I commonly hear fellow athletes or my clients complain of muscle cramping, muscle fatigue and a lack of good sleep. They seldom think they could be deficient in magnesium. However, odds say it may be! They up their magnesium and issues are solved in many cases.
Magnesium is a macro-nutrient, which means we need more of it than some of the other minerals and we need magnesium daily. Minerals are critical for our health, however magnesium is required in over three hundred (300) different body functions making it a mineral you need readily available in your body.
Of all the minerals, it is my opinion that for Americans, magnesium seems to be one of the most important because it is required in so many body functions. You can go several days or even weeks before needing certain vitamins, however you must have some intake of most minerals at least every couple of days. If you are really active, ill or sweating a lot you will need them everyday. Minerals are used by the body and excreted easily. If you are using diuretics, exercising intensely or sweating profusely, a diet deficient in the electrolytes, magnesium, potassium, sodium and chloride can cause severe health problems requiring a sudden need for emergency medical treatment.
How Does a Magnesium Deficiency Affect the Body?
Do you get adequate magnesium in your diet? More than half of Americans are deficient in magnesium and some sources say nearly 80% of Americans are deficient.
Most troubling is the result of a study of 7,764 people over 10.5 years. It found those with the lowest magnesium levels have a much greater risk of dying from ischemic heart disease “Men and women whose urinary magnesium was among the lowest 20% of subjects had an increase in the risk of ischemic heart disease that was 60% higher than the remainder of the participants, and a risk of fatal ischemic heart disease that was 70% higher. Additionally, magnesium helps inhibit platelet aggregation and enhance the synthesis of nitric oxide, which helps relax the blood vessels. Furthermore, increased magnesium intake has been associated with a lower risk of diabetes—a disease that significantly elevates the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Magnesium is a nutrient that is essential to more than 300 activities in our bodies. Magnesium provides your muscles the ability to relax, it moves calcium out of your blood and into bones, it is required to keep blood circulating and the heart beating and it is essential to keep your nervous system and brain healthy. It also helps reduce anxiety.
If you have muscle cramps, particularly at night, the odds are great that you may be lacking magnesium; if you have trouble sleeping you may be low in magnesium, if you are fatigued it could be a lack of magnesium. If you have high blood pressure it may be due to insufficient magnesium, if you are diabetic, low levels of magnesium may be involved, magnesium is critical for carbohydrate fat and protein metabolism to create energy. Magnesium helps keep the heart in a healthy rhythm and is necessary for cellular reproduction.
Magnesium is required for good bone health. Magnesium moves calcium out of the blood and into bones making them stronger. In fact, a large percentage of the magnesium in your body is in your bones. Magnesium is critical for heart health. It helps blood vessels relax reducing blood pressure and is also required to make certain detoxing compounds and for a strong immune system.
The role magnesium plays in the body is so diverse that it is difficult to find a body system that is not affected by magnesium deficiency. Our immune system, cardiovascular system, digestive system, nervous system, muscles, kidneys, liver, hormone-secreting glands, and brain all rely on magnesium for healthy metabolic function.
What Affects Magnesium Absorption?
Magnesium absorption is reduced by many factors including colas, coffee, salt and caffeine. Also certain medications like diuretics will deplete magnesium from our bodies. Refined and processed foods also deplete our bodies of magnesium.
Good Food Sources of Magnesium
- Spinach
- Dark Chocolate
- Swiss Chard
- Oat Bran
- Rice Bran
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Halibut
- Soybeans
- Sunflower Seeds
- Almonds
- Sesame Seeds
- Black Beans
- Cashews
- Cantaloupe
- Black strap molasses
- Mustard Greens
- Turnip Greens
- Collard Greens
- Green Beans
- Salmon
- Flax Seeds
- Sea Vegetables
- Kale
- Celery
- Bell Peppers
To ensure you get adequate magnesium daily, a diet rich in a variety of foods is key. The NutriBullet unlocks nutrients in a way other blenders or juicers cant can’t so load it up with magnesium rich foods every day.
Healthy Wishes
Wally Bishop C.N.C.
The contents of this blog are not and should not be considered as medical advice. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
Related articles
- How To Make Magnesium Oil (federaljack.com)
- 5 Huge Health Benefits From Eating Magnesium Rich Foods (myscienceacademy.org)
- 16 Signs That You May Have A Magnesium Deficiency (purposegiven.wordpress.com)