Magnesium is needed by our body to carry out normal body functions. It is the fourth most abundant element found in the bones, teeth and in the red blood cells of the body. You can take magnesium from food sources or in the form of magnesium supplements.
The good sources of magnesium include green leafy vegetables, Brazil nut, almonds, peanuts, oatmeal, chocolate, fennel seeds, whole wheat bread, baked potatoes, soybean flour and more. But sometimes, magnesium needed by the body is not met by food sources and in this case, magnesium supplements should be taken for proper functioning of the body.
Magnesium supplements are available in many forms including magnesium chloride, magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium arginate, magnesium gluconate and others. On an average adult, it is required to have 270-400 mg of magnesium intake in a day taken in small doses with water. You need supplements during certain medical conditions due to magnesium deficiency caused by excessive loss or due to improper magnesium absorption. You should always take magnesium supplements after your doctor's prescription as they know the benefits and side effects of these supplements to the body.
You can have several health benefits by taking magnesium supplements. If you are diabetic, then magnesium supplements can help in improving the insulin level and glucose intolerance by maintaining adequate level of magnesium in the body.
Magnesium deficiency in your body can result in various heart diseases. Magnesium supplements helps in treating high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, coronary artery disease, abnormal heart arrhythmias and heart attack by maintaining blood level of magnesium and relaxing heart muscles. Women need magnesium supplements to maintain their health. It helps in combating symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and at the time of menopause. If you are pregnant, then you can avoid complications during pregnancy and delivery such as premature labor, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia and placenta previa. They are also needed for building healthy bones and preventing osteoporosis by helping in enhancing bone mass.
Magnesium also helps in calcium, sodium and potassium absorption in the blood stream needed by body. If you are suffering from asthma attacks, then magnesium supplements can help you in achieving normal breathing by helping to relax the bronchial muscles.
Magnesium supplements should not be taken in over doses as they can cause certain side effects that harm your body. You can suffer from symptoms like tiredness, weakness, cramps in abdomen and legs, diarrhea, and nausea with vomiting and low blood pressure. They can be very harmful to your heart sometimes causing death. They can cause difficulty in breathing, loss of appetite, flashes of heat and fainting. Overdose of magnesium can disrupt the calcium level of the body resulting in muscle contractions and hindering normal functioning of hormone secretion and functioning of central nervous system.