What is magnesium?
You can without a doubt say that magnesium is a crucial controller for overall health and wellbeing.
Magnesium is one of the essential mineral nutrients, which means they have to be consumed regularly because our body can´t produce them by itself. Regular intake can help to cope with stress better.
Besides potassium, it´s the second most mineral in our body, amount wise!
Magnesium benefits are widely known but do you also know wich foods are rich in magnesium to avoid a deficiency? Get to know your sources of magnesium with my magnesium-rich foods chart. #magnesium #magnesiumbenefits #stress #magnesiumdeficiency
Without magnesium, it would not be possible to produce energy. Our muscles would be in a constant state of contraction. Magnesium has a regulatory role like many vitamins have too. It supports enzymes to function accurately. And that leads to the majority of chemical reactions in the body.
Mineral nutrients are categorized according to the amount required in the human diet.
Macronutrients (>50 mg per kg bodyweight) including: Magnesium (Mg), Potassium (K), Nitrogen (N), Calcium (Ca), Phosphorus (P), Sulfur (S)
Micronutrients (trace minerals) (< 50 mg per kg bodyweight) including e.g. Iodine (I), Zinc (Zn), Selenium (Se)
Benefits of magnesium
involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in our body
60% of the magnesium in our body is found in bones
helps regulate neurotransmitters, which send messages throughout your brain and nervous system
counteracts the clotting action in the blood
is part of the contraction and relaxation of muscles
Even though a lot of foods include magnesium, it is very easy to become deficient in this mineral. One of the most common reasons for a deficiency is fast food and highly processed food. Additionally, a big amount gets lost already in the planting process. Oftentimes farmland is poor of minerals which it could provide a few years ago.
Let´s take a look at our ancestors. Their diet was rich in magnesium from fresh vegetables and organic meat. The food wasn´t contaminated with pesticides like it is oftentimes the case today.
Another reason for a magnesium deficiency can be a diet rich in fat and protein. Those foods are normally low in magnesium and the fat works against good resorption of the mineral.
7 Symptoms of magnesium deficiency
Muscle cramps
Low blood levels of magnesium can increase the excitability of nerve endings and the muscles they stimulate. As a result, you experience a cramp. Athletes are often affected when they don’t refill their magnesium stores after a workout. Therefore it is important to eat magnesium-rich foods regularly (see the list of high magnesium foods below).
Muscle weakness
A possible reason for weakness can be low levels of potassium.
Potassium deficiency can be related to low levels of magnesium because these two work hand in hand. And when there is a disbalance your muscles won’t be able to function properly.
Abnormal heart rhythm
An imbalance of different minerals in your blood can not only affect your muscles but also your heart. Remember, your heart is a muscle too. A lack of magnesium in your blood can also cause a low level of calcium in your system, leading to an irregular heartbeat.
High blood pressure
Magnesium helps to keep blood vessels wide which improves blood flow. When vessels become narrowed blood pressure rises.
Osteoporosis
The condition of osteoporosis can be influenced by many factors. And one that you should be aware of is the connection between magnesium and osteoporosis. Magnesium deficiency impacts levels of vitamin D and calcium which are both essential for healthy, strong bones.
Mental disorder
Since magnesium has a huge impact on nerve functionality a deficiency can cause nerve dysfunction and therefore lead to mental problems. That doesn’t mean everybody with low magnesium levels will develop depression. But it is a condition that could negatively affect sensitive people.
Asthma
Magnesium cannot prevent asthma but it might improve some of the symptoms. The symptoms can be coughing, chest tightness or shortness of breath. Since magnesium has a relaxing effect it can be beneficial to those symptoms.
Magnesium is a stress killer
Our hectic life is the reason we lose the little magnesium we get with the daily food intake. Magnesium levels are decreased by excess alcohol, salt, coffee, profuse sweating, digestion problems, antibiotics. Several studies prove that people under chronic stress lose large amounts of the mineral in their urine.
This is all further complicated by the fact that magnesium is often poorly absorbed and lost easily lost from our bodies. In order to counteract a magnesium deficiency, we need a lot in our diet. Additionally, we need vitamin D, vitamin B6, and selenium.
When we are stressed, our body produces the stress hormone cortisol. The vital mineral acts as a regulator for stress response.
Magnesium is not only a stress killer it is also beneficial for mood stabilization. Magnesium increases GABA (a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid), which helps with relaxation and sleep. Low GABA levels will prevent you from relaxation.
Magnesium plays a key role in regulating the body’s stress-response system.
Stress results in higher magnesium consumption, that includes negative stress (work) as well as positive stress (sports). Low magnesium levels result in lower stress resistance. You can only break this vicious circle by spotting the deficiency and increase the magnesium intake.
What does exactly happen, when we are confronted with stress?
at first, you realize higher blood pressure, the brain gets more supplied with blood, to improve decision making
blood sugar is also increasing to provide fuel for energy production
blood gets pumped into your arms and legs
a proper magnesium level helps the pancreas to produce insulin; insulin then removes glucose from the blood and transports it into the cells
with a magnesium deficiency, blood sugar levels rise and the cells don´t get any glucose for fuel
without sufficient magnesium, our nerve cells become more excitable and over-sensitive
As we’ve learned now, an increase in stress brings a higher need for magnesium with it. Blood vessels and muscles can´t relax when this important nutrient is missing. To have a stable level of magnesium make sure to include the following foods regularly in your diet.
Take a look at the magnesium-rich foods chart below.
Foods high in magnesium
chickpeas
wheat bran 490 mg
cashew nuts 270 mg
peanuts 163 mg
sunflower seeds 420 mg
chia seeds 335 mg
soybeans 220 mg
chickpeas 129 mg
quinoa 276 mg
oats 140 mg
sardine in oil 205 mg
sesame seeds 347 mg
poppy seeds 333 mg
pine nuts 235 mg
In comparison, blueberries have 2 mg magnesium per 100 gr. and avocados provide 29 mg per 100 gr.
Fruit, in general, is not an efficient source to help your magnesium level.
The recommended daily intake of magnesium is at least 500 mg.
Best Magnesium supplement
If you experience any of the symptoms I listed you might consider taking a magnesium supplement. While food is the number one priority for getting all the necessary nutrients it can be tough to elevate your magnesium level with food only. To have faster results and relief your stress level faster it is beneficial to take a supplement.
