Magnesium For Foot Pain

Overview 

Magnesium is regarded as a wonder mineral by some due to its therapeutic capabilities.¹ It protects against cardiovascular illnesses, regulates cholesterol, eases anxiety, and alleviates depression, among many other health advantages. In this post, we'll focus on the benefits of magnesium for foot pain, the recommended dosage, and any side effects to be wary of.

The National Institutes of Health claims that magnesium is a necessary mineral that is largely found in the foods we eat.² Magnesium is present in your body's tissues and bones and in foods like whole grains, almonds, and green vegetables, among others. If you don't get enough magnesium, you can get it from food supplements.

Plantar fasciitis, arthritis, and other joint ailments can all be treated with magnesium to reduce their symptoms.^{3 4} It's time you tried something different if you have foot pain and have tried conventional methods of treatment but the pain still seems to be resistant to them. The healing properties of magnesium will help your leg muscles and nerves function normally, thus helping to ease tight muscles, nerve pain, and foot cramps.⁵

How does magnesium affect foot pain? 

The foot is a portion of the human body and consists of many muscles and bones in both the upper and lower part of the leg that works to help with activities like walking, jumping, standing, and other similar activities.⁶ The leg may occasionally become uncomfortable or endure chronic pain as a result of several factors, including:

• Dehydration
• Liver disease
• Ageing
• Too much strain on the leg
• Poor fitting shoes
• Nutrient deficiency (calcium/magnesium)
• Lack of activity 

The majority of leg pain is caused by overuse, inflammation, injury, or wear and tear to the muscles, tendons, bones, ligaments, or other soft tissues of the leg. Plantar fasciitis, osteoarthritis, Achilles tendon rupture, fractured toes, broken feet, are a few of the causes of foot pain.⁷

Most foot pain can be relieved with certain exercises, stretches, wearing shoe inserts, or avoiding particular styles of footwear. But occasionally, even after performing the physical therapy exercise suggested by your physiotherapists, pain may linger or come back. Your best option right now could be to use magnesium.

There are different types of magnesium with different or specific uses, namely:

• Magnesium citrate - this is a compound of citric acid and magnesium.⁸ It is used as a laxative to treat indigestion, and constipation, and to remove stool from the gut before surgery or procedures like radiography or colonoscopy
• Magnesium malate - this type of magnesium is used to treat chronic fatigue. It's a combination of magnesium and malic acid, an acid that can be found in fruits and it's easily absorbed into your digestive system
• Magnesium orotate - this is a combination of magnesium and orotic acid, an acid also known as vitamin B13. It helps your body prevent or treat magnesium deficiencies. It acts as a magnesium transporter into your cells so that you have an adequate supply of magnesium⁹
• Magnesium glycinate - this type of magnesium is a combination of magnesium and glycine, an amino acid.¹⁰ It's used to treat magnesium deficiency and it serves as an agent that eases stress, sadness, and anxiety. Additionally, it aids the activation of vitamin D, which has an impact on bone formation and maintenance
• Magnesium lactate - this is a compound of magnesium and lactic acid, majorly used as a dietary supplement to treat magnesium deficiency. It can also be used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Magnesium taurate - this is a compound of magnesium and taurine, an amino acid that is present in your heart and other skeletal muscles.¹¹ It lowers blood pressure and protects the heart thanks to its antihypertensive and cardioprotective properties
• Magnesium oxide - this is a compound of magnesium and oxygen.¹² It's often used to relieve digestive issues like heartburn, indigestion, and constipation
• Magnesium sulphate - this is a compound of magnesium and sulphur used to treat low levels of magnesium in the blood, treat constipation, and as a foot soak to treat muscle and joint pains¹³  
• Magnesium chloride - this is a combination of magnesium and chlorine used to treat magnesium deficiency and can be used to calm nerve pain and muscle pain¹⁴
• Magnesium L-threonate - this compound is a combination of threonine, a breakdown of vitamin C and magnesium.¹⁵ This essential supplement can be used to treat magnesium deficiency, stomach upset, heartburn, indigestion, brain functionality, and immune system dysfunction

Magnesium sulphate, usually referred to as Epsom salt, is the most useful form of the above-mentioned magnesium compounds. The healing qualities of Epsom salt makes it a medicinal substance. It soothes painful feet when used as a foot bath and treats joint pain, heel discomfort, sore muscles, and muscular pains whether ingested or used as a bath.

