How Long Does Magnesium Stay in the Body

How Long Does Magnesium Stay in the Body

Discover How Long Does Magnesium Stay in the Body and why it matters. Learn about absorption rates, factors affecting magnesium levels, and tips for maintaining optimal health

How Long Does Magnesium Stay in the Body

I want to talk about magnesium and how long it stays in your body .

Now there’s certain minerals that go through the body pretty quickly , other minerals don’t .

Like for example , sodium , iron and calcium tend to be retained in the body , but magnesium , potassium and zinc are not held very long .

What determines retention?

kidneys

Now what determines the retention or the recycling of potassium is how healthy your kidneys are .

If your kidneys are very , very healthy , you may only lose , you know , half of percent versus if they’re very , very unhealthy , you will lose a lot more .

There’s a huge gap on how much your body is gonna hold versus excrete .

And because the kidneys have the ability to get rid of excess magnesium , magnesium is rarely toxic to the body .

But you’re gonna get rid of between 0.5 70% of your magnesium within a 24 hour period .

It’s very important to keep the magnesium coming in the body .

How much magnesium do you need?

How Long Does Magnesium Stay in the Body

The RDAs for a female for magnesium are between 310 and 360 .

In a male , it’s 400 to 420 .

But you have to realize the IRDAs are only there to prevent deficiencies .

They’re not the dose that you’d should normally have to maintain a healthy body .

So these numbers should be a lot higher .

In fact , I think they should be at least 500 to 600 milligrams per day .

But the average American is only consuming between 2 to 300 milligrams per day .

Now if we also add in all the other diseases like for example , diabetes , the need for magnesium goes way way up because you simply do not retain magnesium if you have blood sugar problems .

Also , if you’re drinking a lot of alcohol , that is going to severely decrease the ability to hold magnesium .

Magnesium absorption

Now when you consume magnesium from the diet , you’re only really absorbing between 24 to 76% of the magnesium from the food .

And that really , varies because if there’s digestive damage in your colon , that could be a factor .

Magnesium absorption -  pH deficiency of hydrochloric acid in your stomach

If there’s a pH deficiency of hydrochloric acid in your stomach , that can also alter your absorption .

And there’s other reasons as well .

About 50% of all the magnesium in your body is stored in your bone .

It’s a reservoir .

So if you’re not eating a lot of food with magnesium , your body will just pull it from the bone .

That could be a problem if you keep doing that , and some of it is stored in the muscle .

Magnesium deficiency

Probably the number one symptom of the magnesium deficiency is fatigue because your mitochondria , the energy factories of your cells need magnesium to create ATP , which is the energy currency of the body .

So we need magnesium for energy .

magnesium in chocolate

If you crave chocolate , you could be deficient because there’s a lot of magnesium in chocolate and your body will tend to crave those things that have a certain nutrient that it’s trying to pull in .

Also realize that 99% of all the magnesium in your body is inside the cell and only 1% is outside the cell .

So if you were to get a test for magnesium in your blood , you really would not get the accurate picture of what’s going on .

You wanna get an intracellular test .

I’ll put a link down below of a , a company that can test your your magnesium .

It’s intracellular testing .

What causes a magnesium deficiency?

Why are you deficient in magnesium ?

Well , number 1 it’s the empty calories .

If you’re consuming refined foods that strip all the magnesium out , that’s the number one reason why people are deficient in magnesium .

Just basically refined sugars , grains , things like that .

The next reason is they’re consuming a lot of phytates .

fiber of grains .

Phytates are located in the fiber of grains .

So if you eat a lot of oatmeal , which by the way has a good amount of magnesium , you’re not gonna be able to absorb it because of the phytates .

Phytates bind the magnesium , and it will not let you absorb that magnesium .

So if you’re consuming wheat products , other grains , legumes , they’re all high in phytates .

And , typically whole , grain cereal has a good amount of magnesium , but it’s loaded with Phytates .

So you’re not getting the magnesium .

If you have kidney damage , that’s gonna alter your ability to absorb magnesium .

Now you might say , well , I don’t have kidney damage .

Well , did you realize that the number one cause of kidney damage is diabetes ?

And 90% of people that are prediabetic don’t even know they’re prediabetic .

