TL;DR

Two clinical studies suggest magnesium supplementation may improve lung function, reduce airway reactivity, and enhance quality of life in people with asthma, with minimal side effects reported.

Educational purposes only. Not medical advice.

Research increasingly suggests that magnesium may play a helpful role in supporting respiratory health, especially in people with asthma.

A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that children with asthma benefited from magnesium supplementation.[1] Although the paper did not test a specific dosage, the findings supported the idea that magnesium intake may influence airway function.

More detailed evidence comes from a randomized, placebo-controlled study in the Journal of Asthma involving 55 subjects.[2] Participants received either:

  • 340 mg of magnesium per day, or

  • a placebo,

over a 6½-month period.

Key Findings

Those taking magnesium showed:

  • Greater resistance to methacholine challenge (indicating more stable airways)

  • Improved pulmonary function test results

  • Higher scores on asthma-related quality-of-life questionnaires

Because magnesium is generally well tolerated and has few side effects for most people, the researchers concluded that supplementation may be beneficial for some individuals with asthma — especially as part of broader nutritional support click to learn more.

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Sources:

  1. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition ((2007) 61, 54–60. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602475
  2. Journal of Asthma (2010; 47(1): 83-92)