Magnesium is an essential mineral, indispensable to your health and wellbeing. Adding this vital mineral to your diet, you can stay protected against threats of heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, diabetes, depression, asthma, and arthritis.
Despite magnesium’s numerous benefits, 80% of the population is missing it. In this article know the importance of magnesium, its benefits and how you can get more of this simple mineral.
Why are We Magnesium Deficient?
The recommended daily allowance of magnesium in your diet is about 400-420 mg for men and 310-360 mg for women. However, our daily intake does not meet the requirements as on average we tend to consume around 240-370 mg at the most.
Besides the magnesium that you take is used by different organs. About 30 to 40% is absorbed by the gut and excreted through the kidneys. But the kidneys re-absorb a proportion of it. About 67% is in the bones, 31% is available in the cells within the body and only 1 or 2% is available in the blood.
Modern farming methods and the soil is naturally depleted off magnesium. This is one of the major reasons why the majority of us tend to be deficient. Also, the processing of food, high sugar foods, carbonated beverages leeches on magnesium. In addition, the body is unable to fully absorb the magnesium from the food.
Moreover, stress and lack of sleep are other factors that use up the inventory of Magnesium. Consuming too much caffeine or diuretics makes the kidney excrete more magnesium reducing its power to re-absorb it.
All in all, we are being hit from so many directions that eventually our Magnesium stores become depleted and we become deficient.
How to Measure Magnesium Levels
Doing bloodwork is not an effective means to detect magnesium levels since there are very low levels in the blood as it is and it may not reveal a deficiency in the first place. Probably, the best tests to measure the levels would be through measuring the intracellular liquid through red cell magnesium content or urinary magnesium levels to detect how much magnesium is excreted out.
Signs of Magnesium Deficiency
• Fatigue and Tiredness
• Lack of Sleep Or Insomnia
• Over-anxiety, depression
• Heart Palpitations and Arrhythmia
• High Blood Pressure
• Migraines
• Constipation and Irregular Bowel Movements
The Importance of Magnesium
1. Heart Health and Anti-Inflammatory
The root cause of all diseases starts from inflammation. Chronic inflammation that happens over a number of years leads to hardening in the arteries and ultimately it becomes harder for the heart to circulate blood around the body.
Therefore anything that reduces inflammation and improves the blood supply is good for the body. Magnesium is a vital nutrient that possesses all these properties. It is both a mineral, electrolyte, and co-factor for about 300 reactions in the body.
2. Diabetic Control
More magnesium in your diet unleashes a diabetic control in your system. This is because of its critical role in the metabolism of glucose. Besides, research states that elevated blood glucose levels cause the loss of magnesium through urine
3. Regulates Calcium
Calcium is a bone-building mineral, but if magnesium is not available then calcium will be unable to do its job. Magnesium controls the amount of calcium you absorb in your body. Magnesium deficiency can result in fragile bones, affecting the crystal formation in your bones. In order to have a higher bone mineral density and prevent osteoporosis, it is vital to get Magnesium.
4. Relaxation Mineral
Magnesium helps the muscles to relax and relieve cramping. It is an important precursor of a neurotransmitter called Serotonin that regulates your mood and sleep cycle. It also helps to unwind by calming your parasympathetic nervous system and prevents sleep disorders.
Magnesium is often used as therapy in hospitals for life-threatening asthma. If you head to the ER with a severe attack, you might receive magnesium because of its potential to stop the spasms of your bronchial muscle (that create narrowing in the tubes carrying air to lungs), and help your lungs breathe easier.
5. Involved in the Production of ATP or Energy and Protein Synthesis
ATP is the body’s fuel and without the presence of sufficient magnesium, the food cannot be metabolized into usable units of energy. Magnesium binds with ATP to sustain the movement, perform cell maintenance and maintain a healthy balance of minerals both inside and outside the cell.
6. Protects the DNA
DNA, the body’s genetic code is the foundation of reproducing cells and the building of proteins. Thus it’s very important that your DNA remains stable avoiding mutations and negatively impacting cellular function. DNA stability is dependent in part on magnesium and it assists in the production of RNA that is responsible for reading DNA and manufacturing proteins.
7. Regulates Electrolyte Balance
Mineral ions flow in and out from the extracellular liquid, based on the concentrations inside or outside the cells. This action creates special exchange pumps and produces electrical impulses that are vital for all the organs. One such pump known as the sodium-potassium pump is activated by Magnesium inside the cell
How Do you Get More of Magnesium?
It is best to get magnesium from the natural intake of food. Almonds, spinach, leafy green vegetables, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, cashew nuts, peanuts, avocado all contain high magnesium. However, it’s better to consume magnesium-rich foods grown in organic soil sourced from local grocers or farmers.
Magnesium oil can help and you can apply them topically. Ionic magnesium drops are also available and you can soak in Epsom bath salts to get magnesium. Supplements should be taken with caution especially if you have kidney problems. Most of the supplements available are magnesium oxide and they are not very well absorbed in the body and it’s better to have them in their natural form.
Magnesium can be the missing link to your health problem as it produces an all-around effect impacting several organs. Know the importance of magnesium and strive to get more of it naturally.