We find magnesium in legumes, nuts, and beans, which don't get consumed as much when someone is on a low carb diet. Those specifically on a keto diet (a low carb, high fat diet) may be at a higher risk of later experiencing a magnesium deficiency. There are a lot of supplements that contain magnesium, and there’s also the option of eating low-carb, magnesium-rich foods. Many people don’t realize how vital magnesium is, which we further discuss in this article. Stick around because we’ll cover why magnesium is critical to have in your diet. For more of the scoop on vitamins and the keto diet check out the Body Reboot book.

First off, Ketovale states that magnesium is important (as we emphasized above), but it’s important to know your daily requirements. They provide a daily breakdown below.

Most food sources of magnesium include things like fortified cereals, legumes, beans and nuts.

These foods don’t belong to the ketogenic diet food list, which means that you run the risk of a magnesium deficiency unless you make some dietary changes to incorporate more keto-friendly magnesium-rich foods in your diet.

While you don’t want to take too much magnesium because it has a laxative effect on the body and this can cause further deficiencies, it’s important to get what you need.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the daily requirements for magnesium based on your age and gender:
Males 14 to 18 years old: 410 mg
Females 14 to 18 years old: 360 mg
Males 19 to 30 years old: 400 mg
Females 19 to 30 years: 310 mg
Males 31 to 50 years old: 420 mg
Females 31 to 50 years old: 320 mg
Males aged 51 and up: 420 mg
Females aged 51 and up: 320 mg
Because magnesium has been shown to help control blood sugar levels and fatigue, it’s a good idea to make sure you keep your levels up, especially if you are first starting out on the ketogenic diet and need a little extra dietary support.

So how does magnesium daily help your body? Healthline says it helps you have a healthier immune system, boosts your energy, and that’s not all. They also go on to discuss some of the lower carb magnesium food sources you should focus on eating to boost up your magnesium levels.

Magnesium is a mineral that boosts energy, regulates blood sugar levels and supports your immune system.

Research suggests that due to magnesium-depleting medications, reliance on processed foods and other factors, a good portion of the population has or is at risk of developing a magnesium deficiency.

On a ketogenic diet, it may be even more difficult to meet your magnesium needs, as many magnesium-rich foods like beans and fruits are also high in carbs.

For these reasons, taking 200–400 mg of magnesium per day may be beneficial if you’re on a keto diet.

Supplementing with magnesium can help reduce muscle cramps, difficulty sleeping and irritability — all symptoms commonly experienced by those transitioning to a ketogenic diet.

Some of the most absorbable forms of magnesium include magnesium glycinate, magnesium gluconate and magnesium citrate.

If you wish to increase your magnesium intake through keto-friendly foods, focus on incorporating these low-carb, magnesium-rich options:

Spinach
Avocado
Swiss chard
Pumpkin seeds
Mackerel

Interestingly enough, even if you’re not on a low carb diet, you’re still likely to be deficient. Ruled.me cites a survey study that says around 43% of the US population is deficient! That’s quite a bit if you think about it. Read on to find out what type of side effects you may experience if you’re low in magnesium.

Magnesium is an essential mineral that is involved in many critical processes such as moderating blood pressure, synthesizing proteins, maintaining nerve and muscle function, and regulating blood glucose.

Recent literature shows optimal levels of magnesium are important for maintaining adequate levels of testosterone and getting proper amounts of sleep as well.

Magnesium deficiency is relatively common. According to a recent survey study, about 43% of the US population does not meet the USDA dietary intake of magnesium. It tends to be more common among people who consume a low-carbohydrate diet doesn’t have a wide enough variety of plant foods.

If you have low magnesium levels, you may experience fatigue, neurological damage, and muscle cramps, among other things. Oftentimes, however, the symptoms of magnesium deficiency aren’t immediately apparent. Thus, if you want to optimize nutrient status, it is best to consult with a proper blood testing facility to figure out your magnesium levels and see where you are, especially if you are on a low-carb or ketogenic diet.

To ensure adequate magnesium levels and reap the benefits of magnesium, I recommend consuming keto-friendly, magnesium-rich foods regularly. Some examples are avocados, high-fat yogurt, low-carb nuts, and low-carb vegetables. Additionally, it might be helpful to consume high-quality supplements of magnesium. The most trusted brand is “Natural Vitality, Natural Calm.”

Key Takeaways: Magnesium is an essential nutrient in the body with many key functions. Deficiency is common and more prevalent in people who regularly eat a low-carb diet because it increases excretion of ions and many magnesium-rich foods are high-carb.

