Can You Take Magnesium Glycinate 120 mg with BP 108/63?
Yes, you can safely take magnesium glycinate 120 mg with a blood pressure of 108/63 mmHg—this dose is unlikely to cause clinically significant hypotension and may provide modest cardiovascular benefits without lowering your already-normal blood pressure.
Blood Pressure Assessment
- Your current blood pressure of 108/63 mmHg is well below the treatment threshold for hypertension, which is ≥140/90 mmHg according to the 2024 European Society of Cardiology guidelines 1.
- This reading falls into the normal blood pressure range, and you are not at risk for hypotension-related complications from magnesium supplementation at this dose 1.
Magnesium's Effect on Normal Blood Pressure
- Magnesium supplementation does not lower blood pressure in normotensive individuals (those with normal BP), even at doses exceeding 600 mg/day 2.
- A systematic review of 49 clinical trials demonstrated that controlled hypertensives and normotensives showed "No Change" in blood pressure with oral magnesium therapy, regardless of dose 2.
- The blood pressure-lowering effect of magnesium is dependent on baseline magnesium status and baseline blood pressure—individuals with normal BP or adequate magnesium stores do not experience BP reduction 3.
Safety of 120 mg Magnesium Dose
- Your proposed dose of 120 mg magnesium glycinate is well below the threshold (240-600 mg/day) where blood pressure effects are observed even in hypertensive patients 2.
- Studies show that magnesium doses of 240-607 mg/day lower BP only in uncontrolled hypertensives (those on medications with BP still elevated), while doses >600 mg/day are required to affect untreated hypertensives 2.
- At 120 mg/day, you are taking approximately 5 mmol of elemental magnesium, which is far below the 10-40 mmol/day range used in clinical trials that showed any BP effects 4.
Mechanism and Clinical Context
- Magnesium acts as a natural calcium channel blocker and may reduce blood pressure by 5.6/2.8 mmHg at doses of 500-1000 mg/day, but only in individuals with elevated baseline BP 5.
- The blood pressure response to magnesium is inversely correlated with pretreatment BP—the higher your starting BP, the greater the reduction; conversely, normal BP remains stable 6.
- Even in hypertensive patients, magnesium supplementation at 20 mmol/day (approximately 480 mg) produced only small reductions of 2-4 mmHg systolic and 1-2 mmHg diastolic 6.
Cardiovascular Benefits Without BP Lowering
- Even when magnesium does not lower blood pressure, it may improve other cardiovascular risk factors including endothelial function, insulin sensitivity, and lipid profiles 5, 2.
- These benefits occur independently of blood pressure changes and do not carry the risk of hypotension 2.
Monitoring Recommendations
- While no specific monitoring is required for this low dose in a normotensive individual, be aware of symptoms of hypotension (dizziness, lightheadedness upon standing) if you have other conditions or medications that affect blood pressure 1.
- If you are taking antihypertensive medications for any reason, consult your physician, as magnesium can enhance the effectiveness of BP-lowering drugs 5.