Magnesium is an essential mineral that plays many important roles in the body. It helps regulate muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure. It also supports bone health and immune function. Many people take magnesium supplements to correct or prevent a magnesium deficiency. But what happens when you stop taking these supplements? Here is a quick overview of magnesium and the potential effects of stopping supplementation.
What is magnesium?
Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. About 50-60% of magnesium in the body is stored in bones and soft tissues. The rest circulates in body fluids. Some of the key functions of magnesium include:
- Regulating muscle and nerve function
- Supporting energy production and synthesis of protein and DNA
- Helping regulate blood glucose and blood pressure levels
- Supporting bone health
- Regulating calcium, potassium, and vitamin D levels
- Supporting immune system health
Magnesium cannot be produced by the body so it must be obtained through the diet. Foods rich in magnesium include green leafy vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
The recommended daily intake of magnesium is:
- 310-320 mg for women
- 400-420 mg for men
What causes magnesium deficiency?
Magnesium deficiency is fairly common. It is estimated that up to 50% of people in the US do not get enough magnesium from their diets. The main causes of magnesium deficiency include:
- Inadequate dietary intake – not eating enough magnesium-rich foods
- Malabsorption issues – health conditions that impair magnesium absorption
- Some medications – diuretics, proton-pump inhibitors, etc.
- Alcoholism
- Older age – less efficient magnesium absorption
- Diabetes
Certain health conditions like gastrointestinal disorders, chronic alcoholism, and type 2 diabetes increase the risk of magnesium deficiency.
What are the symptoms of magnesium deficiency?
Mild magnesium deficiency usually causes few obvious symptoms in otherwise healthy individuals. But chronic magnesium deficiency can lead to:
- Muscle cramps, spasms, or twitching
- Abnormal heart rhythms
- Weakness and fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Numbness and tingling
- Seizures
- Personality changes
- Abnormal blood pressure
- Coronary spasms
Severe magnesium deficiency can increase the risk of serious health issues like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.
Why do people take magnesium supplements?
Magnesium supplements are commonly taken to:
- Correct magnesium deficiency
- Prevent magnesium deficiency in people at risk
- Treat or improve symptoms related to magnesium deficiency like muscle cramps and migraines
- Support heart health and regulate heart rhythm
- Aid nerve and muscle function
- Improve sleep quality
- Relieve constipation and improve digestive health
- Manage blood sugar and insulin levels
- Improve symptoms of PMS, dysmenorrhea, and menopause
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Prevent bone loss and osteoporosis
- Enhance sports performance
Always consult your doctor before taking magnesium supplements, especially in high doses.
What happens when you stop taking magnesium supplements?
The effects of stopping magnesium supplementation depend on why you were taking it in the first place.
If you were taking it to correct a deficiency
Magnesium deficiency develops over months to years. Taking supplements for a short time may help improve your symptoms but likely does not correct a long-standing deficiency.
If you stop taking magnesium supplements after a short course, magnesium levels can drop back down and deficiency symptoms may return. You may need to take supplements long-term or make dietary changes to maintain healthy magnesium status.
Always consult your doctor before discontinuing any supplement, especially if you have a diagnosed deficiency. Stopping suddenly could lead to rebound symptoms.
If you were taking it as a preventive measure
If you have normal magnesium levels and take supplements simply to prevent deficiency, you can likely stop safely.
Make sure you eat a balanced diet with magnesium-rich foods. As long as you meet the RDI through your diet, you should be able to maintain adequate magnesium levels without supplements.
But certain medications, health conditions, and lifestyle factors can interfere with magnesium absorption or increase requirements. Check with your doctor if you are concerned about your magnesium status.
If you were taking it for other health benefits
Magnesium supplements are sometimes taken to help treat or reduce the risk of various health conditions like diabetes, migraine, PMS, hypertension, etc.
If you stop taking it, you may notice a return of the symptoms you were taking it for – things like muscle cramps, migraine attacks, anxiety, insomnia, etc. You may want to continue supplementation if you found it beneficial for these uses.
Of course, speak to your doctor first before starting or stopping magnesium supplements, especially at high doses.
How to stop magnesium supplements safely
If you do decide to stop taking magnesium supplements under the guidance of your doctor, here are some tips for stopping safely:
- Taper off slowly – Reduce your dose gradually over a few weeks rather than stopping abruptly
- Watch for rebound symptoms – Headaches, heart palpitations, muscle cramps, etc. may return
- Eat magnesium-rich foods – Focus on leafy greens, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains
- Try topical magnesium – Epson salt baths, magnesium lotions, oils and sprays
- Ask about switching forms – Change to a form less likely to cause diarrhea if that was an issue
- Get retested if concerned – Confirm your magnesium levels after discontinuing
- Try cycling on and off – Take for 1-2 months, then take a break for a month
Stopping supplements suddenly after long-term use can sometimes trigger withdrawal-like symptoms. So ease off gradually whenever possible.
The bottom line
Magnesium supplements provide proven benefits for many people. But it’s also usually fine to stop supplementation, as long as you maintain an adequate intake through your diet.
Speak with your healthcare provider if you are planning to discontinue magnesium supplements, especially if you take them for a diagnosed deficiency or specific health condition.
Aim to meet the RDI through magnesium-rich foods. And be mindful of symptoms that may return if you were taking it to treat a health issue or improve wellbeing.
With smart dietary and lifestyle habits, most healthy adults can avoid magnesium deficiency and meet needs from food alone. But certain medications, chronic diseases, and aging can interfere with magnesium metabolism, making supplementation more important for some.