Magnesium for Back Pain - Is It Effective?
Magnesium is one of the most abundant and important minerals in the body. It’s needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including those related to your immune system, nerve and muscle function, bones, and more. When magnesium levels are low, it can cause back pain and many other issues. You can also take magnesium for back pain. But how effective is magnesium for back pain, really? Does magnesium really help with pain in general?
Magnesium for Pain: How Does it Help?
People take magnesium for a number of reasons, but pain relief is a big one. For many, especially those suffering from chronic pain, magnesium is a natural and straightforward way to reduce their pain.
But how exactly does it work? Why does magnesium help you feel better?
Magnesium itself doesn’t have an analgesic effect, but it does block NDMA receptors, which prevents calcium ions from entering your cells. In turn, this creates an analgesic effect that helps alleviate pain. Best of all, magnesium achieves these goals without negative side effects.
When used intravenously, magnesium can help eliminate migraines, reduce nerve pain and even help with fibromyalgia pain.
Magnesium can also help ease muscle-related pain because of its muscle-relaxing effects. In fact, magnesium plays an important role in alleviating tight, cramped and sore muscles. It works by helping control muscle contractions and helping them relax. This relaxing effect is also due to the mineral’s calcium-blocking effects.
What Does the Research Say About Magnesium for Back Pain?
You know how magnesium works and the theory behind its pain-relieving effects. But what does the research show?
While more research is needed, there are some studies that have promising results.
One study found that two weeks of intravenous magnesium followed by four weeks of oral magnesium supplements reduced back pain and even improved lumbar spine mobility.
Other research shows how magnesium may help with other types of back-related pain, including arthritis pain.
Magnesium and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation in the joints. While RA isn’t normally associated with back pain, this condition can affect parts of the spine and cause severe pain in some cases.
Research has shown that dietary magnesium can reduce RA symptoms because of its anti-inflammatory properties.
Magnesium and Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a common form of arthritis, and it can also impact the spine. OA can cause the tissues in the joints to break down and cause pain.
Magnesium deficiency is considered a major risk factor for osteoarthritis, and studies have shown that higher magnesium intake can decrease the risk of fracture in patients with osteoarthritis. This is partly due to magnesium’s ability to help the body activate vitamin D, an essential vitamin for bone health.
Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Back Pain
Vitamin D plays a critical role in bone and immune health, among many other things. A deficiency of vitamin D can cause:
- Pain, including bone pain
- Fatigue
- Muscle weakness
- Depression
An estimated 1 billion people worldwide have a vitamin D deficiency. To make matters worse, the body needs magnesium to activate vitamin D. This means that not only are most people deficient in vitamin D, but they also have a hard time unlocking it because they’re also deficient in magnesium.
Together, a deficiency in both of these nutrients may exacerbate back pain. Supplementing magnesium may help the body activate the vitamin D it does receive.
The magnesium itself can help reduce pain, but its ability to improve vitamin D activation can push that relief even further.
What Causes Magnesium Deficiency?
Up to 50% of U.S. adults are magnesium deficient. A deficiency can contribute to back pain or make existing pain even worse.
Many people don’t get enough magnesium from their diets. But many other factors can also contribute to deficiency, such as:
- Consuming too much caffeine or alcohol
- Eating a diet rich in sugar and fat
- Gastrointestinal diseases, such as ulcerative colitis, Chron’s disease, and irritable bowel disease
- Certain medications, such as proton pump inhibitors or diuretics
- Kidney failure
When magnesium levels get too low, one of the first signs is muscle pain, fatigue, and cramps. Some people also experience tension headaches.
Along with pain, magnesium deficiency can cause:
- Muscle weakness
- Anxiety and depression
- Nausea
- Irritability
- Inflammation
- Fatigue
- Hypertension
- Poor appetite
- Nerve damage
- Numbness
While magnesium deficiency is common, it’s a relatively simple one to fix.
How to Increase Your Magnesium Intake
You can increase your magnesium intake through:
- Your diet
- Supplements
Magnesium-rich foods include:
- Leafy green vegetables
- Flax
- Sunflowers
- Pumpkin seeds
- Brown rice
- Black beans
- Bananas
- Sesame
- Fortified foods
You can also use supplements to increase your magnesium levels along with your diet. Oral magnesium supplements are common and effective, but they can also cause some unwanted side effects – mostly digestive issues.
Topical magnesium is another option for back pain.
There is some evidence that topical magnesium can improve the quality of life for patients with fibromyalgia.
One advantage of a topical solution is that it can be applied to affected areas. It also won’t cause the same digestive issues that oral magnesium causes.
Final Thoughts
Many people use magnesium for back pain, and they see great results. The mineral’s anti-inflammatory and muscle-relaxing properties can help ease discomfort. But its ability to block NDMA receptors also helps, especially with nerve-related pain.
While you have many options for increasing magnesium levels, topical solutions are preferred by many people because they do not cause negative digestive-related side effects.
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So with one easy application, you can get back to the things that matter most, without any negative side effects from pain killers.
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