And probably 70% of the population has insulin resistance , which is a pre prediabetes situation .

And if you have insulin resistance , that not only could block , magnesium from be going in the body , but also over time it can lead to some kidney problems .

And the last reason why people are deficient is they don’t consume enough chlorophyll type foods .

Chlorophyll at the center of it has magnesium .

It’s similar to our blood chemistry where we have iron , but chlorophyll , it’s like the blood of the plant .

vegetables and salads

So if you’re not consuming a lot of vegetables and salads , that could be another common source of why you need more magnesium .

So one of the first symptoms you would get from a magnesium deficiency would be fatigue .

Another one would be a palpitation or your heart starts to go out of rhythm .

Your muscles feel weak , and there’s quite a few symptoms .

key points:

  • What determines the retention or recycling is how healthy the kidneys are. If your kidneys are very healthy, you may only lose a very small amount. But, if your kidneys are unhealthy, you could lose a lot more. There is a huge gap when it comes to how much magnesium your body will hold versus excrete.
  • The kidneys have the ability to get rid of excess magnesium, so it’s rarely toxic to the body. But, the body will get rid of .5-70% of magnesium within a 24 hour period. It’s very important to get plenty of magnesium.
  • The average American only consumes 200-300mg of magnesium per day. I believe a person should consume more like 500-600mg per day. Certain diseases, like diabetes, can cause the need for magnesium to go way up. This is because you likely aren’t retaining magnesium if you have blood sugar problems. Drinking a lot of alcohol can also severely decrease the ability to hold magnesium.
  • The number one symptom of a magnesium deficiency is fatigue. This is because the mitochondria (the energy factories of your cells) need magnesium to create the energy currency of the body. Palpitations and muscle weakness are a few more symptoms. If you crave chocolate, you may have a magnesium deficiency.

What causes a magnesium deficiency?

  1. Empty calories (refined foods)
  2. Phytates (oat bran, wheat, legumes)
  3. Kidney damage
  4. Not consuming enough foods with chlorophyll (vegetables)

DATA:

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FAQ:

How long does it take for magnesium to get out of the system?

Magnesium’s excretion rate can depend on various factors, including the individual’s kidney function and magnesium levels in the body. Typically, a healthy adult with proper kidney function can regulate and excrete excess magnesium efficiently, often within 24 hours following ingestion. However, the duration may vary based on overall health and dietary intake.

Does magnesium build up in your system?

Under normal circumstances, with healthy kidney function, magnesium does not typically build up to toxic levels in the body. The kidneys play a vital role in controlling magnesium levels by excreting excess amounts in the urine. However, in cases of renal dysfunction or when large doses of magnesium supplements are taken, there is a risk of magnesium accumulating to harmful levels.

Does your body store magnesium?

Yes, the human body stores magnesium, with about 50% to 60% of it residing in the bones, and the rest distributed in muscles, soft tissues, and bodily fluids. This storage system allows the body to maintain magnesium levels within a narrow, healthy range, even if dietary intake varies day by day.

How quickly is magnesium excreted?

The rate at which magnesium is excreted from the body is influenced by how much magnesium is consumed and the body’s current magnesium status. Generally, the kidneys adjust the excretion rate based on these factors, and excess magnesium can start to be excreted within hours of intake. For individuals with healthy kidneys, this process helps prevent magnesium from accumulating to excessive levels.

How long does magnesium run over?

This question likely refers to the duration of magnesium supplementation effects. The impact of magnesium on the body’s systems—such as its calming effects on muscles and the nervous system—can be felt for as long as magnesium levels are maintained at a beneficial level. Regular supplementation, if needed, helps keep these levels balanced, with effects often felt throughout the duration of supplementation.

How long does magnesium affect you?

The effects of magnesium supplementation can vary based on individual health, the reason for supplementation, and dosage. Benefits like improved sleep quality or reduced muscle cramps may become noticeable within a few days to weeks of consistent use. It’s important to maintain balanced levels through diet and supplementation as advised by a healthcare provider to continue reaping magnesium’s benefits.

Dr. Berg

I am a health educator specializing in weight loss through nutritional and natural methods such as the keto diet plan and intermittent fasting

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