While the vitamin is significant for one’s physique, food should be one’s main source of obtaining magnesium to stay healthy

Magnesium is an important mineral for the body’s overall health and individuals should be adding it to their daily diet.

Research has shown that magnesium can reduce blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessels. While the vitamin is significant for one’s physique, food should be one’s main source of obtaining magnesium. Overtaking supplements can lead to serious health issues and side effects.

Foods such as pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almonds, spinach, cashews, peanuts, black beans, edamame, peanut butter and potatoes are rich in magnesium.

So does the vitamin help lower blood pressure? Due to when blood vessels become tight and are compressed, blood pressure rises. Because magnesium helps the vessels become looser, the mineral acts as an antioxidant to prevent vessel injuries.

One study done by the AHA Journal noted that magnesium’s benefits in keeping blood pressure down was inconclusive. They looked at 34 different clinical trials and it was discovered that while taking oral supplements reduced blood pressure, it helped people who were already magnesium deficient.

Magnesium pills have also been found to reduce high blood pressure in those who suffer from illnesses such as diabetes, prediabetes, insulin resistance and heart disease.

The vitamin can also help keep the body’s blood sugar, muscle and nerve functions in check by also creating protein, bone, and DNA. Magnesium can increase bone density, and even slash the risk of getting osteoporosis, which is a disease that reduces bone density, and bone fractures.

Magnesium can be found in foods such as peanut butter and black beans ( 
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However, males ages 19 to 30 should stick to taking 400 mg of magnesium, while men ages 31 and up should take 420 mg daily. For females ages 19 to 30, daily intake should be 310 mg and 320 mg for ages 31 and up.

If taken in enormous quantities, the supplement can cause diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramps, and an irregular heartbeat.

But people should be cautioned when taking magnesium as it can interfere with how some medications work in the body. These meds include some antibiotics such as doxycycline, levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin.

Proton pump inhibitors that are used to treat ulcers and acid reflux can also be affected, as well as bisphosphonates used for osteoporosis and water pills (diuretics) can be influenced by magnesium.