Magnesium supplements may help support women’s health during menopause and after. Magnesium helps the body work in hundreds of ways. It affects many parts of the body, including the brain, bones, and heart.

Whether you’re having menopause symptoms like night sweats or thinking about longer-term concerns like osteoporosis, here’s what to know about magnesium and how it may help.

What Foods Are High in Magnesium?

The body absorbs about 30 percent to 40 percent of the magnesium we eat and drink. Magnesium is found in many foods from plants and animals. Magnesium-rich foods include:

• Pumpkin and chia seeds
• Almonds
• Cooked spinach and other leafy greens
• Peanut butter
• Soymilk
• Cashews
• Black beans
• Potatoes
• Brown rice
• Bananas
• Salmon

Magnesium is also added to some processed foods and breakfast cereals. You can check the food label to see how much magnesium is in it.

Many over-the-counter medications for heartburn or constipation have magnesium. A multivitamin may also add to the magnesium you get each day. Because magnesium can come from several sources, it’s a good idea to keep track of how much you’re getting each day.

Am I Getting Enough Magnesium?

It can be tricky to know if you’re getting enough magnesium. Although it’s found in many foods, low magnesium intake is a common issue in the United States. According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, men 71 and older and teenage boys and girls are most likely to have low intakes. People with type 2 diabetes, digestive disorders, and long-term alcohol use are also more likely to be low on magnesium.

Your doctor can check your blood magnesium level, but that result mostly shows how well your kidneys are working. Even if you’re not getting enough magnesium, your blood level may still be normal. That’s because your kidneys can hold on to magnesium and release less of it in your urine.

Your healthcare provider may use a combination of tests and questions to see if you’re getting enough magnesium. They may ask about the supplements you take, the foods you eat, and any symptoms you have.

Signs of a Magnesium Deficiency

If you have too little magnesium, it can cause symptoms like:

• Poor appetite
• Muscle cramps and spasms
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Seizures
• Abnormal heartbeats

However, most healthy people won’t notice the symptoms of a short-term magnesium deficiency. Over time, long-term low magnesium levels may raise the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and migraine. Eating a balanced diet is the best way to help make sure you’re getting enough magnesium and other nutrients.

Potential Benefits of Magnesium

Here’s how magnesium may affect menopause-related issues.

Depression

There’s some evidence that magnesium supplements have positive effects on mood. Studies on postmenopausal women suggest that low magnesium intakes increase the risk of depression. Large studies have also found that people who get more magnesium from food may have a lower risk of depression.

A magnesium supplement isn’t a substitute for depression medication or therapy, but it could help prevent it in some cases or serve as an added support.

Heart Health

Magnesium also plays an essential role in heart health, which is a critical concern for women’s health. Magnesium is known to:

• Promote normal heart rhythms
• Increase vasodilatation (expansion of the vessels for better blood flow)
• Reduce stiffness in the arteries
• Regulate blood pressure

In a small study of 35 women, ages 45 to 60, magnesium supplements led to measurable heart health benefits. The women were divided into two groups. One group received 600 milligrams of magnesium twice a day. The other group was given a placebo, which looks like the treatment but does not contain the active drug, so researchers could compare the results. After six months, women in the magnesium group had better control of their blood pressure. They also had healthier arteries.

Magnesium may be especially helpful for some women, including those with low vitamin D or diabetes or who take weight loss medications.

Bone Strength

Osteoporosis, or weakened bones, is another big concern as women pass through menopause. There’s research to support magnesium’s benefits in preventing osteoporosis and helping treat it. Some evidence has found that postmenopausal women with osteoporosis are more likely to have low magnesium levels.

Magnesium directly affects bone cells. It increases calcium absorption and influences the hormones involved in bone growth and breakdown. In addition, magnesium helps lower risk factors for osteoporosis, including inflammation and oxidative stress.

Hot Flashes

Doctors think magnesium could affect hot flashes because it may influence blood pressure, blood sugar, and signals in the nervous system.

Research on magnesium for hot flashes has shown mixed results. Some studies found that it helped reduce hot flashes after just four weeks. Others found that it did not help.

Sleep

Poor sleep is a common problem during menopause. Although it may not be the main cause of sleep problems during menopause, low magnesium can lead to insomnia.

Magnesium can help support better sleep in several ways. For example, it calms the nervous system. Magnesium also relaxes the muscles and reduces anxiety. It may help reduce leg cramps or restless legs that can keep people up at night. It’s also involved in making melatonin, the body’s natural sleep hormone.

Potential Risks of Magnesium Supplements

For many people, magnesium can be beneficial during menopause, especially when it comes from food. But if you take magnesium supplements or medications that have magnesium, it’s possible to get too much.

The most common side effects of too much magnesium are diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps.

Serious symptoms of a magnesium overdose include:

• Low blood pressure
• Irregular heartbeat or heart attack
• Trouble breathing
• Vomiting

You’re unlikely to get too much magnesium from food, but you should talk to a healthcare professional before taking a supplement. Magnesium can offer some health benefits, but it’s not completely without risk. Magnesium also interacts with certain medications, so check with your doctor to make sure you’re taking it safely.

Before you buy a magnesium supplement, ask your doctor which type and dose may be best for you. Magnesium comes in several forms, and your doctor can help you choose one that fits your needs and make sure it’s safe to take.