{"id":14824,"date":"2020-08-11T09:00:36","date_gmt":"2020-08-11T13:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=14824"},"modified":"2025-10-16T14:41:26","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T18:41:26","slug":"magnesium-supplements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/magnesium-supplements\/","title":{"rendered":"Which magnesium supplement is right for me?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If your only experience with over-the-counter magnesium comes from the occasional glug of milk of magnesia to<\/span> relieve your digestive distress<\/span><\/a>, guess what? There is a whole wide world of magnesium supplements out there! This wonder nutrient is available in several formulations, with each variety aiming to treat different symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\n

To make it easier for you to head to your local pharmacy, health food store, or vitamin shop and buy the best kind of<\/span> magnesium supplement<\/span><\/a> for you, we\u2019ve asked experts to lay out all your options\u2014and make some recommendations for how, when, and why to take magnesium.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is magnesium?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Magnesium is an essential mineral that the human body needs to regulate everything from your muscle and nervous system to your energy production, blood sugar, and blood pressure, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Most adults need between 300 and 400 milligrams (mg) of magnesium per day, much of which comes from what you eat\u2014foods like cooked beans, cashews and almonds, avocados, bananas, green leafy vegetables, dark chocolate, whole grains, and brown rice have a\u00a0 high magnesium content, as are many fortified foods.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can find a full list of magnesium-rich food sources from the NIH\u2019s Office of Dietary Supplements <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Still, you may not be getting as much of this nutrient as you think.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s estimated that about 80% of people are deficient in magnesium,\u201d says naturopathic physician <\/span>Jaquel Patterson, ND<\/span><\/a>, medical director of Fairfield Family Health in Connecticut.<\/span><\/p>\n

A<\/span> Scientifica<\/span><\/i> study<\/span><\/a> confirms this is a reasonable estimate, revealing that about two-thirds of the Western population is likely deficient in magnesium (a condition called hypomagnesemia). Most healthy people can handle a short-term deficiency, but in the long-term you may notice symptoms such as:<\/span><\/p>\n