Did you know that magnesium is one of the most important minerals involved in hundreds of chemical reactions in your body? So, lack of it can naturally cause numerous health problems and diseases. What’s more, a number of studies have found a correlation between magnesium deficiency and sudden death.
Therefore, it’s important to recognize the symptoms of magnesium deficiency so that you can treat it properly and on time.
As a matter of fact, magnesium can be seen as a secret weapon against multiple diseases and illnesses. Still, almost half of the U.S. population has magnesium deficiency without being aware of it.
What Can Magnesium Do for You
Magnesium is the most powerful relaxation mineral, an antidote to stress, and natural sleep aid.
It’s strange why doctors aren’t well-informed about the benefits of this mineral since it’s used a lot in conventional medicine. However, no one thinks or says anything about the importance of magnesium to our overall health. Another ignored aspect is its ability to improve our body functions.
Health care providers use magnesium in the emergency room all the time. If someone’s dying of an irregular heartbeat (or a life-threatening arrhythmia) they use intravenous magnesium. If they have to prepare someone for colonoscopy or the patient has constipation, they give milk of magnesia to empty their bowels.
Moreover, they give high doses of intravenous magnesium to pregnant women with pre-term labor, seizures, or high blood pressure.
But, you don’t have to be in any of these critical conditions to benefit from this mineral. Instead, you can start taking magnesium supplements on a daily basis and notice the results.
Magnesium as a Relaxation Mineral
Signs of magnesium deficiency include stiff, irritable, tight, or crampy parts of your body, as well as mood.
You need this mineral in each of your cells as it takes part in more than 300 enzyme reactions in your body. It stabilizes membranes, it’s involved in the production of energy and helps various chemical pumps to work and muscles to relax. In fact, there’s magnesium in your muscle, bone, and brain tissues.
Do you remember the last time you had a good dose of nuts, beans, greens, and seaweed? The main source of nuts to most people in the U.S. is, unfortunately, peanut butter. This is the reason why there are more than 3,500 medical references on the lack of magnesium.
Although magnesium is more powerful than many drugs, it is usually ignored because it’s “just” a mineral. A mineral that helps save people’s lives in the ER in cases of heart failure, seizures, and other life-threatening conditions.
Signs of Magnesium Deficiency
Here are some of the primary signs of magnesium deficiency:
- Insomnia
- Muscle cramps or twitches
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Sensitivity to loud noises
- Autism
- Palpitations
- ADD
- Angina
- Anal spasms
- Constipation
- Headaches
- Fibromyalgia
- Migraines
- Asthma
- Chronic fatigue
- Diabetes
- Kidney stones
- Osteoporosis
- Obesity
- PMS
- High blood pressure
- Irritable bladder
- Menstrual cramps
- Reflux
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Trouble swallowing
Low levels of magnesium have even been related to inflammation and increased CRP levels.
Causes of Magnesium Deficiency
Today, magnesium deficiency is a concerning problem. According to the conservative standards of magnesium measurement (serum, or blood magnesium levels), 15% of people are deficient in this mineral. But, this is the least sensitive method to determine the total magnesium level in your body. This indicates that the rates of magnesium deficiency are probably much higher.
The primary cause of today’s increasing rate of magnesium deficiency is the diet consisting mostly of meat, white flour, and dairy – foods that don’t contain magnesium.
What’s more, we are further reducing our magnesium levels with excessive consumption of coffee, salt, and alcohol. Other factors include a phosphoric acid in colas, chronic diarrhea, profuse sweating, heavy periods, prolonged or intense stress, intestinal parasites, and some medications like antibiotics and diuretics.
One study conducted in Kosovo showed a drastic reduction in the levels of magnesium in people under chronic war stress.
In addition, the poor bioavailability of magnesium further depletes its levels in our body. We need lots of magnesium in our diet, plus enough selenium, vitamin B6, and D to absorb it properly.
One study concluded that many serious diseases which cause great suffering and expense are in fact caused by lack of this low-toxicity, inexpensive nutrient.
Since magnesium deficiency is hard to measure but easy to cause serious health problems, you should pay attention to the symptoms mentioned above. Luckily, you can easily fix them, and here’s how.
How to Improve Your Magnesium Levels
Stop Depleting Your Body of Magnesium
- Limit colas, coffee, sugar, salt, and alcohol
- Find time to relax every day
- Consult your doctor if the drugs you take are causing magnesium loss (like diuretics and many high blood pressure drugs)
Diet High in Magnesium
Make sure you eat more of the following magnesium-rich foods:
Wheat bran, kelp, wheat germ, cashews, almonds, buckwheat, dulse, Brazil nuts, filberts, pecans, millet, and walnuts. Other foods include tofu, rye, soybeans, figs, brown rice, dates, shrimp, collard greens, avocado, beans, parsley, barley, garlic, and dandelion greens.
Magnesium Supplementation
- The recommended daily amount of magnesium is about 300 mg, even though most people usually get less than 200 mg a day.
- Depending on the condition, some people can need much more of this mineral (400-1,000 mg a day.)
- Magnesium citrate, aspartate, or glycinate taurate are the most absorbable forms, even though magnesium bound to Kreb cycle chelates (fumarate, succinate, malate) are other good forms to consider.
- The most common and cheapest forms are magnesium sulfate, carbonate, oxide, and gluconate. Avoid them since they are poorly absorbed.
- If you notice signs of excessive magnesium (such as diarrhea), switch to magnesium glycinate.
- It’s always good to take minerals in a multi-mineral formula.
- Another good way to get the daily amount of magnesium is taking a hot bath with Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate)
Note: If you have severe heart or kidney disease, consult a doctor before taking a magnesium supplement.
So, if you have any of the above-mentioned magnesium deficiency symptoms, try taking a magnesium supplement and expect improvement soon.
Source Dr. Hyman | NCBI | Dr. Hyman