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PHARMACIST-REVIEWED GUIDE · PAKISTAN
Cramps, poor sleep, slow healing, hair fall: how to tell if it's magnesium or zinc, and what to take.
✓ Reviewed by Arhum Nadeem, Pharm-D · ✓ Prices checked Oct 2026 · ✓ 3–4 hr delivery in Lahore
Medically reviewed by Arhum Nadeem, Pharm-D (8 years’ experience as a pharmacist) · Last reviewed: 17 October 2026
The early symptoms of magnesium deficiency are loss of appetite, nausea, tiredness and weakness; as it worsens, muscle cramps, tingling, numbness and an irregular heartbeat can follow. Zinc deficiency shows up as poor appetite, frequent infections, slow wound healing, hair loss, diarrhoea and changes in taste or smell, and slow growth in children. Both are more common in people with diabetes, gut problems, poor diets, or long-term use of acid-reducing medicines or diuretics.
Key points
| Early | Later / more severe |
|---|---|
| Loss of appetite | Muscle cramps, twitches and spasms |
| Nausea or vomiting | Numbness and tingling |
| Tiredness and weakness | Irregular heartbeat |
| Seizures (rare, severe cases) |
Who is at risk? People with type 2 diabetes, long-term users of proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole, esomeprazole) or diuretics, people with chronic diarrhoea or gut conditions, heavy alcohol users and older adults.
Who is at risk? Vegetarians, pregnant and breastfeeding women, children with repeated diarrhoea, older adults and people with gut conditions.
| Men | Women | Upper limit from supplements | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magnesium | 400–420 mg | 310–320 mg (350–360 mg in pregnancy) | 350 mg |
| Zinc | 11 mg | 8 mg (11–12 mg in pregnancy) | 40 mg (total) |
Figures are for adults, from the US National Institutes of Health. The magnesium limit applies to supplements only, not food.
| Product | Form | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Nutrifactor Magnesium Glycinate | Magnesium glycinate tablets | About Rs 1,188 / 30 |
| Herbiotics Magnesium Glycinate 500 mg | Magnesium glycinate tablets | About Rs 2,366 / 60 |
| Nutrifactor Magnesium 500 mg | Magnesium oxide tablets | About Rs 1,036 / 60 |
| Nutraxin Magnesium Complex + B6 | Magnesium with vitamin B6 | About Rs 4,940 / 60 |
| Nutrifactor Nuzinc | Zinc gluconate tablets | About Rs 950 / 30 |
| Zincat-OD syrup | Zinc sulphate syrup for children | About Rs 133 / 60 ml |
| Diazinc 20 mg/5 ml | Zinc sulphate oral solution | About Rs 133 / 60 ml |
Magnesium glycinate is well absorbed and gentle on the stomach, so it suits people who want a daily supplement without loose stools. Magnesium oxide contains more magnesium per tablet and costs less, but more of it stays in the gut, so it often loosens stools. That’s why it’s also used as a laxative. If you have kidney disease, don’t take magnesium without your doctor’s advice.
| Magnesium | Zinc |
|---|---|
| Pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews | Beef, mutton and chicken |
| Spinach (palak) and other leafy greens | Eggs and dairy |
| Daal, chickpeas and beans | Chickpeas, lentils and beans |
| Whole wheat atta and brown rice | Nuts and seeds |
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Magnesium ki kami ki alamat mein bhook kam lagna, matli, thakawat, pathon mein cramps, jhunjhunahat aur dil ki be-tarteeb dharkan shamil hain. Zinc ki kami se bhook kam, baar baar infection, zakham der se bharna, baal jharna, dast aur bachon ki growth kam hoti hai. Sugar ke mareez aur lambe arse tak omeprazole lene wale zyada khatre mein hain. Magnesium glycinate pait par halki hoti hai. Bare log 350 mg magnesium aur 40 mg zinc se zyada supplement doctor ke mashwaray ke baghair na lein.
Loss of appetite, nausea, tiredness and weakness are usually first. Muscle cramps and tingling tend to appear when the deficiency is more severe.
Some people find magnesium helps them relax, but the evidence for sleep is limited. It’s most likely to help if you are actually low in magnesium.
Yes, hair loss is one sign of zinc deficiency. Iron deficiency, thyroid problems and stress are other common causes worth checking.
Magnesium glycinate is well tolerated for daily use. Magnesium oxide is cheaper but more likely to cause loose stools.
Yes, at normal doses. Very high zinc doses can reduce magnesium absorption, so stick to the label dose.
WHO recommends zinc for 10 to 14 days, alongside ORS, for children with diarrhoea. It shortens the illness and lowers the chance of another episode.
This article is for general information and does not replace advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always read the pack leaflet and follow the dose on the label or prescription.
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