If you havearthritis, you’re probably already familiar with bone health and inflammation.
This article will go over what research says about whether magnesium is helpful for people with arthritis.
The following forms of magnesium may help reduce arthritic inflammation and pain.
Verywell / Laura Porter
Magnesium Glycinate
Magnesium glycinateis made by combining magnesium with glycine.
Some evidence suggests that glycine supplementation by itself can ease several inflammatory features of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
More research is needed to study this effect in humans with RA.
Magnesium Citrate
Magnesium citrate is made by combining magnesium with citric acid.
Citric acid is an organic compound found in citrus fruits.
Few studies have examined the effects of magnesium citrate on bone loss in people with osteoporosis.
Magnesium Malate
Magnesium malateis made by combining magnesium withmalic acid.
Malic acid is an organic compound found in certain fruits and wines.
Binding magnesium to malic acid helps your body absorb it better.
Malic acid is also known to enhance antioxidant activity, which reduces inflammation.
Magnesium Taurate
Magnesium taurate is made by combining magnesium with taurine.
Taurine is an amino acid produced naturally in the body that supports immune health and nerve function.
Benefits of Magnesium for Arthritis
Magnesium supplements by themselves are unlikely to prevent or cure arthritis.
Strengthens Bones
Having enough magnesium in your body is necessary for bone density and bone development.
Reduces Inflammation
Arthritis causes inflammation in the body.
Magnesium is known to reduce inflammation.
Research has shown that the mineral may help people with inflammatory forms of arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) is an inflammatory and autoimmune disease.
It affects the joints in the knees, wrists, and hands.
People with RA often have chronic pain.
When RA affects the joints, they become inflamed.
The inflammation can damage joint tissue over time.
The lungs, heart, and eyes can also be affected by RA.
This could be because magnesium has anti-inflammatory properties.
Specifically, magnesium is thought to relax muscles and nerves and reduce pain intensity.
More research is needed to confirm these results.
Additionally, low magnesium levels can trigger cytokine storms.
Low Magnesium Intake and Deficiency
Many Americans do not get enough magnesium in their diets.
There are no official recommendations for how much magnesium to take specifically to relieve joint pain.
Risks and Side Effects
If you havetoo much magnesiumin your blood it’s calledhypermagnesemia.
Having too much magnesium in the body can cause side effects.
Symptoms of having too much magnesium include:
Summary
The body needs magnesium to function.
Many parts of the body, from the nerves to the bones, need magnesium to work.
One of the things magnesium can do is reduce inflammation.
For this reason, it might help some people with certain kinds of arthritis.
Magnesium can come from foods and/or supplements.
Being deficient in magnesium can cause symptoms, but so can having too much magnesium.
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