Magnesium chloride, known by chemical formula MgCl2, is a type of salt used as a nutritional supplement.
It is found naturally in seawater but is most readily harvested from the brine of salt lakes—such as the Great Salt Lake in northern Utah and the Dead Sea situated between Jordan and Israel—where the content may be as high as 50%.
Magnesium chloride supplements are commonly found in tablet and capsule forms. Magnesium chloride flakes can also be used for therapeutic baths and foot soaks.
Benefits Magnesium Chloride
1. Reduce Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD):
Magnesium deficiency is found more in kids suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
How to Use: Magnesium supplements are helpful for reducing hyperactivity in children. In a group of children supplemented with 200 mg of magnesium per day for 6 months, there was an increase in magnesium contents in hair and a significant decrease of hyperactivity compared to children in the control group who had not been treated with supplemental magnesium.
2. Reduce Anxiety:
Mg deficiency causes a broad range of nervous symptoms. This includes anxiety, panic attacks, hyper-emotionality, nervousness, insomnia, rapid pulse, palpitations, and abnormal heart rhythms.
3. Treat Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS):
Magnesium is used for treating Chronic fatigue syndrome. It’s a complicated disorder which shows up in the form of extreme fatigue (which may worsen with physical or mental activity). Ironically, it doesn’t improve with rest.
4. Reduce Lyme disease:
Ever heard of LYME bacteria? They are such thieves – steal magnesium from our cells in our body to survive.
How to Use: Increasing magnesium levels in the body through diet or supplements helps tackle Lyme disease.
5. Reduce Fibromyalgia:
High levels of “stress”, and a disrupted hormonal system. This is what happens most to people suffering from fibromyalgia. Makes them ideal for magnesium deficiency.
How to Use: A relaxation response is reqd. One easy way to do that is through topical magnesium lotions or soaking yourself in water enriched with magnesium.
6. Reduce Leg cramps during pregnancy:
Reality is like this – up to half of the pregnant women, esp. in the 2nd and 3rd trimester complain of leg cramps at night. Given that Mg is well-tolerated, it can be safely used in most cases.
How to Use: Magnesium is available in multiple forms – oral supplements via tablets and powders. It can also be readily absorbed via the skin (hence creams and bath soak salts).
7. Treat Diabetes:
Elevated blood glucose levels are likely to lower the blood levels of magnesium.
How to Use: Take Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of Mg – 350 to 400 milligrams per day (or as directed by the physician)
8. Reduce Kidney stones:
One of the skill-sets of Magnesium Chloride is that it prevents kidney stones from forming. In the process, it keeps ‘calcium oxalate’ from building up in the kidneys.
How to Use: Magnesium oxide is frequently recommended. The ideal dosage is approximately 400 mg a day. OR daily take 100 mg of vitamin B6, and 300 mg of magnesium citrate.
Note: Drink 6 to 8 glasses of WATER daily. This will help in flushing out the kidneys. Also, eat magnesium-rich foods, and green veggies like broccoli.
9. Reduce Migraine headaches:
Facing continuous migraine headaches? Most likely, you have ‘lower’ intracellular magnesium levels. Good news – Mg was found to reduce the frequency, intensity and length of migraines in many studies.
How to Use: 200 mg to 600 mg of magnesium daily is a MUST to help prevent migraine headaches.
10. Reduce Weak bones:
Magnesium deficiency can bring about long-term changes in bones and hormonal balance. Overall results – osteoporosis, arthritis and joint pain.
How to Use: Cut down on your ‘calcium’ intake, if you are on calcium supplements. This will prevent worsening of your joint pain due to calcium deposits in the joints.
11. Reduce Premenstrual syndrome (PMS):
Symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) include mood swings, irritability, depression, anxiety, bloating, fluid retention, breast tenderness, sugar cravings, headaches and poor sleep. These affect 75% of women.
How to Use: Take Magnesium citrate powder, after mixing it with hot or cold water. It is highly absorbable – which you can sip throughout the day to decrease the symptoms of PMS.
12. Reduce Altitude sickness:
Mountain sickness can be a huge fear-cum-problem for mountain-prone. Magnesium fortunately helps.
How to Use: Take magnesium in the form of oral supplements after consulting your doctor.
13. Reduce Urinary incontinence:
Involuntary leakage of urine? This is not only embarrassing but can be a HUGE PROBLEM zone. Magnesium relieves the inability to empty bladder temporarily.
How to Use: Consult your physician for Mg-related pills and the right dose, which can help reduce the urine leakage problem.
14. Restless leg syndrome:
OMG! Restless leg syndrome (that constant urge to move your legs) can be caused by a magnesium deficiency.
How to Use: Taking Magnesium supplements can help reduce RLS symptoms.
15. Treat Asthma:
Low intake of magnesium has caused adverse effects on several lung functions (such as lung capacity and airway flow).
