Magnesium
Supplement 3: Magnesium
What is it?
Magnesium is naturally present in a variety of foods, available as a supplement, and an ingredient in antacids and laxatives.
Magnesium is found in plant foods like legumes, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and fortified cereals. It is also found in fish, poultry, and beef1.
How does it work?
One of magnesium's many roles in the body is to ensure that muscles and nerves function properly. During menstruation, the uterus contracts to help shed the lining that has built up over the course of the menstrual cycle. Magnesium helps the uterine muscles relax. This helps prevent cramps and pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation.
Magnesium decreases the production of prostaglandin, chemicals in your body that cause pain2.
What is the efficacy?
A double-blind placebo-controlled trial was conducted amongst 60 students with moderate or severe dysmenorrhea were randomly allocated to two intervention groups and one control group (receiving 150 mg and 300 mg magnesium stearate, or placebo from the 15th day of menstruation until the following cycle, respectively).
Results: According to the results, although both doses of magnesium could significantly reduce all symptoms of dysmenorrhea compared to the placebo (P<0.001), magnesium 300 mg was more effective in decreasing symptoms such as cramps, headache, back pain, foot pain, depression, irritability, and abdominal pain3.
Side effects:
Magnesium is safe for most people when taken appropriately. Doses less than 350 mg daily are safe for most adults.
Short-term effects: Stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.
Long-term effects: When taken in very large amounts (greater than 350 mg daily), magnesium is possibly unsafe. Large doses might cause too much magnesium to build up in the body, causing serious side effects including an irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, confusion, slowed breathing, coma, and death2.
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