Magnesium For Osteoarthritis

Overview

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis affecting millions of people around the world. Symptoms include painful and swollen joints. Many patients without specific treatments for osteoarthritis  depend on pain relief to reduce their symptoms. Each person’s osteoarthritis experience  is different, but overall osteoarthritis is debilitating and can cause a profound reduction in quality of life.

Despite the availability of magnesium, deficiencies often occur and there has been a lot of research indicating that adequate magnesium intake could benefit people suffering from  osteoarthritis. The majority of available research has studied knee osteoarthritis and so that will be the focus of this article.

Can we assume that consuming adequate levels of magnesium will reduce the symptoms and/or risk of developing osteoarthritis? Unfortunately, there is no  simple answer to this question!

Role of magnesium for osteoarthritis

Most people know that magnesium is an essential part of our diet, it  is a mineral that plays several important roles in the human body. Some of these roles include: 

•    Contribution to joint health
•    Regulation of  blood pressure
•    Being a  component of bone, protein and DNA
•    Assisting with blood sugar levels 
•    Regulation of the function of nerves and muscles

Ways in which magnesium may help osteoarthritis

A higher dietary intake of magnesium is linked to the reduction of symptoms and may decrease the severity of osteoarthritis. Some of the benefits of taking magnesium can include:

• NTI-Inflammatory properties
  The current understanding is that as a result of magnesium deficiency, inflammation increases.¹ Chronic inflammation can lead to chronic disease and is closely linked to the pathology of osteoarthritis.² Magnesium is also linked to lower levels of C-reactive protein, which is higher in the presence of inflammation.³
• Reduced risk of fractures
  According to The Arthritis Foundation, people with  osteoarthritis are at higher risk of falling due to a combination of factors such as impact on balance, mobility and the side effects from strong painkillers. Whilst it’s not conclusive that magnesium intake can prevent osteoarthritis, a small study revealed that daily supplementation with magnesium can reduce the risk of fractures, because it increases the density of bones.
• Decreased  pain
  Knee pain caused by knee osteoarthritis is extremely common, with 1 in 5 adults in the UK experiencing this chronic condition. Those with lower magnesium intake reported higher levels of pain and lower knee function than those that were supplemented adequately.⁵ Magnesium does not have a direct pain-killing effect but it has the ability to block NMDA receptors. The effect of this is to prevent calcium ions from entering cells which results in a pain-relieving  outcome.⁶
• Prevention of  osteoarthritis
  Most research that has been carried out focuses on radiographic knee osteoarthritis (has clinical signs observed by radiography). The research findings are mixed when considering whether magnesium supplementation could be a preventative measure for radiographic knee osteoarthritis . A study reported that increased magnesium intake did not reduce the risk of developing the condition but did reduce the risk of fractures.⁷

On the other hand, a different study reported that having low magnesium levels increases the risk of developing osteoarthritis and also enhances its progression. Therefore, there does seem to be a link between the development of the condition and magnesium, but there needs to be further research to investigate the relationship between the two. 

Which magnesium is best for osteoarthritis

Many people have a low magnesium intake, but it can be easily obtained.

Sources of dietary magnesium include:

•  Green vegetables
•  Nuts and seeds
•  Fortified breakfast cereals such as Weetabix and bran flakes
•  Peanut butter
•  Wholegrain foods
•  Dark chocolate

There are also many magnesium supplements readily available in the form of tablets, Epsom salts and topical creams to boost magnesium levels. The forms of magnesium that are absorbed easily are magnesium orotate, oxide or citrate.

Magnesium orotate is magnesium combined with orotic acid; it is considered a superior way to consume magnesium because it is more readily absorbed than other forms. It is often sold as a sports product. 

Magnesium oxide is absorbed more slowly but contains more magnesium per mg than other forms. 

Magnesium citrate is the most commonly used form of magnesium supplement and is often found in a topical form.

An animal study has suggested that combining magnesium with vitamin C could enhance its properties, but further research is needed to confirm this finding. 

How much magnesium should I take for osteoarthritis

The Arthritis Foundation states that the recommended daily intake of dietary magnesium is 420mg daily for men aged 31+ and 320mg for women. 

Having too much magnesium can cause issues. It’s unlikely to consume too much dietary magnesium, but when using supplements, too much can lead to hypermagnesemia. 

Signs of hypermagnesemia:

• Nausea and sickness
• Fatigue
• Diarrhoea
• Muscle weakness
• Lethargy
• Respiratory distress
• Cardiac arrest

Magnesium can also interact with other medications such as antibiotics and some other dietary supplements.

A doctor should always be consulted before starting a new supplement if you are unsure if it will be safe for you to consume.  

Summary

Despite being able to easily source magnesium, many people are magnesium deficient. Magnesium is essential for the maintenance of joint health, therefore magnesium supplementation might help people suffering from osteoarthritis, especially in those that have a low dietary magnesium intake. 

Although most evidence is anecdotal, and future research clearly needs to examine the overall effects of magnesium on osteoarthritis, ensuring that you get enough magnesium in your diet can optimise your health in general.