Magnesium & Night Sweats

Regular bouts of night sweats can deplete magnesium levels in the body.

Water levels in the body play a vital role in maintaining normal cellular functions. Water levels can directly affect electrolyte balances, which promote electrical activity within the cells. Individuals who experience regular bouts with night sweats may be depleting needed mineral supplies in the body. Magnesium is one many vital minerals used to help maintain normal bodily functions.

Night Sweats

Night sweats can appear as hot flashes that cause the body to excrete excess amounts of water through the skin pores, according to MedicineNet. They typically occur while a person sleeps, leaving sleepwear and bed clothes drenched with sweat. Night sweats may be a symptom of another condition that affects the body's ability to regulate water balance. Women experiencing menopause often report having night sweats. Infections, certain medications and cancer conditions can also offset the body's water balance.

Magnesium

As an essential mineral in the body, magnesium exists as the fourth most abundant material. The bones hold onto half of the body's magnesium content, while the cells and tissues contain most of the remainder with a small percentage residing in the blood. According to the National Institutes of Health, the body uses magnesium as a biochemical agent that promotes cell metabolism processes and maintains essential chemical balances in the blood, cells, tissues and bones. Individuals who experience night sweats on a regular basis may develop a magnesium deficiency in the body.

Electrolyte Imbalances

The excess water loss that results from night sweats impacts the body's ability to regulate electrolyte mineral balances. Mineral balances affect how the body conducts electrical signals within the cells and tissues. Electrolyte minerals include magnesium, sodium, potassium, calcium, chlorine and phosphate. According to the Merck Manual, water makes up anywhere from 50 to 60 percent of the body's total mass. Water levels affect how electrolytes work, so the excess amounts loss during night sweats can impair normal cell functions throughout the body.

Water Imbalance

Night sweats cause the body to excess amounts of water, which can draw out high amounts of sodium minerals as well. According to the Merck Manual, sodium electrolytes play a vital role in helping the body to regulate water levels. Losses in sodium can also affect the balance of other electrolyte minerals and how they function within the cells. Three electrolytes in particular, magnesium, potassium and calcium, rely on an even balance of each in order for them to function normally, according to ThinkMuscle, a bodybuilding resource site. A deficiency in any one of these three can result in impaired nervous system function, which can develop into feelings of fatigue, constipation and low blood pressure.

Considerations

The body's magnesium supplies come from a person's daily food intake. Magnesium minerals can also be taken in supplement form. Foods known to be rich in magnesium content include green vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts and unrefined grains, according to the National Institutes of Health. When considering supplement sources, other minerals such as potassium and calcium may also be needed to properly metabolize magnesium in the body. And while increasing the body's magnesium content may not reduce night sweat episodes, it can help maintain essential electrolyte balances in the body.

References

• National Institutes of Health-Office of Dietary Supplements: Magnesium
• MedicineNet: Night Sweats Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment Information
• Merck Manual: Minerals and Electrolytes
• National Institutes of Health-Office of Dietary Supplements: What Foods Provide Magnesium?
• ThinkMuscle: Magnesium- The Multi-Purpose Mineral

Resources

• EmedicineHealth: Electrolytes