Which health conditions are commonly seen with a magnesium deficiency?

Magnesium and Various Health Conditions
Magnesium is needed for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body and plays a critical role in the following areas:

Diabetes Management
Magnesium may play a role in how well cells respond to insulin, the hormone that helps control blood glucose levels⁸. Elevated blood glucose levels increase the loss of magnesium in the urine, which in turn lowers blood levels of magnesium⁹. Research suggests that roughly 80% of people with diabetes may be magnesium deficienct¹⁰. For this reason, it is important for people with diabetes to maintain adequate levels of magnesium.

Heart Health
Adequate magnesium levels are critical for heart health. Evidence suggests that magnesium may play an important role in regulating blood pressure and keeping heart rhythm steady¹⁷. A magnesium deficiency may contribute to abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks, and strokes — making it important to maintain adequate magnesium in the body¹¹.

Pain Management
Magnesium helps to maintain normal muscle and nerve function. Muscle contractions, leg cramps, and migraines may be signs of a magnesium deficiency. Studies have shown that magnesium helps to reduce the severity and duration of both leg cramps and migraines^12-13. These conditions, when related to a magnesium deficiency, can often be managed with -800 mg of supplemental magnesium daily.

Women's Health
Magnesium is essential to women's health and may be beneficial for premenstrual syndrome (PMS), pregnancy, osteoporosis, and symptoms of menopause¹⁴.

Magnesium is also involved with maintaining and building strong bones. Magnesium is essential for normal bone metabolism. It is important to have a 2:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium (i.e. for every 800mg of calcium, one should take mg of magnesium)². A magnesium deficiency may be a risk factor for postmenopausal osteoperosis¹⁷. This may be due to the fact that a magnesium deficiency alters calcium metabolism and the hormone that regulates calcium¹⁵. Maintaining optimal levels of magnesium is important for women of all age groups.

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