How to Use: Magnesium supplements can help bring relief from an acute asthma attack.
16. Treat Hay fever:
Magnesium chloride is an infection-fighter. Surprised, right?
How to Use: Well, count on this mineral to treat diseases of allergic origin (hay-fever, asthma, urticaria etc.)
17. Treat Multiple sclerosis:
Do you know what’s Multiple Sclerosis (MS)? It is a fatal disorder of the central nervous system. Magnesium deficiency has a lot to do with it.
How to Use: Natural magnesium chloride helps heal or decrease symptoms of MS.
18. Prevention of hearing loss:
Wanna protect and preserve your hearing? Magnesium might just help.
How to Use: Magnesium treatment has been shown to reduce both temporary and permanent noise-induced hearing loss.
Dosage
Magnesium chloride supplements are available as tablets, capsules, and powders with doses ranging from 200 milligrams (mg) to 500 mg. They are used to help meet your Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of magnesium as outlined by the Office of Dietary Supplements.2
| Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of Magnesium | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | Male | Female | Pregnant | Lactating |
| Birth to 6 months | 30 mg | 30 mg | ||
| 7 to 12 months | 75 mg | 75 mg | ||
| 1 to 3 years | 80 mg | 80 mg | ||
| 4 to 8 years | 130 mg | 130 mg | ||
| 9 to 13 years | 240 mg | 240 mg | ||
| 14 to 18 years | 410 mg | 360 mg | 400 mg | 360 mg |
| 19 to 30 years | 400 mg | 310 mg | 350 mg | 310 mg |
| 31 to 50 years | 400 mg | 350 mg | 360 mg | 320 mg |
| 51 years and over | 420 mg | 320 mg | ||
If you are taking a magnesium supplement greater than 350 mg per day, it is recommended that you do so under medical supervision. Magnesium toxicity is rare, but high doses are more likely to cause nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.
Foods High in Magnesium Chloride:
Magnesium chloride is a supplement, which helps treat those suffering from magnesium deficiencies.
Which foods have them?
1. Grains: Hurray! Grains (particularly refined and unprocessed grains) are pretty high in magnesium and magnesium chloride.
Munch on this fact –
Oat bran, brown rice, shredded wheat are sources of magnesium, with 100% bran cereal and oat bran providing 93.1 mg and 96 mg per 1/2-cup serving, respectively.
2. Nuts and Legumes: Nutty affair this is! Almonds, peanuts and hazelnuts of the ‘nut’ family in raw form respectively yield 78 mg per ounce, 48 mg per ounce and 46 mg per ounce.
3. Dark, Leafy Vegetables: All credit to the ‘chlorophyll’ molecule in the veggies, which makes dark leafy vegetables a good source of magnesium chloride. Spinach and Swiss chard, which both have 20% of the RDA for magnesium per ½-cup serving are best dark green veggies to eat. Okra gives 47 mg per ½-cup serving.
4. Fish: With 20 % of the RDA of magnesium per serving, fish should be your go-to food item. Halibut of the fish family gives you 90 mg of magnesium per 3-oz. serving.
Magnesium Chloride Side Effects:
Common side effects of Magnesium Chloride include:
- Diarrhoea
- Allergic reactions (such as difficulty in breathing; tight feeling in the chest; skin rash; hives; itching; or a swollen face, tongue, lips or mouth)
- Severe effects (experienced ‘nausea’, heartbeat slowed down, had double or blurred vision, or became drowsy – then go to the doc ASAP)
Precaution To Take Magnesium Chloride:
It is important to know the ‘dos’ and ‘don’t’ before taking any drug. Same in case of Magnesium Chloride.
Before you start to use this drug, make sure you have shared with your doctor the following –
- Your current medications,
- OTC products (e.g. vitamins, herbal supplements, etc.) that you take
- Allergies, if any
- Pre-existing diseases, and
- Current health conditions (e.g. pregnancy, upcoming surgery, etc.).
Take this drug as directed by your doctor, or follow the direction printed on the product insert. Remember, the dosage of Magnesium Chloride is based on your condition. If your condition worsens, tell your doc without any waste of time.
Tips for Magnesium Chloride:
Though Magnesium Chloride comes with a ton of health benefits, it is not advisable to take in the following cases –
- Since it has a laxative effect, those suffering from diarrhoea should stay away from it
- Those suffering from kidney disorders (even renal failure) should stay away from this drug
- Suffer from ulcerative colitis? Don’t take Magnesium Chloride, or you’re your diarrhoea can get worse
- If you are on antibiotics, then magnesium chloride can make them less effective. Which means you should take this drug 3-4 hours before you take your antibiotic.
Final Words about Magnesium Chloride for Health:
Magnesium chloride keeps your body young and energetic. It fights off and prevents many infections, is beneficial for people of all ages, and has few contraindications that you should bear in mind.
