Supplements are a popular staple for many. Although eating healthy is the best way to receive proper nutrients, some individuals take supplements to ensure they get essential vitamins and minerals daily. For instance, magnesium supplements are said to boost athletic performance, promote heart health, and even lower body mass index (BMI). So, we reached out to an expert to learn if, in fact, taking a magnesium supplement can help speed up weight loss and have all the details.
What is magnesium, and does it promote weight loss?
“Magnesium is a cofactor involved in more than 300 enzymatic reactions that regulate the body systems, including blood pressure, blood sugar, muscle and nerve function, and bone health,” says Jessica G. Anderson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, ACSM EP-C, a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics from Top Nutrition Coaching.
Magnesium supplements may help with weight loss, especially if you have low magnesium levels. However, Anderson advocates a “food first” approach. In other words, maximize your consumption of foods rich in magnesium! This includes adding items like legumes, dark leafy greens, whole greens, seeds, and nuts to your shopping cart.
Anderson explains, “While these foods are rich in magnesium, they also contain a wide array of essential nutrients to promote optimal health and well-being, including dietary fiber—a prebiotic feeding the good bacteria of the gut, reducing low-grade chronic inflammation affecting glucose metabolism.”
Supplements can help you boost your magnesium levels to where they should be for the recommended daily allowance, but supplements alone may not trigger weight loss. Instead, Anderson recommends, “Consider all avenues of healthy eating, active living, and stress management to support a healthy weight. Correction of poor dietary and lifestyle habits while temporarily supplementing with magnesium may be an inexpensive but valuable tool to promote optimal health and well-being.”
How much magnesium do you need daily?
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for magnesium for individuals who are 31 years of age and older is 320 mg for females and 420 mg for males. Those between 19 and 30 years of age are recommended to take 400 mg (males) and 310 mg (females).
Anderson notes that taking a small dose of 200 to 300 mg of magnesium once or twice daily can help boost magnesium levels.
“Today’s Western Diet contains only 30% to 50% of the magnesium RDA due to elevated consumption of processed foods, demineralized water, and low amounts of vegetables and legumes often grown in magnesium-poor soil,” explains Anderson.
What does that mean? We seemingly are not getting enough magnesium in general.
Anderson points out that in populations with a low magnesium status, taking magnesium supplements may indirectly aid weight loss by way of boosting gut health and insulin sensitivity. “Optimal magnesium status contributes to post-receptor insulin signaling involved in the uptake of glucose into the cell—improving energy metabolism,” she says. “Through the presence of improved glucose regulation, both the structure and diversity of the gut are enhanced.”
As with everything related to your health and well-being, it’s always advisable to consult with your physician to learn what is best for you. Anderson cautions, “Unabsorbed magnesium promotes intestinal motility, which can lead to nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal cramping. Additionally, magnesium supplementation may interfere with certain drugs, including bisphosphonates and antibiotics.”
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Alexa Mellardo