Generally, it is not necessary to take any type of food supplement, neither magnesium nor other minerals or vitamins, as long as your diet is balanced and meets your individual needs. It is important to recognize that food supplements are not always safe, and can sometimes have harmful effects.
There are situations, such as sports, when your nutritional needs may be increased and, if your diet is not accurately monitored, deficiencies may occur. Nutritional deficiencies of vitamins and minerals can have negative health consequences. In case of a proven deficiency of any vitamin or mineral, it is recommended to take a vitamin-mineral supplement until the values are restored.
Food supplements should never be taken without professional advice. The best course of action is to have a health professional diagnose the deficit and recommend the appropriate supplement, its dosage, the duration of treatment, and the appropriate dietary corrections to restore the balance again.
If we focus on magnesium supplements, which are fashionable nowadays, we see a clear example of a great marketing job. Back in the 80's magnesium had a substantial impact, but soon lost relevance. Today, with more aggressive advertising and new communication channels, magnesium has re-emerged as a remedy for all ailments.
It is true that magnesium is a very important mineral for the human being, since it participates in more than 300 metabolic reactions. However, there is a large difference between participating in these reactions and being a cure-all.
There are many studies on the intake of magnesium and its impact on the human body. Based on these studies, scientific evidence has been established regarding the degree of recommendation or effectiveness of magnesium for treating different conditions.
According to MedlinePlus (a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine), the scientific evidence for magnesium reads as follows:
Taking magnesium is probably safe for most people when taken by mouth or injected, when following a prescription.
In some people, magnesium may cause an upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and other side effects.
Doses of less than 350 mg per day are safe for most adults. When taken in large amounts, magnesium is possibly unsafe.
High doses may lead to a buildup of magnesium in the body, producing serious side effects including cardiac arrhythmias, low blood pressure, confusion, slowed breathing, coma, and death.
Exercise special caution during pregnancy and lactation; if you have heart block or kidney problems, such as kidney failure; if you are taking drugs such as some antibiotics (aminoglycoside, quinolone or tetracycline antibiotics), bisphosphonates, calcium channel blockers, potassium-sparing diuretics or muscle relaxants; or if you are taking herbs and supplements such as boron, calcium, vitamin D or zinc.
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