Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that helps:

• turn the food we eat into energy
• make sure the parathyroid glands, which produce hormones important for bone health, work normally

Good sources of magnesium

Magnesium is found in a wide variety of foods, including:

• spinach
• nuts
• wholemeal bread

How much magnesium do I need?

The amount of magnesium you need is:

• 300mg a day for men (19 to 64 years)
• 270mg a day for women (19 to 64 years)

What happens if I take too much magnesium?

Taking high doses of magnesium (more than 400mg) for a short time can cause diarrhoea.

There's not enough evidence to say what the effects might be of taking high doses of magnesium for a long time.

What does the Department of Health and Social Care advise?

You should be able to get all the magnesium you need by eating a varied and balanced diet.

If you take magnesium supplements, do not take too much as this could be harmful.

Having 400mg or less a day of magnesium from supplements is unlikely to cause any harm.Manganese

Manganese helps make and activate some of the enzymes in the body. Enzymes are proteins that help the body carry out chemical reactions, such as breaking down food.

Good sources of manganese

Manganese is found in a variety of foods, including:

• bread
• nuts
• breakfast cereals (especially wholegrain)
• green vegetables – such as peas

How much manganese do I need?

You should be able to get all the manganese you need from your daily diet.

What happens if I take too much manganese?

Taking high doses of manganese for long periods of time might cause muscle pain, nerve damage and other symptoms, such as fatigue and depression.

What does the Department of Health and Social Care advise?

You should be able to get all the manganese you need by eating a varied and balanced diet.

If you take manganese supplements, do not take too much as this could be harmful.

For most people, taking 4mg or less of manganese supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm.

For older people, who may be more sensitive to manganese, taking 0.5mg or less of manganese supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm.