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Magnesium has been getting more than a bit of attention on social media recently with TikTok influencers touting magnesium supplements and oils as a solution to insomnia, chocolate cravings, cramps, constipation and more. But while magnesium is an indispensable mineral working behind the scenes to keep your body functioning well, research suggests that only a few of these TikTok claims have merit.
For starters, over 300 enzyme systems in the human body require magnesium to function. It helps regulate muscle and nerve function, supports a healthy immune system, is integral to bone health and ensuring our bones are strong, and helps control blood glucose and blood pressure. It’s also needed for energy production and protein synthesis, not to mention ensuring the heart beats with a normal rhythm. In short, magnesium is multitasking on your behalf every day.
But here’s the catch: we’re in the dark about the magnesium status of most New Zealanders. The last National Nutrition Survey for adults was conducted in 2008/09 and didn’t even assess magnesium intake. Our best guess is that many of us may fall short of recommended intake levels, especially given the highly processed diet many consume. New research suggests we should pay closer attention to our magnesium intake.
For instance, a 2023 systematic review published in Nutrients found that lower magnesium intake is associated with a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). In particular, participants with the lowest magnesium levels had a 19% greater risk of CVD compared with those with the highest intake levels. This isn’t a smoking gun, but it does reinforce earlier findings that magnesium may affect heart health.
Additionally, a 2024 study by the University of South Australia found that low magnesium levels are associated with increased DNA damage, contributing to chronic disease and premature ageing. Magnesium plays a crucial role in cellular repair, ensuring healthy cell growth, division and death. When these cellular repair processes are impaired, this can lead to tumour development and an increased cancer risk, noted a 2021 review in Nutrients.
Oral magnesium supplements have been successfully used to treat bronchial asthma, cardiac arrhythmia, eclampsia and pre-eclampsia. Observational studies have also suggested a link between magnesium status and sleep quality. However, clinical trials have not confirmed this connection. Consequently, a 2022 systematic review on magnesium and sleep health called for more high-quality clinical trials with larger groups of participants and more extended follow-up periods (over 12 weeks) to better assess the relationship between magnesium status and sleep.
On the other hand, the popular claim that magnesium can stop chocolate cravings isn’t backed by solid evidence. The theory seems to stem from chocolate containing some magnesium—so if we’re low on magnesium, the logic goes, our bodies crave chocolate to make up for it. But research doesn’t support this idea. Instead, studies suggest chocolate cravings are more likely influenced by psychological and hormonal factors such as stress, mood or the menstrual cycle.
Magnesium is widely available in whole foods such as green leafy vegetables, legumes, whole grains, seeds and nuts. Even drinking hard water can contribute to our daily needs. A diet rich in these foods can help meet the Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) of 420mg per day for men aged 31 and over and 320mg for women.
However, deficiencies can still occur, particularly in people with certain medical conditions or those taking medications such as diuretics or proton pump inhibitors. Symptoms of low magnesium include poor appetite, nausea, muscle spasms and abnormal heart rhythms. While clinical deficiencies are rare in healthy adults due to the body’s ability to conserve magnesium, intake in Western countries has declined with the rise of refined foods and New Zealand may follow this trend.
Before considering supplements, consult your GP or a registered nutritionist, as high doses can cause side effects. In the mean time, increasing your intake of greens, nuts, beans and wholegrains is a simple way to boost magnesium and enjoy its health benefits.
As well as Jennifer Bowden’s columns in the NZ Listener, listener.co.nz subscribers can access her fortnightly Myth-buster column which explores food and nutrition myths.
