Too much magnesium

Too much magnesium can be harmful to your health in the long term. Excessive magnesium intake causes various symptoms. What are these symptoms? What causes them? And how can they be prevented? This article answers several questions related to this topic.

What exactly is magnesium?

The mineral magnesium is essential for physical and mental health. Magnesium falls under the category of mineral salts that the body cannot produce itself. Therefore, it's important to get enough magnesium from food or supplements. This mineral influences:

  • The maintenance of bones
  • The cell division process
  • Building body protein
  • A good electrolyte balance
  • Activating the natural energy in the body
  • A strong set of teeth
  • Mood, learning performance and concentration ability
  • The functioning of the muscles
  • Reducing tiredness and fatigue
  • The functioning of the nervous system

Too much magnesium

Despite its many health benefits, an excess of magnesium can be detrimental to your health. However, this excess is very rare, and the symptoms are not considered serious. The body is capable of eliminating the excess through perspiration or feces.

Symptoms of too much magnesium

The most common symptoms of magnesium excess are:

  • Diarrhea
  • Stomach cramps
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle weakness
  • Nausea
  • Thirst
  • Low blood pressure

Causes of excess magnesium

The causes of excess magnesium can always be traced back to systematically consuming too much of the mineral. This includes exceeding the recommended dosage of a magnesium supplement or taking a supplement with a dosage higher than 250 mg per day for extended periods.


Is too much magnesium harmful?

At the first signs of a magnesium overdose, it's important to stop taking a supplement immediately. Symptoms will disappear after a few days. Taking too much magnesium for a short period of time is generally not dangerous if you're otherwise healthy.