Magnesium and Ginger for Period Cramps: The Evidence

Magnesium and ginger may ease period cramps a little, but the evidence for both is small and weak. Ginger lowered period pain more than a placebo in three small trials, and magnesium did better than a placebo in three small, older trials.

So neither one is a proven treatment. They can be worth a try next to a painkiller that works for you, if they are safe for you. This guide shows what the trials found, the doses they used, the side effects, and who should be careful.

Quick answer: how strong is the evidence?

No supplement for period pain has high quality evidence behind it, and the evidence on their safety is lacking. Most of the trials took place with students in their late teens or early twenties who had period pain with no other cause. That is called primary dysmenorrhea. The results may not be the same for older adults or for pain from a condition such as endometriosis.

Ginger for period cramps: what the trials show

In three trials with 266 women, ginger lowered period pain by about 1.5 points on a 0 to 10 pain scale, compared with a placebo. In one trial, ginger and zinc worked about the same.

The limits are important:

• The evidence was low or very low quality. The groups were very small, and many trials did not report their methods well.
• Very few trials reported side effects, so the trials tell us little about safety.

Doses in the trials: The trials gave ginger powder in capsules, 250 mg three times a day in one trial and 500 mg in others. These are the doses the trials tested, not a dose that is proven to work. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before you take ginger capsules.

For ginger as a drink, see our guide to tea for period cramps.

Magnesium for period cramps: what the trials show

In three small trials, magnesium was more effective than a placebo for pain relief, and the women who took it needed less extra pain medicine. The number of side effects was about the same as with the placebo.

The limits are important:

• These trials are old, and they were small. The review authors called magnesium promising, but they made no strong recommendation.
• The trials used different doses and schedules, so it is not clear what dose of magnesium to use for period pain.

How much is safe: 400 mg or less a day of magnesium from supplements is unlikely to cause harm. Higher doses for a short time can cause diarrhoea, and there is not enough evidence on what high doses do over a long time. Adult women aged 19 to 64 need about 270 mg a day from all sources.

Side effects

Ginger: The most common side effects of ginger supplements are heartburn and skin irritation.

Magnesium: High doses can cause diarrhoea, nausea and mild belly pain.

Who should be careful

Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before you start either supplement if you take any regular medicine.

Ginger supplements:

• Blood thinners: If you take warfarin or another blood thinner, ginger supplements may increase the risk of bleeding.
• Bleeding disorders and gallstones: Avoid ginger supplements if you have a bleeding disorder or gallstones.
• Diabetes medicine: Ginger supplements may lower blood sugar more when you take insulin or other medicine for diabetes.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Avoid ginger supplements during pregnancy or breastfeeding, because there is not enough data on safety for the baby.
• Surgery: Stop ginger supplements 2 weeks before surgery.

Magnesium supplements:

• Kidney disease: Do not take magnesium supplements if you have kidney problems unless your doctor tells you to. A magnesium overdose is rare, and it happens mostly in people with kidney or bowel problems.
• Heart and bowel conditions: Avoid them if you have heart block or a bowel disorder, unless your doctor agrees.
• Other medicines: Magnesium can make some antibiotics work less well. It can also interact with bisphosphonates for bone health, some heart and blood pressure medicines, water pills (diuretics), levothyroxine for the thyroid, and some diabetes medicines.

How magnesium and ginger fit next to painkillers

Painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen are the usual first step for period pain. Our guide to what helps period cramps compares the options with the best evidence, and ibuprofen vs naproxen for period cramps explains how to choose and time an anti-inflammatory painkiller.

If you want to try a supplement, use it next to your painkiller, not in place of it. There is one catch with ginger: ginger supplements may increase the risk of bleeding when you take them with NSAIDs, the group of painkillers that includes ibuprofen and naproxen. Ask a pharmacist before you take the two together.

What we do not know for endometriosis pain

There is no good evidence that magnesium or ginger helps endometriosis pain. In the main review of supplements for period pain, only one trial looked at pain from a condition such as endometriosis, and it tested melatonin, not magnesium or ginger.

Endometriosis pain often needs more than a supplement. If your cramps are severe or get worse over time, read how endometriosis pain differs from normal period cramps, and talk to a doctor about treatment.

Track what you try

If you try magnesium or ginger, write down what you took, how much, on which days of your period, and how bad the pain was. After two or three periods, you can see if it makes a difference. Endolog lets you log your pain severity and where it hurts, your bleeding and other symptoms, and add flare notes about what you tried. You can then share a PDF report with your doctor.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if:

• Your periods become more painful, heavier or irregular
• You bleed between periods
• You have pain during sex, or pain when you pee or poo, as well as period pain

Get an urgent appointment or call NHS 111 (or your local urgent care line) if your period pain is severe or worse than usual, and painkillers have not helped. Go to the emergency department if you have sudden, severe pain in your belly or pelvis, and more so if you could be pregnant.

Severe period pain is a real medical problem, and you deserve care for it.

FAQ: magnesium and ginger for period cramps

Does magnesium help period cramps?

It may help a little. In three small, older trials, magnesium eased period pain more than a placebo, but the best dose is not clear. Do not take magnesium supplements if you have kidney problems unless your doctor says it is safe.

Does ginger help period cramps?

It may help a little. In three small trials, ginger lowered period pain by about 1.5 points on a 0 to 10 scale, but the evidence was low quality. Ask a doctor first if you take blood thinners.

How much magnesium should I take for cramps?

No dose is proven for period pain, because the trials used different doses. 400 mg or less a day from supplements is unlikely to cause harm for most adults. Ask a pharmacist before you start.

Can I take ginger with ibuprofen?

Ask a pharmacist first. Ginger supplements may increase the risk of bleeding with NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen.

Can magnesium or ginger replace painkillers?

No. They are a small extra at best, not a replacement for painkillers like ibuprofen. If painkillers do not help your cramps, see a doctor.