What Happens to Your Blood Pressure When You Start Taking Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that supports the immune system, maintains normal muscle and nerve function, supports bone strength and ensures a normal heart rhythm. Research also suggests that taking a magnesium supplement may benefit the heart.

Studies indicate that taking magnesium supplements may help lower blood pressure, especially in people with hypertension.

Research suggests that taking 500 to 1,000 milligrams of magnesium supplements per day can help lower systolic blood pressure (the top number) by up to 2.7 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) to 5.6 mm Hg, and lower diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) by up to 1.7 mm Hg to 3.4 mm Hg.

High blood pressure – or hypertension – is associated with a lower risk of death due to:

• Coronary heart disease (CHD): Also called ischemic heart disease, coronary heart disease is a type of heart disease that occurs when the arteries of the heart cannot supply enough oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle.
• Congestive heart failure: Heart disease that occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood efficiently. As a result, the body does not receive the amount of oxygen it needs to stay healthy.
• Cerebrovascular accidents (CVA): CVA is the medical term for stroke, which is an interruption of blood flow to brain cells.

More research is needed to determine how magnesium works to lower blood pressure. However, some evidence suggests that magnesium influences several pathways in your body responsible for decreasing circulating volume (the total amount of blood in the circulatory system). This potentially improves the ability of your arteries to expand and contract.

Additionally, magnesium is necessary for regulating normal heart rate and maintaining a regular heartbeat.

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of magnesium per day is:

• Men aged 19 to 30: 400 milligrams (mg)
• Women aged 19 to 30: 310 mg
• Men aged 31 and over: 420 mg
• Women aged 31 and over: 320 mg

In the United States, magnesium deficiency is rare in healthy individuals. However, you can lose a lot of magnesium due to very low dietary intake, chronic (long-term) alcoholism, and taking certain medications (such as loop diuretics and proton pump inhibitors).

To help reduce blood pressure, there are a number of diet and lifestyle changes you can make into your daily routine. These include:

• Eat a nutritious and balanced diet
• Doing daily movements, such as walking, running, or other forms of physical activity
• Manage your stress level
• Stop smoking
• Reduce or avoid alcohol
• Maintain a healthy weight

If you are considering adding a magnesium supplement to your daily routine or would like to increase your dietary magnesium through magnesium-rich foods, it is important to talk to your healthcare professional. They can develop a personalized treatment plan for you if your blood pressure results are too high.