Can Oral Magnesium Products be Harmful?

Magnesium is an essential mineral that plays a crucial role in just about everything we do. Unfortunately, though, so many individuals suffer from magnesium deficiency - and this manifests itself in all sorts of issues: from fatigue to insomnia, brain fog, pain, and a whole lot more.

Many people supplement their diet with magnesium in order to make sure they have enough of this vital mineral for normal nerve function, muscle contraction, and energy production. However, there have been growing concerns about the potential harm that oral magnesium products may cause.

So, can oral magnesium products be harmful? In this article, we’ll explore the potential risks and side effects of oral magnesium supplements. We’ll also discuss how you can avoid oral magnesium products without risking a magnesium deficiency. First - let’s set the stage by discussing the role of magnesium in the body.

The Role of Magnesium in the Body

Magnesium is one of the body’s most important minerals, playing a role in helping over 300 different enzymes do their job. A few of magnesium’s key roles include: 

If the body doesn’t get enough magnesium, you can experience muscle cramps, weakness, fatigue, and irritability. If the magnesium deficiency is severe enough, it can also cause serious problems like an irregular heartbeat or seizures. Long-term effects of magnesium deficiency can include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and migraines, among others.

Can Oral Magnesium Products be Harmful?

Given the critical role of magnesium throughout the body, and the serious consequences of a magnesium deficiency, it’s essential to make sure your body has enough magnesium. This has led to the popularity of magnesium supplements, including oral magnesium products, which are often marketed for their potential health benefits. 

But can oral magnesium products be harmful? There’s some evidence to suggest that oral magnesium supplements actually do more harm than good. Oral magnesium capsules can cause some unwanted side effects that can be quite serious - let’s look at these in more detail.

What are the Side Effects of Oral Magnesium Supplements?

Can oral magnesium products be harmful? Just like any medication, not everybody taking oral magnesium experiences side effects, and some may experience more severe effects than others. Here are the main side effects of oral magnesium supplements. 

Gastrointestinal Issues 

Gastrointestinal issues are very common for people taking oral magnesium supplements, as it’s quite difficult for the digestive system to absorb concentrated magnesium. Diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal cramping are all side effects of oral magnesium products. When taken orally, magnesium has a laxative effect and draws water into the intestines, leading to increased bowel movements and discomfort. 

Interactions With Other Drugs

Magnesium can interfere with the absorption of other drugs, including certain antibiotics like tetracyclines and quinolones. This can cause bigger problems because magnesium reduces the effectiveness of these antibiotics. Oral magnesium supplements can also interact with medications that affect blood pressure, muscle relaxants, and certain osteoporosis medications, among others. 

Kidney Function Impairment

If you already have impaired kidney function or any kind of kidney issue, oral magnesium supplements may not be safe for you. The kidneys play a vital role in filtering and excreting excess magnesium from the body. If the kidneys are not functioning properly, magnesium can accumulate in the bloodstream. This leads to a condition called hypermagnesemia, which can cause symptoms such as muscle weakness, low blood pressure, and irregular heartbeat. 

Magnesium Toxicity

Magnesium toxicity is rare, but it can occur from too much oral magnesium. Symptoms of magnesium toxicity may include nausea, vomiting, lethargy, low blood pressure, slowed heartbeat, and in severe cases, difficulty breathing and coma. Magnesium toxicity can be a medical emergency and requires immediate medical attention.

Avoid the Harmful Side Effects of Oral Magnesium Products While Still Reaping the Benefits of Magnesium With These Tips… 

How do you make sure you are getting enough magnesium without dealing with the unwanted side effects of oral magnesium supplements? Thankfully, there are other ways besides oral supplements to get your body the magnesium it needs. 

Stick With Transdermal Magnesium Supplements Like Ease

Rather than taking magnesium orally, did you know that the best way to take magnesium supplements is actually transdermally, or through the skin? 

Not only can magnesium be absorbed through skin, but it’s actually absorbed at a faster rate, and more of it can be used by the body. Plus, transdermal magnesium doesn’t come with any of the side effects of oral magnesium supplements. 

Also, different types of magnesium have different levels of “bioavailability,” which refers to how much magnesium the body can actually use. This means that two types of supplements may contain the same amount of magnesium, but if one has a higher bioavailability, the body will be able to use it more effectively and not as much will go to waste. 

Many magnesium supplements contain magnesium chloride, but this has a relatively low bioavailability. On the other hand, magnesium chloride hexahydrate has a much higher bioavailability, meaning you are getting a lot more value for your money with magnesium chloride hexahydrate vs magnesium chloride. 

At Activation Products, our topical magnesium spray Ease is 100% safe and doesn’t come with any of the side effects of oral magnesium supplements. Ease is the best magnesium spray because it’s made from pure magnesium chloride hexahydrate, so your body can maximize the amount of magnesium it absorbs with every spray. 

As well as all the magnesium chloride hexahydrate benefits, Ease is also carefully formulated using pharmaceutical-grade magnesium to make sure you enjoy the benefits of magnesium spray without the itching or irritation that can come with some other magnesium sprays. 

There are so many benefits of magnesium spray that you can explore with Ease. You can use magnesium spray for headaches, or try Ease magnesium spray for restless legs. Expecting mothers everywhere are even using magnesium spray for pregnancy to help relieve morning sickness! You’ll find endless uses for magnesium spray with Ease, and won’t have to worry about the harmful side effects of oral magnesium supplements. 

Assess Your Diet and Get Magnesium Through Foods

Another way to make sure you’re body’s getting enough magnesium without any of the unwanted side effects is to focus on eating the right foods. Magnesium-rich foods include leafy green vegetables like kale, spinach, and collard greens, as well as nuts, seeds, whole grains, and legumes. 

There are also foods that can decrease your body’s ability to absorb magnesium, so it’s best to avoid these. Some of the main culprits are processed foods, refined sugars, and too much alcohol. 

Focus on Stress Reduction

Long-term stress can reduce your body’s stores of magnesium, leading to a deficiency. By keeping your body and mind as stress-free as possible, you can make your magnesium go further. Try practicing yoga, meditation, and mindfulness to soothe your mind. Even escaping into a book after a long day can help your mind relax. 

Get Regular Exercise

Exercising regularly can also help to reduce stress and keep your magnesium stores at a good level. Even just 20 minutes of moderate exercise each day, like a brisk walk after work, can make a difference. If you find yourself building up to more intense exercise like jogging or lifting weights, you might find that using magnesium spray helps your muscles recover faster from a workout!

Closing Thoughts on the Side Effects of Oral Magnesium Supplements

Not only can oral magnesium products be harmful, but they also aren’t as effective as topical magnesium. Using a topical magnesium spray that can be applied directly to your skin makes it faster and easier for your body to make the most of all the additional magnesium you’re giving it. 

Ease has a unique formulation of pure magnesium chloride hexahydrate, the very same magnesium you’ll find in the Dead Sea. Ease is the perfect alternative to oral magnesium, without the unwanted side effects. 

Try Ease today - you’ll never go back to oral magnesium supplements!