What Happens If You Take Too Much Magnesium
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Too much magnesium can cause diarrhea and abdominal cramps. In severe cases, it can lead to difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat, and death.
Serious magnesium toxicity is not that common. Supplements are often presented in much higher doses than those found in foods, so the risk of hypermagnesemia (magnesium overdose) is much higher.
Early signs of a magnesium overdose include:
- Blurred vision
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Rinsing
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Slowed reflexes
- Weakness
Symptoms of magnesium overdose can be serious because of all the roles magnesium plays in the body. Magnesium overdose can lead to muscle paralysis and cardiac arrest.
Magnesium does so much for your body, so it’s important to get enough of it. The amount you need depends on your age, gender and health.
The amount of magnesium per day, measured in milligrams, you may need includes:
| Age | Men | Women | Pregnant | UL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-6 months | 30 | 30 | ||
| 7-12 months | 75 | 75 | ||
| 1-3 years | 80 | 80 | 65 | |
| 4-8 years | 130 | 130 | 110 | |
| 9-13 years old | 240 | 240 | 350 | |
| 14-18 years old | 410 | 360 | 400 | 350 |
| 19-30 years old | 400 | 310 | 350 | 350 |
| 31 years and over | 420 | 320 | 360 | 350 |
To check for a magnesium overdose, a healthcare professional will draw your blood. Normal levels are usually around 1.8 to 2.3 milligrams per deciliter.
The severity of a magnesium overdose includes:
- Benign: Less than 7 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL)
- Moderate: 7-12 mg/dL
- Severe: More than 12 mg/dL
Magnesium overdose can be overlooked initially. Checking blood magnesium levels is not that common and the symptoms of magnesium overdose are not unique.
Diagnosis often involves a process of ruling out other conditions such as kidney failure, hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), and high potassium levels.
The best way to increase your magnesium intake is through your diet. Foods rich in magnesium include:
- Fortified breakfast cereals
- Fruits (e.g. bananas, avocados, apples)
- Legumes (e.g. black beans, kidney beans, edamame)
- Meat (e.g. chicken breast, beef)
- Nuts and seeds (e.g. pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almonds)
- Oatmeal
- Rice
- Seafood (e.g. salmon, halibut)
- Soy milk
- Vegetables (e.g. spinach, broccoli, carrots)
These foods contain other nutrients like antioxidants and fiber that supplements don’t have. Eating foods rich in magnesium also doesn’t pose much risk of overdose.
Should you take supplements?
Taking a magnesium supplement within the recommended daily intake is likely safe and may support overall health. Just be sure to talk with a healthcare professional about a safe dosage.
Talk to a healthcare professional before starting a supplement if you are at high risk of magnesium overdose. They may check your magnesium levels more often.
A magnesium overdose is not that common, but some people are at higher risk.
Risk factors that increase the likelihood of an overdose include:
- Certain medications: Certain medications, such as anticholinergics or opioids, can increase magnesium absorption.
- Renal failure: The kidneys help eliminate magnesium. People with kidney damage or disease are more likely to consume too much magnesium.
- Magnesium supplements: Taking high-dose supplements, often to treat constipation, increases the risk of overdoing it.
- Preeclampsia: This is high blood pressure during pregnancy. High doses of intravenous (IV) magnesium are used to prevent eclamptic seizures in pregnant women.
Talk to a healthcare professional if you are taking a magnesium supplement or have kidney failure and have symptoms of overdose.
A mild overdose of magnesium often does not cause symptoms. Your magnesium levels may already have progressed to a moderate overdose if you are experiencing symptoms. It is best to act early to prevent this from progressing to a severe overdose.
Treatment for a magnesium overdose depends on its severity. Stopping magnesium supplements can treat a mild overdose.
Severe cases may require hospitalization to monitor your heart function and blood pressure. A doctor may give IV calcium and saline to compensate for the magnesium. IV diuretics or hemodialysis can remove magnesium more quickly.
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