Can magnesium be taken all year round?

In order to enjoy good health and mental and physical fitness throughout the year, the body needs to be supplied with several dozen chemical compounds every day, which perform building or regulatory functions. One of the compounds that you do not need much of on a daily basis, but which is both a tissue building block and a regulator of biochemical and physiological changes, is magnesium. This element belongs to the electrolytes and is characterised by a very fast rate of "consumption" in tissues, especially in the brain, peripheral nerves and muscles.

1. What does magnesium affect?
2. How long should magnesium be used?
3. What to take magnesium with?

What does magnesium affect?

Magnesium, being an electrolyte and participating in the conduction of signals between cells, performs a whole range of functions in the body. It participates in the communication between the nervous system and the skeletal muscles, heart and blood vessels.

This enables proper muscle contractions, regular heart function and blood pressure appropriate to the physiological state. It affects both nervous and muscular relaxation, making it useful in problems with stress tolerance or difficulty falling asleep, among other things. In addition, magnesium is essential for the synthesis of proteins, hormones and DNA, as well as for bone formation.

How long should magnesium be used?

The body needs magnesium every day, all year round. Only the daily requirement for this element may vary slightly. In adults, it fluctuates around 320 mg for women and 420 mg for men. Higher amounts are needed, among other things, on days with high air temperatures, during periods of high physical and mental activity, and during periods of high stress. A lot of magnesium is also needed in a diet rich in salt, which in excess leads to high blood pressure.

Depending on your daily diet and how often you experience days with factors that increase your magnesium requirements, you can take this element in the form of a supplement periodically or throughout the year. Supplementation should be particularly important for people who avoid highly mineralised water, leafy vegetables and legumes, or cereals, nuts and seeds, and at the same time base their diets on highly processed, ready-to-eat products.

What to take magnesium with?

Magnesium interacts with numerous chemical substances, but its interactions with other elements seem to be the most pronounced. Together with calcium, magnesium builds bones; together with zinc, it regulates the activity of the endocrine, nervous and immune systems; and together with potassium, it participates in the regulation of blood pressure and muscle contractions. 

The combination of magnesium and calcium can be particularly valuable in osteoporosis, with zinc in infections, and with potassium in hypertension, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Magnesium can be taken with or after meals, but it is not usually taken on an empty stomach. It is advisable to divide the daily dose of magnesium into smaller portions, as this ensures optimal absorption and effectiveness.