7 Signs and Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency (and 5 Ways to Fix It)

Some studies suggest that as many as 48% of Americans are Magnesium deficient. Here’s what to do about it...

Photo by Jason Tuinstra on Unsplash

Magnesium plays many crucial roles in the body, from supporting muscle function to nerve function to energy production.
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While slightly low magnesium levels aren’t a huge problem, chronically low levels can lead to serious health problems, like high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis.

Below, you’ll find 7 common symptoms of magnesium deficiency and 5 ways to increase your magnesium levels.
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7 Signs and Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency
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1. Muscle twitches, cramps, weakness, or pain
Twitches, tremors, cramps, weakness, and muscle pain are all tell-tale signs of magnesium deficiency.

2. Increased risk of Depression
Some studies have associated low magnesium levels with an increased risk of depression.

3. Osteoporosis
Magnesium deficiency lowers the blood levels of calcium, the main building block of bones.

4. Fatigue
Everyone gets tired from time to time but persistent fatigue can be another symptom of magnesium deficiency.

5. Irregular Heartbeat
Heart arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, is one of the most serious possible effects of magnesium deficiency and can lead to lightheadedness, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, and even fainting.

6. High Blood Pressure
Studies show that magnesium deficiency may increase blood pressure, which can lead to or negatively affect existing heart disease. 

7. Asthma
People with severe Asthma tend to be deficient in Magnesium. 


5 Ways to Get More Magnesium

1. Eat Foods Rich in Magnesium
Most people get all the magnesium they need from food. But, if you suspect you’re deficient in Magnesium, you want to take extra care to incorporate certain foods.

Magnesium can be found in a wide range of foods, especially those high in fiber, including leafy green vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

Checkout the list below for some of the best food sources of magnesium content (in each 3.5-ounce or 100-gram serving):

• Almonds: 279 mg
• Pumpkin seeds: 550 mg
• Dark chocolate: 228 mg
• Peanuts: 176 mg
• Popcorn: 144 mg

2. Oral Supplementation of Magnesium
Many people who are low in Magnesium opt for vitamins and supplements to boost their levels. These can be purchased at any health food store, like GNC or Vitamin Shoppe and most grocery stores, like the Good Food Store.

But, be careful because some experts have noted potential side effects of magnesium supplementation, like nausea, diarrhea, and cramps.

3. Topical Supplementation of Magnesium
There are lots of products on the market that claim to supplement magnesium levels through topical or transdermal methods. 

These might be lotions, creams, oils, or sprays that you apply to the surface of your skin and are absorbed transdermally.

Some researchers believe that transdermal absorption of magnesium is actually superior (and faster) than oral intake of magnesium, but the science isn’t quite clear.

4. Take Epsom Salt Baths
Despite a lack of definitive science, people have used Epsom Salt to treat magnesium deficiency and its symptoms since before we knew what a magnesium deficiency was!

The scientific name for Epsom Salt is magnesium sulfate. It’s totally different than table salt but its chemical structure is similar. And it’s called “Epsom Salt” because it was originally discovered in the town of Epsom, in Surrey, England.

This is typically administered in a bath, adding anywhere from a few cups to a few pounds of Epsom Salt into hot water and soaking in it.

But there’s a more modern and perhaps more powerful way to get the benefits of an Epsom Salt bath...

5. Relax in a Float Therapy Tank
Float Therapy, also known as Sensory Deprivation, uses over 1,000 pounds of Epsom Salt or 1000x more than your typical Epsom Salt bath at home. 

In fact, it’s there’s so much Epsom Salt in a Float Tank that you actually float along the surface of the water - that’s where it gets its name. 

Float Therapy itself boasts some big benefits - reducing anxiety, and depression, relieving joint and muscle pain, and more - and many of those benefits might be a result of uptaking Epsom Salt, Magnesium Sulfate, through the skin. 

Want to learn more? Download our free eBook: The Ultimate Guide to Float Therapy.