Who should not take magnesium?

The danger of taking too much magnesium is when the body can’t get rid of it. Typically there is a mechanism in the kidneys that can easily get rid of excess magnesium. But, there are certain conditions that can cause someone to be unable to get rid of magnesium.

A few symptoms of too much magnesium:

• Diarrhea 

• Nausea 

• Abdominal cramping 

• Low blood pressure 

• Depression 

• Lethargy 

• Difficulty breathing 

• Irregular heartbeat 

• Cardiac arrest 

A few situations where you may not want to take large amounts of magnesium:

1. If you have kidney disease (chronic kidney disease, diabetic nephropathy, you’re on dialysis, or if you see low GFR on your kidney test) 

2. If you have hypothyroidism  

3. If you have Addison’s disease 

4. If you’re taking certain medications like Fosamax, certain antibiotics, diuretics, or lithium