How much magnesium should I take for foot pain? 

Magnesium is a therapeutic mineral that has numerous health benefits. It helps to maintain a proper functioning system and good health. Since you may not even know which foods are high in magnesium, you may not be getting the recommended amount of magnesium from your diet, even though magnesium can be found in most foods. Most processed foods are poor in magnesium and may not provide you with the necessary amount. 

If your body lacks this "magic mineral," as some refer to it, it could cause terrible health problems like muscle discomfort, headaches, tightness in the muscles, and more. At this stage, taking a supplement to meet the quantity your body requires becomes important.

The National Institute of Health states that there are two requirements: 

• the tolerable upper limit requirement 
• the recommended daily allowance 

The tolerable upper limit is the maximum daily intake of magnesium obtained from only dietary supplements and medications, which is 350 milligrams.¹⁶ Taking the right amount will help you alleviate any pain you might have in your foot. Supplements taken in high doses can result in nausea, foot cramp, and diarrhoea. Always make sure to take the recommended dosage of supplements to prevent health problems.

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) is the amount of magnesium you get from different sources like food, beverages, medications, and dietary supplements. The recommended daily allowance varies based on your life stage and sex. 

• From birth to 12 months, they need (30 mg - 75 mg daily)
• From 1-8 months, they need (80mg - 130mg daily)
• For 9-18 years, they need (240 mg - 410 mg daily)
• For adult men, from 19-51+ years (400 mg - 420 mg daily)
• For adult women, (310 mg - 320 mg daily)
• Pregnant women require about (350 mg - 360 mg daily)
• Breastfeeding women need about (310 mg - 320 mg daily)

Please keep in mind that getting too much magnesium from food may not cause any problems if you are healthy because your kidney will filter it out through urine.

Side effects and other concerns 

Magnesium is necessary for the efficient functioning of your organs. Magnesium shortage may arise as a result of inadequate intake of magnesium in your diet or actual magnesium loss caused by situations like prolonged alcoholism and certain drugs. Hypomagnesemia is another name for magnesium deficiency.¹⁷

Side effects or signs of chronic magnesium deficiency include:

• Convulsion
• Muscle fatigue
• Numbness of the muscles
• Muscle weakness
• Muscle cramps and contraction
• Osteoporosis
• Heart diseases
• Type 2 diabetes 

Your muscles and nerves suffer greatly from magnesium insufficiency; they weaken and behave abnormally. According to a study, magnesium deficiency has been linked to foot ulcers.¹⁸

As you are aware, having too much of something may be harmful. The same applies if your bloodstream contains too much magnesium. Taking too much magnesium in the form of supplements might be dangerous. Excess magnesium is also known as hypermagnesemia.¹⁹ Supplementary magnesium taken in excess carries some health hazards and may result in:

• Diarrhoea 
• Nausea 
• Abdominal cramps 
• Cardiac arrest 
• Vomiting 
• Depression 
• Low blood pressure 
• Muscle weakness 

Finally, another risk factor to watch out for is toxicity. Toxicity is when your kidneys are unable to eliminate the extra magnesium in the body through urination. People with kidney disease are more susceptible to toxicity, and are likely to encounter the following signs as a result of their inability to eliminate the extra magnesium from their body:

• Diarrhoea 
• Heart attack 
• Muscle weakness 
• Abnormal heartbeat 
• Nausea

Summary 

Magnesium is a healing mineral with several therapeutic benefits that will support healthy organ function. Magnesium is easy to obtain because it can be found in food and food supplements, so getting it is not a problem. 

