Why Does Magnesium Make Me Jittery?

Magnesium is available in various forms, but do all of them make you feel jittery and nauseous? Read on to find out!

Supplements are a great option when you feel like your body isn’t receiving the nutrients it requires. You might be eating all the right foods, and you might even have a great diet, but if you still need to turn to supplements, it wouldn’t have anything to do with your diet per se but more with how your body is absorbing all of these nutrients.

Sometimes, consuming these supplements can have side effects or might make you feel some type of way. Magnesium might make you feel jittery, anxious, and lethargic, among many other side effects. The jitters could also be a sign of overconsumption of magnesium; in which case, it is best to stop your dosage and get in touch with a health professional.

Magnesium supplements come in various forms, and not all of them have the same effect on your body; therefore, closely watching your body would be the way to go.

Magnesium as a Supplement

Magnesium is a mineral that is quite essential for our body. Although it is the most abundant mineral found in our body, our body doesn’t necessarily make any of it, and therefore we look for it in our diets and supplements [1].

Low magnesium levels are linked to various health conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s. You can stock up on magnesium-rich foods like legumes, nuts, seeds, meat, fish, and green leafy vegetables to avoid such conditions. However, if that doesn’t suffice, people turn to supplements [2].

The different types of magnesium present in supplements are,

Magnesium citrate
Magnesium chloride

Magnesium malate
Magnesium sulfate
Magnesium glycinate

Magnesium lactate
Magnesium taurate
Magnesium oxide

However, the most common types that you would find in dietary supplements are,

Magnesium glycinate

Magnesium glycinate is formed from the amino acid glycine and elemental magnesium. It is the most tolerated supplement and can be easily absorbed by the body. It is often used to treat people with depression and anxiety [3]. It is ideal for people who might need magnesium in large doses since this form of magnesium causes minimal side effects.

Magnesium lactate

Magnesium lactate is the magnesium salt of lactic acid. Studies suggest that this form of magnesium is easily absorbed in the gut [4].

Magnesium malate

Magnesium malate is a compound of magnesium and malic acid. Although there isn’t sufficient evidence regarding human ingestion, certain animal studies suggest that magnesium malate was the fastest to absorb after a single dose [5].

Magnesium citrate

Magnesium citrate is a magnesium preparation in salt form with citric acid in a 1:1 ratio. This form of magnesium is the most common form that is used in dietary supplements and is said to be the most easily absorbed type of magnesium [6].

These forms of magnesium are the most bioavailable and have minimum side effects. Regardless of what form of magnesium you consume, always do so with food to prevent nausea or vomiting.

Can Magnesium Make You Feel Jittery?

The two instances that can make you feel jittery on consuming magnesium, is if you’ve taken more than what is required, or if you’re experiencing side effects. Consuming too much magnesium can lead to a condition called hypermagnesemia, and jitters could be a sign or a warning symptom by your body telling you that you are consuming excess magnesium.

Hypermagnesemia

Hypermagnesemia is a condition where there is an excess amount of magnesium in your bloodstream. This is a relatively rare condition and is often caused only by renal failure or poor kidney function.

However, consuming too many magnesium supplements can also cause hypermagnesemia. Hypermagnesemia can block neuromuscular transmission by preventing presynaptic acetylcholine release and by competitively inhibiting calcium influx into the presynaptic nerve channels via the voltage-dependent calcium channel.

This could partially explain the jitters you might feel after taking magnesium supplements.

Benefits of Consuming Magnesium Supplements

Magnesium plays various roles in our bodies, and the benefits of magnesium are plenty. They help regulate blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and neurotransmitters. They also prevent certain heart diseases [2].

If you feel like your body is short on magnesium, consuming supplements would be the way to go.

Consuming these supplements can improve your overall health but can also help,

Improve sleep quality
Boost mental health

Ease muscle aches
Promote bone health
Support health during pregnancy

Boost vitamin D absorption

These supplements have been recommended for the treatment of

Anxiety

Depression
Asthma
Migraine

Diabetes

Before getting on any supplements, always consult your doctor.

Did you know?

Magnesium supplements can help you quit smoking. It helps enhance the gabaergic system activity and reduce nicotine dependency.

Side Effects of too much Magnesium

Consuming magnesium supplements can have certain side effects. Although it is relatively safe and might not cause any harm, there are certain side effects you should keep an eye out for.

You could experience

Stomach upset
Nausea

Vomiting
Diarrhea

However, if you do happen to take them in large doses (350 mg or more), it could be an issue that might require medical help.

It could cause

Irregular heartbeat
Low blood pressure

Confusion
Slowed breathing
Coma

Death

If you suspect an overdose, get in touch with a medical professional as soon as possible to minimize risk.

How to Remove Excess Magnesium from the Body

Magnesium takes about one day to exit the system.

If you’ve consumed too many magnesium supplements, drink a lot of water, and get medical help as soon as possible.

The doctor will most probably try to drain the excess magnesium from your body or reverse the effects of excess magnesium by administering intravenous calcium gluconate, depending on the severity of the overdose.

FAQs

Can magnesium make you more anxious?

No. Magnesium supplements are known to treat and fight anxiety. They don’t necessarily make you more anxious. However, if you feel uncomfortable, get in touch with a health professional who will help guide you regarding your dosage.

Can taking magnesium make you feel weird?

Taking magnesium in the proper dosage will not give you any side effects. However, if you consume more than required, you might notice discomfort. It might cause nausea, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, etc.

What are the symptoms of too much magnesium?

Consuming too much magnesium (350mg or more) can result in you requiring medical help. Symptoms of too much magnesium are

Irregular heartbeat

Low blood pressure
Confusion
Slowed breathing

In extreme cases, it could result in you going into a coma or could cause death.

Is it okay to take magnesium every day?

Yes, it is okay to take magnesium every day. However, it would be best if you tried to get your daily requirement from natural sources instead of supplements. Leafy greens, nuts, meat, fish, etc., are all examples of natural sources of magnesium.

Why does magnesium make my heart race?

Magnesium doesn’t make your heart race when taken in the right dosage. Consuming more than what is required might cause your heart to race. If you’re experiencing this, stop taking more supplements, consume a lot of water, and get in touch with a doctor.

Wrapping up

Supplements are a great option when you feel like your diet isn’t satisfying your nutrient needs. Sometimes you can get these supplements on prescription, and sometimes, they’re available over the counter.

Magnesium supplements are available both on prescription and over the counter, and sometimes, these supplements can cause unpleasant side effects. Consuming more than required can be harmful and can present itself through symptoms like jitters.

Always remember to consult a doctor regarding the supplements you’re taking. If you suspect an overdose, stop taking the supplements, consume a good amount of water, and get medical help.