Why Magnesium is So Important for Pregnant Women
Even at the first examination during pregnancy, many gynaecologists advise expectant mothers to take magnesium. Here we explain why – and how your baby will also benefit from it.
Of course you know that a balanced diet is important during pregnancy. And also that your body could use an extra portion of vitamins. “But why does the doctor advise me to take magnesium during pregnancy?” you may ask. In fact, the mineral in the human body performs many vital functions. For example, it plays a major role in building teeth and bones, dilates blood vessels, relaxes muscles and optimises the oxygen supply to cells. The special thing about magnesium is that it is not produced by the human body, but must be taken in through nutrition.
During a pregnancy the woman’s body works at full speed. And: It must also take care of the baby. This naturally increases the need for magnesium. Pregnant women can prevent a deficiency by eating a balanced diet rich in magnesium. Sometimes, however, this is not enough and the gynaecologist advises to take the mineral additionally in the form of tablets or powder. Here you can find out how to recognise a magnesium deficiency during pregnancy, what you can do to prevent it and what you should bear in mind when taking magnesium.
Why should I take magnesium during pregnancy?
At the beginning of your pregnancy you may not notice it so much, but in fact your baby is growing rapidly, and with it the placenta. In order for your body to cope well with all the changes and additional tasks during pregnancy, it needs magnesium. And more than before. Because in addition to the already higher requirement, your body also excretes more magnesium in the urine. With a balanced and above all magnesium-rich diet (e.g. pumpkin seeds, cashew nuts or soya products) you can normally cover your requirements.
However, if you suffer from calf cramps, strong contractions or constipation despite eating magnesium-rich foods, your gynaecologist can prescribe additional magnesium intake during pregnancy. This often relieves the symptoms. The mineral also helps if you are prone to premature labor. Because magnesium relaxes the muscles, including the uterus muscles.
How much magnesium should I take?
How much magnesium you should take depends on several factors: Athletes need more than couch potatoes, stressed people need more than relaxed people and pregnant women need more than non-pregnant women. The German Society for Nutrition recommends that women aged 25 years and older consume about 300 mg of magnesium per day. During pregnancy you are welcome to take more, but at least 310 mg daily. It is best to discuss the dosage and which preparation is suitable for you with your gynaecologist.
How do I recognise a magnesium deficiency?
You are extremely tired and exhausted or maybe even have calf cramps? You suffer from constipation or unpleasant muscle twitches? These can be signs that your body is not getting enough magnesium. A short-term and slight magnesium deficiency during pregnancy is not initially a cause for concern and can be easily compensated through diet. However, if your gynaecologist finds out from a blood test that your magnesium level is too low, he may recommend that you take the mineral as a dietary supplement. If you do not counteract the magnesium deficiency for a long time, the risk of high blood pressure, premature labour, bleeding and premature birth increases.
Which foods are particularly rich in magnesium?
You would like to eat food that is particularly rich in magnesium to counteract a deficiency? According to the German Nutrition Society, pregnant women should consume at least 310 mg of magnesium daily. In fact, the mineral is found in quite a lot of foods. And the best thing is that many of them are ideal as a small snack between meals. Basically, the following applies:
The highest magnesium content is found in foods that are of natural origin, if possible not chemically modified and little processed. Rice, for example, may be of natural origin, but it has often been processed until it is ready on our plates. In most cases, the particularly nutritious husk of the grain has been removed. It is then better to eat untreated natural rice. Foods that are rich in carbohydrates and starch often also have a high magnesium content. These include bananas, nuts and legumes, for example. Here too, however, the following applies: they should be processed or preserved as little as possible.
Foods that you can put on your diet more often, because they contain a lot of magnesium, are for example:
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Wheat bran
- Wholemeal bread
- Cashew nuts
- Peanuts
- Dark chocolate
- Bananas
- Raspberries
- Peas
- Broccoli
- Beans
By the way: It is also worth taking a look at the label for mineral water, because many thirst quenchers contain extra magnesium. As a guide: from a content of 50 mg per litre, a mineral water may be described as rich in magnesium.
Does magnesium really help with premature labor?
Already at the beginning of their pregnancy some women experience unpleasant pulling pain in the groin area. In most cases, this is simply because the uterus is now growing properly and is straightening up from its slightly bent position. The uterus is held in an upright position by a whole ligamentous apparatus. The larger the uterus becomes, the more these ligaments are stretched. And this then leads to pain, mostly on both sides of the lower abdomen or in the groin area. If the pain affects you badly and cannot be relieved by rest and massage, your doctor may prescribe a high dose of magnesium. The reason: the mineral relaxes the entire musculature, including the uterus.
Not every contraction of the uterus also means that contractions start early. Around the 20th week of pregnancy, irregular exercise contractions can also occur. They are not a cause for concern, but a good sign: The muscles have already been trained for the birth of the baby. Normally these so-called Braxton-Hicks contractions are not painful. But you may notice them on a hard belly.
However, if contractions of the uterus occur at short intervals over a long period of time before the 37th week of pregnancy, it could be premature labour. In this case, you should always consult a doctor. Depending on the diagnosis and your baby’s stage of development, you may be admitted to a clinic. In order to decide whether magnesium sulphate is the treatment of choice, the doctor will carry out an individual risk-benefit assessment for you and your child.
Can taking magnesium prevent preeclampsia and eclampsia?
At every gynaecologist appointment during your pregnancy, the gynaecologist will check your blood pressure and examine your urine. The reason: high blood pressure and protein in your urine are indications of a disease that only occurs during pregnancy: pre-eclampsia, also known as pregnancy poisoning. If it is not treated, it can endanger the health of mother and baby. If the symptoms worsen, such as headaches, vomiting and impaired vision, and even seizures occur, this is called eclampsia, which is life-threatening for both mother and child.
Indeed, several studies have been able to prove a link between magnesium deficiency and high blood pressure or pre-eclampsia. Therefore, your gynaecologist will probably advise you to take magnesium if you are at risk. Pregnant women who have already been diagnosed with pre-eclampsia are admitted to hospital and treated with high doses of magnesium sulphate. This reduces the risk of developing eclampsia in the further course of pregnancy.
What should I bear in mind when taking this medicine?
Your doctor has prescribed other mineral supplements besides magnesium, such as iron or calcium? Then it is important that you wait at least two hours between taking the preparations, otherwise your body cannot absorb the active ingredients. Even if you are also taking thyroid hormones, it is still better to take the tablets more often so that there are no interactions. It is best to take one medicine in the morning and the other in the evening.
Apart from that, it is up to you whether you prefer to take the magnesium in the morning or in the evening. Only if you suffer from night-time calf cramps, it is recommended that you take it before going to bed. This is because the magnesium level drops in the early morning hours. And so you can then counteract the unpleasant cramps.
Good to know: Don’t panic. A single overdose of magnesium is not tragic for pregnant women. It does not harm the child. In the worst case you will get diarrhoea.
What side effects can there be?
Side effects can also occur when taking food supplements on a daily basis. In the case of magnesium, however, this is actually very rare. A high dosage can occasionally cause soft stools or even diarrhoea.
When should I rather not take magnesium?
As a general rule, please speak to your gynaecologist before taking magnesium. Because: Women who have a functional disorder of the kidney should rather not take the mineral additionally. As magnesium can have a contraction-inhibiting effect, it is also better to avoid taking additional magnesium from the 36th week of pregnancy onwards.