Magnesium is a mineral that the body uses in many metabolic processes. If it is missing, it can cause, among other things, muscle pain, but also migraines and digestive problems. What has now been proven in numerous studies: Magnesium has a positive effect on blood pressure. Taking it can lower blood pressure, while a deficiency can increase blood pressure.
This is how magnesium affects blood pressure
Table of Contents
Magnesium has a vasodilating and blood pressure lowering effect. According to the Society for Magnesium Research, this happens through several mechanisms. Among other things, it acts as a natural calcium antagonist and, when exchanged with baking soda, also relaxes the cells. This allows magnesium to normalize heart rate and protect muscle tissue. The effect as a calcium antagonist has been documented in numerous publications in both human and rat cell models.
Upon request, the Society for Magnesium Research informed us that a lack of magnesium can in turn increase blood pressure. Patients with high blood pressure (hypertension) often have too little magnesium in their blood and cells.
This is how high blood pressure can be treated with magnesium
As the Society for Magnesium Research reports, in several studies “with an administration of 10 – 20 mmol magnesium daily (…) an average reduction in diastolic blood pressure of 10 mm HG was achieved.” 20 mmol equals 360 milligrams. Another study showed a positive effect with daily doses of 368 milligrams for three months. Magnesium therapy had a positive effect on both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. However, a lower dosage only had a positive effect on diastolic blood pressure.
The studies not only show that magnesium has a generally positive effect on high blood pressure, but can also improve patients’ quality of life. The Society for Magnesium Research therefore recommends checking the magnesium status of every hypertensive patient. “Therapy with magnesium makes sense in many cases, including in addition to other antihypertensives,” says a publication. She recommends doses of between 300 and 600 milligrams of magnesium daily to treat high blood pressure. “In individual cases also higher.”
Should you take magnesium at the same time as high blood pressure medication?
As the Society for Biofactors (GfB) writes, high blood pressure is usually treated with diuretics. “They remove water from the body and in this way reduce the pressure in the vessels,” writes the GfB in a press release. However, important minerals are lost in the process – including magnesium. This creates a vicious circle because magnesium is important for the heart muscle, which regulates blood pressure.
In a recent study, a research team from the Center for Magnesium Education and Research (CMER) also found that the administration of magnesium also plays a major role for people who are already taking high blood pressure medication. “The study shows that patients in particular who have so far had little success with drug antihypertension therapy could benefit from an increased magnesium intake,” writes the German Hypertension League in a press release. The research team from the USA therefore recommends treating high blood pressure that is uncontrollable with medication with magnesium, as there are hardly any side effects to worry about compared to high blood pressure medication.
As metabolism expert Helena Orfanos-Boeckel writes in her guide “Nutritional Therapy – the Practical Guide”, magnesium should be used medically like an antihypertensive. “You search, measure, determine and adjust to target values,” writes the doctor. With such therapy, the values in the blood would have to be checked again and again to determine which individual amounts of magnesium are needed per day. However, this is usually necessary when treating high blood pressure with medication.
Magnesium for high blood pressure: What are the risks?
According to the Society for Magnesium Research, magnesium is safe and inexpensive. However, patients with kidney dysfunction should be careful when taking magnesium. They cannot excrete the mineral through their kidneys as well, which is why an oversupply can occur more quickly.
According to Orfanos-Boeckel, healthy people who have taken too much magnesium simply excrete the mineral. “Before it gets too much, you usually get diarrhea,” writes the doctor. Then the dosage should be reduced. However, diarrhea does not necessarily mean that the dosage is too high; the various magnesium compounds also have an impact on individual tolerance.
According to the German Heart Foundation, other serious side effects when taking magnesium, such as symptoms of paralysis, only occur with an extreme overdose of 2,500 milligrams daily. For comparison: The German Nutrition Society recommends 350 milligrams per day for men and 300 milligrams for women. However, under certain conditions the need can increase. Foods high in magnesium include quinoa, tofu and pumpkin seeds.
