Do Magnesium Supplements Actually Work?

Key Takeaways

Magnesium has recently been touted as a potential treatment for a wide range of health conditions, with TikTok users claiming it can help with everything from high blood pressure to migraine to mental health issues. Videos on the benefits of magnesium supplements have garnered thousands of views and led many people to try them for various ailments.

Magnesium is a mineral that affects our health in many ways. “Magnesium has a big job,”Amber Core, MDN, RD, a dietitian at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told Verywell. “It helps to maintain brain and heart function, regulate blood pressure, allow muscles and nerves to function, form bones and teeth, and [it] supports the immune system.”

Many people don’t get enough of the mineral, partly because so much of the food we eat is processed,Marie van der Merwe, PhD, coordinator of the applied physiology and nutrition doctoral program at the University of Memphis, told Verywell. Research suggests as much as 80% of the magnesium found in some foods is lost when food is processed—which could be why 79% of Americans don’t get enough through their diet.

While magnesium is an essential nutrient, you should check with a healthcare provider before adding the supplement to your regimen to treat any new symptoms you’re experiencing.

“Supplements can be helpful, although it’s best to review [your options] with a provider first,” Julia Zumpano, RD, a dietitian at Cleveland Clinic, told Verywell. This is, in part, because magnesium supplements can interact with certain medications—or they may not be a good fit as a treatment for the symptoms you’re experiencing.

What Does Magnesium Do for the Body—And How Much Should You Get Each Day?

“Magnesium is a co-factor for over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body,” Core said. These include protein synthesis, blood pressure and blood glucose regulation, muscle and nerve function, and DNA and RNA synthesis. It also supports the structure component of bones, Core explained.

That said, if you’re low on magnesium, you may start feeling less than your best for any number of reasons. “It’s like a domino effect,” van der Merwe said. “Having lower magnesium creates a negative feedback loop” in the body.

Women need 310 to 320 milligrams (mg) of magnesium a day, while men need 400 to 420 mg. For reference, one ounce of dry roasted almonds contains 80 mg of magnesium; half a cup of boiled spinach contains 78 mg; and two tablespoons of smooth peanut butter contain 49 mg.

If you’re experiencingsymptomsof low magnesium, you should try to increase your magnesium through food. “I approach nutrition with a ‘food first’ mentality, in that we should get as many nutrients as possible from our foods before adding in supplements as needed,” Core said. “The nutrients in foods are easier for our bodies to use and absorb, as opposed to their elemental form in supplements.”

The following are the best dietary sources of magnesium:

That said, many people could benefit from adding a magnesium supplement to their daily routine, van der Merwe said, given how prevalent deficiencies are and how important the mineral is.

“But you should always consult [a healthcare provider], especially if you’re taking another medication,” she added. Some medications can interact with magnesium supplements.

What Magnesium Can—and Can’t—Help With

Because magnesium is involved in so many bodily processes, if you start getting enough magnesium after being deficient, you may begin to notice that you feel better, van der Merwe said. Some symptoms that have been bothering you, such as having low energy, headaches, anxiety, or feeling depleted, may lift.

Blood Pressure

Some of the TikTok claims about magnesium’s ability to help with certain health conditions aren’t necessarily wrong. “Some studies have shown that magnesium supplementation can modestly decrease blood pressure,” Zumpano said. However, more research on the topic is needed.

Mental Health

Migraine Prevention

There’s no evidence to suggest that a daily magnesium supplement affects some of the health conditions discussed on TikTok. The research on magnesium supplements formigraine preventionis inconclusive: “Some studies show benefit, and some do not,” Zumpano said.

Physical Performance

When to Try a Different Approach to Manage Symptoms

“[You should] be sure you addresslifestyle factorsthat may be affecting the symptoms you are experiencing,” Zumpano said. This can look like the following, she added:

“If you have covered all these bases but are still experiencing concerning [symptoms], that is where supplements can help,” Zumpano said.

If you’re dealing with any of the aforementioned health conditions—such as anxiety, high blood pressure, or migraine—a healthcare provider may suggest medication in addition to—or in place of—supplements, experts said.

“While proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle are key for preventing a myriad of conditions, [you may] require medication as a treatment,” Core said. “Supplements can help to improve health, but are not meant to cure any conditions.”

Your healthcare provider can also help you pick theright supplementif advisable. “Supplements are not regulated, therefore [you have to] choose supplements that have been [independently] tested,” Zumpano explained.

Ultimately, it’s worth talking to a provider before making any changes, no matter how harmless they seem. “Always discuss your concerns with your doctor,” Core said.

Magnesium: Benefits, Side Effects, Dosage, Interactions

What This Means For YouMagnesium is key for many bodily processes, and not getting enough of the mineral can negatively impact your health. But taking a magnesium supplement isn’t a guaranteed way to treat any health conditions or worrisome symptoms. Before taking a magnesium supplement, you should talk to a healthcare provider to make sure it’s the best option for you.

What This Means For You

Magnesium is key for many bodily processes, and not getting enough of the mineral can negatively impact your health. But taking a magnesium supplement isn’t a guaranteed way to treat any health conditions or worrisome symptoms. Before taking a magnesium supplement, you should talk to a healthcare provider to make sure it’s the best option for you.

