The Unsung Hero-MAGNESIUM
What Is Magnesium?
Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. Found in bones, teeth, and red blood cells, magnesium serves as a building block for DNA and is an essential element required for proper functioning of the nervous, muscular, and cardiovascular systems.
Why Is Magnesium Necessary?
This unsung hero participates in more than 300 biochemical reactions in our body. Among these many duties, magnesium aids in:
-Muscle contraction, including that of the heart’s, which in turn supports normal rhythm and blood pressure.
It’s a vital element for nerve function, producing blood platelets, maintaining bone density, and is known to be involved in glucose and insulin metabolism. In fact, studies have shown that a diet rich in magnesium may help protect against metabolic syndrome, a deadly quartet of risk factors including excess fat, hypertension, high blood sugar, and abnormal cholesterol – all instigators of diabetes and heart disease.
-Calms Nerves and Anxiety
Magnesium is vital for GABA function, an inhibitory neurotransmitter that produces “happy hormones” like serotonin. Certain hormones regulated by magnesium are crucial for calming the brain and promoting relaxation, which is one reason why a magnesium deficiency can lead to sleeplessness or insomnia.
-Treats Insomnia and Helps You Fall Asleep
Magnesium supplements can help quiet a racing mind and make it easier to get a good night’s sleep. Our circadian rhythms shift, especially as we age because of our decreased nutrient consumption and a lower nutrient absorption, which puts many of us at risk for insomnia.
-Helps Increase Energy
Magnesium is used to create “energy” in your body by activating adenosine triphosphate, also known as ATP. This means that without enough magnesium, you don’t have the energy you need and can suffer from fatigue more easily.Inadequate magnesium intake also means you tire more quickly and need a higher level of oxygen during exercise.
-Helps with Digestion by Relieving Constipation
Magnesium helps relax muscles within the digestive tract, including the intestinal wall, which controls your ability to go to the bathroom. Because magnesium helps neutralize stomach acid and moves stool through the intestines, taking magnesium supplements is a natural way to help you poop!
-Regulates Levels of Calcium, Potassium and Sodium
Together with other electrolytes, magnesium regulates diverse biochemical reactions in the body. Magnesium plays a role in the active transport of calcium and potassium ions across cell membranes. This makes magnesium vital to nerve impulse conductions, muscle contractions and normal heart rhythms.
We continue to discover the potential benefits of magnesium, ranging from helping to prevent migraines to treating anxiety, severe asthma, and ADHD.
What Are The Signs Of Magnesium Deficiency?
It’s estimated that nearly half of Americans are magnesium deficient. A magnesium deficiency is difficult to diagnose due to its wide distribution throughout the body and symptoms associated with other health conditions. But early signs of a deficiency might include everything from irritability and muscle weakness to irregular heartbeat.
A balanced diet usually supplies all the magnesium a person needs, but people with specific illnesses or who are taking certain medications may benefit from magnesium supplements. For instance, low blood levels of magnesium can result from taking prescriptions for peptic ulcer or acid reflux for long periods of time. Those suffering from long-term alcoholism, type 2 diabetes, or gastrointestinal diseases such as Crohn’s Disease are more prone to deficiency.
How Much Magnesium, And What Kind, Does An Adult Need?
According to the National institutes of Health (NIH), the recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) for
-Adult males is 400-420 mg;
-Adult females is 310-320 mg;
-Pregnant females 350-360 mg daily;
-Breastfeeding females, 310-320 mg.
I strongly recommend taking magnesium with calcium, because magnesium helps in the absorption of calcium and offsets calcium’s constipating effect. Look for magnesium citrate, chelate, or glycinate, and avoid magnesium oxide, which can be irritating to the digestive tract.
How Much Does A Child Need?
The NIH states RDAs for :
-Infants from birth to 6 months:30mg;
-Between the ages of 7-12 months:75 mg;
-1-3 years of age:80 mg;
-Children between 4 and 8 years old:130 mg;
-Children between 9 and 13 years of age:240 mg.
-Adolescent males from age 14-18:410 mg,
-Adolescent females from 14-18 should get 360 mg daily.
Magnesium-Rich Foods
Sadly, magnesium levels found in our food sources are declining. This is likely due to farming practices such as using pesticides and not alternating fields between growing seasons (in efforts to produce greater crop yields), which can drain the soil of key minerals and nutrients. Choosing organic produce can help mitigate this potential loss of essential minerals.
-Foods containing magnesium include:
Spinach: 1 cup cooked: 157 milligrams
Swiss Chard: 1 cup cooked: 150 milligrams
Black Beans: 1 cup cooked: 120 milligrams
Mung Beans: 1 cup cooked: 97 milligrams
Almonds: ¼ cup: 97 milligrams
Cashews: ¼ cup: 91 milligrams
Potatoes: 1 large: 85 milligrams
Pumpkin Seeds: 1/4 cup: 42 milligrams
Avocado: 1 raw: 39 milligrams
Bananas: 1 banana: 37 milligrams
Broccoli: 1 cup cooked: 32 milligrams
Brussels Sprouts: 1 cup cooked: 32 milligrams.
Be aware that a diet high in fat may cause less magnesium to be absorbed, and cooking may decrease the magnesium content of food.
Risks Associated With Too Much Magnesium
High doses of magnesium can lead to a laxative effect or diarrhea, and high levels of magnesium in the blood can lead to low blood pressure and heart problems.
Other Special Considerations
If you have heart disease or kidney problems, consult with your physician before taking magnesium supplements, as they can adversely affect these conditions.
If you take oral tetracycline, magnesium may reduce its effectiveness. Additionally, taken for osteoporosis as well as certain antibiotics taken too soon after a dietary supplement might not be absorbed as readily. Conversely, diuretics and very high doses of zinc can interfere with the absorption of magnesium.
Read label directions or consult your physician for more information.
Disclaimer:Please take a doctor's opinion before starting your dose!
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Your Well-wisher,
Dr.Insiya
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