It is recommended to use magnesium as a cure for foot pain since it contains healing properties that will aid in the recovery of your joints, muscles, nerves, and bones from wear and tear or strain caused by excessive use, bad shoe heels, or poor shoe insoles. At this point, having a foot bath with Epsom salt will be a great idea.

To avoid under or over-consuming magnesium, it is important to understand the recommended daily dose. Alcohol misuse, major illnesses, and the use of specific drugs can all cause magnesium deficiency. For guidance on your limit and other medications you should use or stay away from, speak with your qualified health expert.

References 

1. National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements - Magnesium [Internet]. Nih.gov. 2016. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-Consumer/
2. National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements - Magnesium [Internet]. Nih.gov. 2016. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
3. Plantar fasciitis [Internet]. nhs.uk. 2019 [cited 2023 Feb 3]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/plantar-fasciitis/
4. Arthritis [Internet]. nhs.uk. 2017 [cited 2023 Feb 3]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/arthritis/
5. Musso CG. Magnesium metabolism in health and disease. International Urology and Nephrology. 2009 Mar 10;41(2):357–62. 
6. Anatomy of the foot | arthritis foundation [Internet]. [cited 2023 Feb 3]. Available from: https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/about-arthritis/where-it-hurts/anatomy-of-the-foot
7. Foot pain Causes [Internet]. Mayo Clinic. [cited 2023 Feb 3]. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/foot-pain/basics/definition/sym-20050792
8. Magnesium citrate uses, side effects & warnings [Internet]. Drugs.com. [cited 2023 Feb 3]. Available from: https://www.drugs.com/mtm/magnesium-citrate.html
9. Magnesium orotate [Internet]. [cited 2023 Feb 3]. Available from: https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB13786
10. PubChem. Magnesium glycinate [Internet]. [cited 2023 Feb 3]. Available from: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/84645
11. Shrivastava P, Choudhary R, Nirmalkar U, Singh A, Shree J, Vishwakarma PK, et al. Magnesium taurate attenuates progression of hypertension and cardiotoxicity against cadmium chloride-induced hypertensive albino rats. J Tradit Complement Med [Internet]. 2018 Jun 2 [cited 2023 Feb 3];9(2):119–23. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6435948/
12. Magnesium oxide [Internet]. [cited 2023 Feb 3]. Available from: https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB01377
13. Magnesium sulfate uses, side effects & warnings [Internet]. Drugs.com. [cited 2023 Feb 3]. Available from: https://www.drugs.com/mtm/magnesium-sulfate.html
14. Magnesium chloride injection uses, side effects & warnings [Internet]. Drugs.com. [cited 2023 Feb 3]. Available from: https://www.drugs.com/mtm/magnesium-chloride-injection.html
15. https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-drug/def/magnesium-l-threonate [Internet]. 2011 [cited 2023 Feb 3]. Available from: https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-drug/def/magnesium-l-threonate
16. Magnesium | winchester hospital [Internet]. [cited 2023 Feb 3]. Available from: https://www.winchesterhospital.org/health-library/article?id=22879
17. Gragossian A, Bashir K, Bhutta BS, Friede R. Hypomagnesemia. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 [cited 2023 Feb 3]. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK500003/
18. Özgür Keşkek Ş, Kırım S, Karaca A, Saler T. Low serum magnesium levels and diabetic foot ulcers. Pak J Med Sci [Internet]. 2013 [cited 2023 Feb 3];29(6):1329–33. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3905391/
19. Keskek SO, Kırım S, Karaca A, Saler T. Low serum magnesium levels and diabetic foot ulcers. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences [Internet]. 2013 Sep 30 [cited 2023 Feb 26];29(6). Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3905391/
20. Cascella M, Vaqar S. Hypermagnesemia. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 [cited 2023 Feb 4]. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549811/