Does Magnesium Make You Poop?

One thing that most people notice when they begin magnesium supplements is a difference in the frequency of their poops, and there is a very good reason for that.

What Is Magnesium?

Magnesium is a prevalent mineral in the body that assists with many different bodily functions. (Source)

Magnesium helps with blood pressure, bone health, and steady heart rhythm.

Despite how important magnesium is to the body, most people get less magnesium than they need.

Benefits Of Magnesium

You might not be aware of many benefits associated with magnesium. (Source)

Some of these benefits include:

The Role It Plays In Your Body

Magnesium is found in every cell in your body and is a part of vital functions and over 600 reactions that your body experiences.

Exercise Performance

Magnesium is needed more when you are exercising than when you are resting.

This is because magnesium helps move your blood sugar into your muscles, which can dispose of lactic acid that builds up during exercise.

Not only does magnesium help with muscle building, but it can also help protect against muscle damage and boost muscle recovery.

Depression

Magnesium is very critical when it comes to the functioning of the brain.

Low magnesium levels can increase the risk of depression and depression-like symptoms.

Taking magnesium can prevent depression or reduce depression-related symptoms.

If your symptoms are not fully resolved, ensure you are still treating your depression properly and not relying solely on a magnesium supplement.

Blood Sugar Levels

If you are experiencing low levels of magnesium, then your body can have a more difficult time regulating your blood sugar levels effectively.

This can increase the risk of type two diabetes.

By taking magnesium supplements, you can enhance your insulin sensitivity which can help you better control your blood sugar.

Heart Health

Magnesium can be very important when it comes to keeping your heart healthy.

Magnesium supplements reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. It can also improve multiple risk factors that can lead to heart disease.

Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

Low magnesium has also been linked to an increase in inflammation. This inflammation can play a key role in developing a chronic disease.

Inflammation can also affect aging.

Prevents Migraines

If you have ever experienced a migraine, you probably know it can be incredibly painful, in addition to inducing nausea, vomiting, and a high level of sensitivity when it comes to light and noise.

Magnesium supplements can reduce the occurrence of migraines in addition to potentially assisting in the treatment of a currently occurring migraine.

PMS Symptom Improvement

In addition to assisting with migraines, magnesium can also assist with PMS Symptoms.

If you are not familiar with these symptoms, they include abdominal cramps, tiredness, water retention, and irritability.

Because magnesium levels fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, a deficiency might worsen the symptoms, and supplements can lessen the severity of the symptoms.

Bone Health

Magnesium is a crucial part of your bone health and can prevent bone loss.

A low amount of magnesium can be associated with a higher risk of osteoporosis, which can cause your bones to become brittle and even weak.

It is a good idea when looking to improve bone health that you pair your magnesium supplement with calcium.

Supports Sleep

One of the better-known benefits of magnesium is that it can help promote sleep.

This can be a great help when it comes to combating insomnia.

Magnesium helps to regulate neurotransmitters involved in sleep which can help you fall asleep faster and sleep better.

Anxiety Relief

Taking magnesium also reduces the symptoms of anxiety.

Even though magnesium lessens symptoms, it is not a cure-all, so ensure you are still treating your anxiety, similar to depression.

Magnesium And Your Bowel Movements

Constipation can be uncomfortable and bad for your health.

That’s where magnesium comes in handy.

Magnesium can give you a temporary laxative effect.

It does this by relaxing your intestine muscles and drawing water into the intestines which makes passing stool easier.

This can help you reduce occurrences of constipation, make you more regular, and be better for your overall gut health and equilibrium.

Availability

The good news is that magnesium is highly available for when you need to increase your levels.

Multiple food sources can help you increase your magnesium.

When eating food to increase your magnesium levels, it is best to eat whole foods that are not processed.

They can lose their magnesium levels when processed foods are less effective.

You can also take a magnesium supplement if you are not getting enough in your diet.

Be careful not to overdo a magnesium supplement because you can take too much.

If you struggle to get adequate magnesium levels from your diet you may wish to consider meal replacement shakes or greens supplements. Just be sure to check the ingredient label to see how much magnesium is available per serving.

Magnesium Risks

There are a few risks that come with magnesium.

Be careful when you are taking magnesium. Taken in incredibly high doses can be fatal.

The recommended dose of magnesium for adults is between 310-360 mg per day based on age for females and 400-420 mg for males.

Conclusion

Yes, magnesium makes you poop, but it also does a wide variety of other things.

There are natural magnesium sources, like food and magnesium supplements.

If you think you are low on magnesium, you can always talk to your healthcare provider to see if increasing your magnesium is right for you.