8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Dai Q, Zhu X, Manson JE, et al.Magnesium status and supplementation influence vitamin D status and metabolism: results from a randomized trial.Am J Clin Nutr. 2018;108(6):1249-1258. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqy274Cazzola R, Della Porta M, Manoni M, Iotti S, Pinotti L, Maier JA.Going to the roots of reduced magnesium dietary intake: a tradeoff between climate changes and sources.Heliyon.2020;6(11):e05390. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05390Pickering G, Mazur A, Trousselard M, et al.Magnesium status and stress: the vicious circle concept revisited.Nutrients. 2020;12(12):3672. doi:10.3390/nu12123672National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Magnesium: fact sheet for health professionals.Gröber U.Magnesium and drugs.Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(9):2094. doi:10.3390/ijms20092094Zhang X, Li Y, Del Gobbo LC, et al.Effects of magnesium supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials.Hypertension. 2016;68(2):324-333. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.116.07664Dolati S, Rikhtegar R, Mehdizadeh A, Yousefi M.The role of magnesium in pathophysiology and migraine treatment.Biol Trace Elem Res. 2020;196(2):375-383. doi:10.1007/s12011-019-01931-zTeigen L, Boes CJ.An evidence-based review of oral magnesium supplementation in the preventive treatment of migraine.Cephalalgia. 2015;35(10):912-922. doi:10.1177/0333102414564891

8 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Dai Q, Zhu X, Manson JE, et al.Magnesium status and supplementation influence vitamin D status and metabolism: results from a randomized trial.Am J Clin Nutr. 2018;108(6):1249-1258. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqy274Cazzola R, Della Porta M, Manoni M, Iotti S, Pinotti L, Maier JA.Going to the roots of reduced magnesium dietary intake: a tradeoff between climate changes and sources.Heliyon.2020;6(11):e05390. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05390Pickering G, Mazur A, Trousselard M, et al.Magnesium status and stress: the vicious circle concept revisited.Nutrients. 2020;12(12):3672. doi:10.3390/nu12123672National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Magnesium: fact sheet for health professionals.Gröber U.Magnesium and drugs.Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(9):2094. doi:10.3390/ijms20092094Zhang X, Li Y, Del Gobbo LC, et al.Effects of magnesium supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials.Hypertension. 2016;68(2):324-333. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.116.07664Dolati S, Rikhtegar R, Mehdizadeh A, Yousefi M.The role of magnesium in pathophysiology and migraine treatment.Biol Trace Elem Res. 2020;196(2):375-383. doi:10.1007/s12011-019-01931-zTeigen L, Boes CJ.An evidence-based review of oral magnesium supplementation in the preventive treatment of migraine.Cephalalgia. 2015;35(10):912-922. doi:10.1177/0333102414564891

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Dai Q, Zhu X, Manson JE, et al.Magnesium status and supplementation influence vitamin D status and metabolism: results from a randomized trial.Am J Clin Nutr. 2018;108(6):1249-1258. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqy274Cazzola R, Della Porta M, Manoni M, Iotti S, Pinotti L, Maier JA.Going to the roots of reduced magnesium dietary intake: a tradeoff between climate changes and sources.Heliyon.2020;6(11):e05390. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05390Pickering G, Mazur A, Trousselard M, et al.Magnesium status and stress: the vicious circle concept revisited.Nutrients. 2020;12(12):3672. doi:10.3390/nu12123672National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Magnesium: fact sheet for health professionals.Gröber U.Magnesium and drugs.Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(9):2094. doi:10.3390/ijms20092094Zhang X, Li Y, Del Gobbo LC, et al.Effects of magnesium supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials.Hypertension. 2016;68(2):324-333. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.116.07664Dolati S, Rikhtegar R, Mehdizadeh A, Yousefi M.The role of magnesium in pathophysiology and migraine treatment.Biol Trace Elem Res. 2020;196(2):375-383. doi:10.1007/s12011-019-01931-zTeigen L, Boes CJ.An evidence-based review of oral magnesium supplementation in the preventive treatment of migraine.Cephalalgia. 2015;35(10):912-922. doi:10.1177/0333102414564891

Dai Q, Zhu X, Manson JE, et al.Magnesium status and supplementation influence vitamin D status and metabolism: results from a randomized trial.Am J Clin Nutr. 2018;108(6):1249-1258. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqy274

Cazzola R, Della Porta M, Manoni M, Iotti S, Pinotti L, Maier JA.Going to the roots of reduced magnesium dietary intake: a tradeoff between climate changes and sources.Heliyon.2020;6(11):e05390. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05390

Pickering G, Mazur A, Trousselard M, et al.Magnesium status and stress: the vicious circle concept revisited.Nutrients. 2020;12(12):3672. doi:10.3390/nu12123672

National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Magnesium: fact sheet for health professionals.

Gröber U.Magnesium and drugs.Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(9):2094. doi:10.3390/ijms20092094

Zhang X, Li Y, Del Gobbo LC, et al.Effects of magnesium supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials.Hypertension. 2016;68(2):324-333. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.116.07664

Dolati S, Rikhtegar R, Mehdizadeh A, Yousefi M.The role of magnesium in pathophysiology and migraine treatment.Biol Trace Elem Res. 2020;196(2):375-383. doi:10.1007/s12011-019-01931-z

Teigen L, Boes CJ.An evidence-based review of oral magnesium supplementation in the preventive treatment of migraine.Cephalalgia. 2015;35(10):912-922. doi:10.1177/0333102414564891

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