Benefits & Side Effects of Magnesium Supplements

Your body needs magnesium for healthy teeth, bones and muscle development. Magnesium also regulates the level of calcium and other minerals, and according to the National Institutes of Health is needed for over 300 biochemical reactions in the human body.

Your body stores magnesium in bone and muscle tissues. Even though magnesium deficiency is rare in the United States, there is concern that many people don't have enough stored magnesium from diet. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that having enough body stores of magnesium can help protect you against cardiovascular disease and immune system disorders.

Heart Health

• A healthy heart needs magnesium.

  Your heart needs magnesium to be healthy. Studies by the United States Department of Agriculture Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center found that chronic magnesium deficiency produces high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and abnormal heart rhythms.

  Magnesium aids in the contraction of muscles, such as the heart, and increases the level of needed antioxidant enzymes in the blood. According to the National Institutes of Health, studies of diets rich in magnesium, calcium and potassium show corresponding healthy blood pressure levels.

Insulin Response

• Magnesium may improve insulin response.

  The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements reports that there is a link between low magnesium levels and diabetes. People with high blood glucose levels have low levels of magnesium in their kidneys. An increase in magnesium intake may be a means of managing insulin production and blood glucose levels.

  The evidence shows that magnesium plays a big role in carbohydrate metabolism and insulin response especially in elderly patients. Magnesium supplements may prove beneficial in improving insulin response and action.

Abdominal Cramping and Toxic Buildup

• Side effects from oversupplementing include diarrhea and irregular heartbeat.

  Magnesium supplements often come in the form of magnesium salts, tablets, magnesium citrate, and magnesium hydroxide. The NIH recommends that magnesium be supplemented from natural sources such as sunflower seeds, greens, and chocolate.

  Dietary magnesium poses no danger to your health, but pharmacological doses of magnesium in supplements can cause diarrhea and abdominal cramping. People with kidney disorders should avoid magnesium supplements because of the kidneys' lessened ability to remove excess magnesium, which could lead to toxic levels of the mineral.

  Overconsumption of magnesium laxatives can also cause toxic build up of the mineral. According to the NIH, this can cause appetite loss, breathing problems, low blood pressure, and irregular heartbeat.