Recommendations: Most dieticians recommend consuming a daily dosage of 320 mg of magnesium for women and 420 mg of magnesium for men. Consider eating keto-friendly, high magnesium foods such as avocados, low-carb vegetables, and high-fat yogurt. A trusted, high-quality supplement brand might also be helpful. Use blood testing to check your magnesium levels if you’d like to ensure optimal nutrient status.

Have you experienced muscle cramps before? Dr. Bubbs says having a lack of magnesium in your system is likely the culprit. Replenish those magnesium levels so you can live your best life! He offers some suggestions on how to make that happen.

Do you ever suffer from muscle cramps? Lack of magnesium is likely the culprit. Magnesium is the body’s “calming” mineral; helping to keep your brain, heart and muscles relaxed. It’s also essential for protein synthesis, blood sugar control, energy metabolism and over 300 other biochemical reactions in the body. Intense exercise, lack of sleep, and stress can all deplete magnesium levels.

Animal protein is also a great source of magnesium – in particular shellfish like oysters and mussels – along with leafy greens. Veggies get their deep green colour from chlorophyll, and the core of the chlorophyll molecule is magnesium, so make sure to always eat your leafy greens at mealtime. The darker the leafy green, the more magnesium.

Include the following regularly:

Spinach (1 cup) – 157mg

Swiss Chard (1 cup) – 154mg

Pumpkin Seeds (1/8 cup) – 90mg

Oysters (3 oz.) – 80mg

Yogurt (Plain) – 50mg

Avocado (1/2 medium)– 30mg

Popsugar further explains that a lack of magnesium has unpleasant side effects from muscle cramps to feeling super tired.

“Magnesium is critical for the function of every nerve and muscle in your body,” registered dietitian Sarah Koenck, member of the clinical team at Virta Health, told POPSUGAR. “Without adequate levels of magnesium, you can experience symptoms such as muscle cramps, fatigue, and even abnormal heart rhythm.”

Since magnesium is found in real food, Koenck explained that it tends to be deficient in the standard American diet, which is high in processed foods. If people are starting the keto diet from a standard American diet, they may already be low in this valuable nutrient.

A study in 2008 from Nutrition and Metabolism discusses how magnesium not only ties into a low carb diet, but how it can affect diabetes as well. If you have diabetes, then you understand how irritable you can get when your blood sugar is out of whack. Not only does the keto diet help your glycemic levels stabilize, but combined with magnesium and other supplements a low carb diet can help you lower your medication and potentially reverse type 2 diabetes.

Dietary modification led to improvements in glycemic control and medication reduction/elimination in motivated volunteers with type 2 diabetes. The diet lower in carbohydrate led to greater improvements in glycemic control, and more frequent medication reduction/elimination than the low glycemic index diet. Lifestyle modification using low carbohydrate interventions is effective for improving and reversing type 2 diabetes.

Dietary modification led to improvements in glycemic control and medication reduction/elimination in motivated volunteers with type 2 diabetes. The diet lower in carbohydrate led to greater improvements in glycemic control, and more frequent medication reduction/elimination than the low glycemic index diet. Lifestyle modification using low carbohydrate interventions is effective for improving and reversing type 2 diabetes.

It turns out that a lack of magnesium can also result in the keto flu, according to Ketogasm. If you do experience the keto flu (which means your body is working on burning fat instead of glucose), you need to replenish your magnesium levels! Here’s how:  

How to replenish magnesium to prevent keto flu:
Magnesium is essential for over 300 processes in the body, ”including protein synthesis, muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control, and blood pressure regulation.”

Per Phinney & Volek, anyone experiencing low magnesium symptoms such as cramps should be supplementing it, regardless of diet**. It’s also been shown to help with constipation, period cramps, and cravings (this was verified by Yours Truly), so if this is you, keep reading.

Oxide is the most common form of magnesium sold. However, it is not a very good option as it just acts as a laxative in the body, meaning it just goes straight through you and not a lot of it is absorbed. As we want maximum absorption and bioavailability, the best options in our case include:

Magnesium glycinate
Magnesium malate

Going on the keto diet is fantastic news, but with any significant health change (even if it’s for the better), you need to be aware of what supplements you should take. You may not need to take supplements, but it’s still vital to make sure you’re getting the proper nutrients. Learn more about the keto diet and which supplements you may need to take in the Body Reboot book. Help us cover the cost of shipping and visit this page today to snag your free copy!

Sources: Dr. Bubbs, Healthline, NCBI: Nutrition & Metabolism, Dec. 2008, Ruled.me, Ketovale, Popsugar, Ketogasm