Magnesium is a key mineral crucial to hundreds of metabolic processes in the body. It’s an important regulator of muscle contraction, nerve function, and energy production. People are looking for that magic pill. All good things have their side effects and eating excess magnesium can be harmful. Healthy adults aged 19 years and older should not get more than 350 milligrams per day of supplemental magnesium. Exceeding this threshold can lead to health complications, including magnesium toxicity.
Experts point out that it’s crucial to stick to daily recommended values, which are different based on age and sex, and are much lower than the average American consumes. Young men (14-18 years old) need about 410 milligrams of magnesium per day. At the same time, adult women aged 31 years and up require 320 mg per day. This is especially true for pregnant and breastfeeding women, who have tailored recommendations to ensure their health and that of their infants.
Recommended Daily Values
The current recommended daily value for magnesium intake varies widely. It varies based on age, sex, and more specific physiological states including pregnancy and lactation.
For boys of 14-18 years old, the adequate intake is 410 mg per day. Men 19-30 years old, slightly lower at 400 mg. For men 31 years and older, the requirement remains constant at 420 mg. Women follow opposite recommendations. The recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) of calcium for young women age 14-18 is 360 milligrams, and 19-30 years is 310 milligrams per day. Women older than 31 years need around 320 mg.
In addition, pregnant women have higher magnesium requirements. Teens 14-18 need 400 milligrams, and women 19-30 need at least 350 milligrams. Breastfeeding women require varied daily nutrient intakes depending on their age. For teenagers between 14 and 18 years old, that’s 360 mg. For people 19-30, it’s 310 mg, and for women older than 31, the requirement is 320 mg.
The Risks of Excessive Magnesium Intake
Although magnesium is an important nutrient for all humans, too much magnesium can have negative consequences. The Institute of Medicine’s threshold for supplemental magnesium is 350 milligrams for adults. When individuals consume more than this amount, especially through supplements rather than food sources, they face increased risks of gastrointestinal side effects.
Intestinal reactions happen because magnesium works on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, as well. At high doses, this can cause unwanted effects like diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal cramping. The increased risk of these side effects occurs at doses exceeding the recommended maximum dose. So people need to be careful when taking magnesium supplements, particularly if they are eating plenty of magnesium foods, too.
Understanding Magnesium Toxicity
Magnesium toxicity is a life-threatening crisis caused when magnesium levels in the blood exceed safe limits. Normal blood magnesium levels usually fall between 0.75 and 0.95 millimoles per liter. When magnesium reaches levels of 1.74 to 2.61 millimoles per liter, toxicity occurs. This can frequently be from over-supplementation or lack of kidney function, which doesn’t allow the body to properly excrete magnesium.
These symptoms of magnesium toxicity include severe diarrhea, lethargy, muscle weakness and confusion. In severe cases, it can even result in cardiac arrest or respiratory failure. To avoid the risk of toxicity, adults should not go over a daily intake of 5,000 milligrams in any case.
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