5 ! ).

Studies have shown that

supplementing with it can boost
exercise performance for athletes,
the elderly and people with chronic
disease (6 ! , 7 ! , 8 ! ).

In one study, volleyball players who

took 250 mg of magnesium per day
experienced improvements in
jumping and arm movements (9 ! ).

In another study, athletes who

supplemented with magnesium for
four weeks had faster running,
cycling and swimming times during a
triathlon. They also experienced
reductions in insulin and stress
hormone levels (10 ! ).

However, the evidence is mixed.

Other studies have found no benefit
of magnesium supplements in
athletes with low or normal levels of
the mineral (11 ! , 12 ! ).

SUMMARY

Magnesium supplements
have been shown to
enhance exercise
performance in several
studies, but research results
are mixed.

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3. Magnesium Fights
Depression
Magnesium plays a critical role in
brain function and mood, and low
levels are linked to an increased risk
of depression (13 ! , 14 ! ).

One analysis in over 8,800 people

found that people under the age of
65 with the lowest magnesium intake
had a 22% greater risk of depression
(14 ! ).

Some experts believe the low

magnesium content of modern food
may cause many cases of depression
and mental illness (15 ! ).

However, others emphasize the need

for more research in this area (16 ! ).

Nonetheless, supplementing with this

mineral may help reduce symptoms
of depression — and in some cases,
the results can be dramatic (15 ! ,
17 ! ).

In a randomized controlled trial in

depressed older adults, 450 mg of
magnesium daily improved mood as
effectively as an antidepressant drug
(17 ! ).

SUMMARY

There may be a link

between depression and
magnesium deficiency.
Supplementing with it can
reduce symptoms of
depression in some people.

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4. It Has Benefits Against

Type 2 Diabetes
Magnesium also benefits people with
type 2 diabetes.

Studies suggest that about 48% of

people with type 2 diabetes have low
levels of magnesium in their blood.
This can impair insulin’s ability to
keep blood sugar levels under
control (1 ! , 18 ! ).

Additionally, research indicates that

people with a low magnesium intake
have a higher risk of developing
diabetes (19 ! , 20 ! ).

One study which followed more than

4,000 people for 20 years found that
those with the highest magnesium
intake were 47% less likely to
develop diabetes (21 ! ).

Another study showed that people

with type 2 diabetes taking high
doses of magnesium each day
experienced significant
improvements in blood sugar and
hemoglobin A1c levels, compared to
a control group (22 ! ).

However, these effects may depend

on how much magnesium you’re
getting from food. In a different study,
supplements did not improve blood
sugar or insulin levels in people who
weren’t deficient (23 ! ).

SUMMARY

People who get the most

magnesium have a lower
risk of type 2 diabetes.
Moreover, supplements
have been shown to lower
blood sugar in some people.

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5. Magnesium Can Lower

Blood Pressure
Studies show that taking magnesium
can lower blood pressure (24 ! , 25 ! ,
26 ! ).

In one study, people who took 450

mg per day experienced a significant
decrease in systolic and diastolic
blood pressure (27 ! ).

However, these benefits may only

occur in people who have high blood
pressure.

Another study found that magnesium

lowered blood pressure in people
with high blood pressure but had no
effect on those with normal levels
(28 ! ).

SUMMARY

Magnesium helps lower

blood pressure in people
with elevated levels but
does not seem to have the
same effect in those with
normal levels.

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6. It Has Anti-
Inflammatory Benefits
Low magnesium intake is linked to
chronic inflammation, which is one of
the drivers of aging, obesity and
chronic disease (29 ! , 30 ! , 31 ! ).

In one study, children with the lowest

blood magnesium levels were found
to have the highest levels of the
inflammatory marker CRP.

They also had higher blood sugar,

insulin and triglyceride levels (32 ! ).

Magnesium supplements can reduce

CRP and other markers of
inflammation in older adults,
overweight people and those with
prediabetes (33 ! , 34 ! , 35 ! ).

In the same way, high-magnesium

foods — such as fatty fish and dark
chocolate — can reduce
inflammation.

SUMMARY

Magnesium has been shown

to help fight inflammation. It
reduces the inflammatory
marker CRP and provides
several other benefits.

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7. Magnesium Can Help

Prevent Migraines
Migraine headaches are painful and
debilitating. Nausea, vomiting and
sensitivity to light and noise often
occur.

Some researchers believe that

people who suffer from migraines are
more likely than others to be
magnesium deficient (36 ! ).

In fact, a few encouraging studies

suggest that magnesium can prevent
and even help treat migraines (37 ! ,
38 ! ).

In one study, supplementing with 1

gram of magnesium provided relief
from an acute migraine attack more
quickly and effectively than a
common medication (39 ! ).

Additionally, magnesium-rich foods

may help reduce migraine symptoms
(40 ! ).

SUMMARY

People with frequent

migraines may have low
magnesium levels. Some
studies show that
supplementing with this
mineral can provide relief
from migraines.

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8. It Reduces Insulin
Resistance
Insulin resistance is one of the
leading causes of metabolic
syndrome and type 2 diabetes.

It’s characterized by an impaired

ability of muscle and liver cells to
properly absorb sugar from your
bloodstream.

Magnesium plays a crucial role in this

process, and many people with
metabolic syndrome are deficient
(3 ! ).

In addition, the high levels of insulin

that accompany insulin resistance
lead to the loss of magnesium
through urine, further reducing your
body’s levels (41 ! ).

Fortunately, increasing magnesium

intake can help (42 ! , 43 ! , 44 ! ).

One study found that supplementing

with this mineral reduced insulin
resistance and blood sugar levels,
even in people with normal blood
levels (45 ! ).

SUMMARY

Magnesium supplements
may improve insulin
resistance in people with
metabolic syndrome and
type 2 diabetes.

9. Magnesium Improves
PMS Symptoms
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is one
of the most common disorders
among women of childbearing age.

Its symptoms include water retention,

abdominal cramps, tiredness and
irritability.

Interestingly, magnesium has been

shown to improve mood, reduce
water retention and other symptoms
in women with PMS (46 ! , 47 ! ).

SUMMARY

Magnesium supplements
have been shown to
improve symptoms that
occur in women with PMS.

10. Magnesium Is Safe

and Widely Available
Magnesium is absolutely essential for
good health. The recommended daily
intake is 400–420 mg per day for
men and 310–320 mg per day for
women (48 ! ).

You can get it from both food and

supplements.

Food Sources

The following foods are good to

excellent sources of magnesium (49):

Pumpkin seeds: 46% of the RDI

in a quarter cup (16 grams)

Spinach, boiled: 39% of the RDI

in a cup (180 grams)

Swiss chard, boiled: 38% of the

RDI in a cup (175 grams)

Dark chocolate (70–85%

cocoa): 33% of the RDI in 3.5
ounces (100 grams)

Black beans: 30% of the RDI in

a cup (172 grams)

Quinoa, cooked: 33% of the RDI

the in a cup (185 grams)

Halibut: 27% of the RDI in 3.5

ounces (100 grams)

Almonds: 25% of the RDI in a

quarter cup (24 grams)

Cashews: 25% of the RDI in a

quarter cup (30 grams)

Mackerel: 19% of the RDI in 3.5

ounces (100 grams)

Avocado: 15% of the RDI in one

medium avocado (200 grams)

Salmon: 9% of the RDI in 3.5

ounces (100 grams)

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