Struggling from magnesium deficiency is a common problem for the average American. Almost 80% of all the population in the States have had Mg (chemical symbol for Magnesium) deficiency and suffered some of the many symptoms as a result. This is probably the reason why the pharmaceutical industry has had this mineral on its scope for a while now.
We see magnesium supplements all over the place now and it’s a supplement worth considering. If your diet isn’t plentiful in green foods, or if you lack proper sleep due to stress and anxiety you might want to consider magnesium.
To start things off, let’s see some of the indicators which could be a result of magnesium lacking in your body. The symptoms are plentiful and they vary from person to person, depending on the individual’s health.
How to spot Mg deficiency?
There is a slight problem with pointing out a magnesium deficiency. Why? Because the vast majority of the magnesium in our body (well above 90%) is in our bones and cells. Therefore, if you do a blood check-up in order to see whether or not you lack magnesium…well, the results could deceive you. This is not the most conclusive test we have for spotting low levels of Mg.
But, as it usually happens, deficiencies leave us with some sort of physiological change. In other words, we experience symptoms. That is why it makes more sense to check the symptoms out rather than going through vigorous lab check-ups. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include:
- Muscle cramping (especially during the night)
- Sleep disturbance
- Stress/anxiety
- High blood pressure
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Headaches
As you can see, all of these unpleasant symptoms could be caused by a plethora of different diseases, conditions, etc. However, if you experience some of the above-mentioned and don’t see any other explanation as to why they keep coming up then you might be lacking in magnesium.
Try supplementing with Mg and see if your symptoms disappear. If yes, then it means you had a magnesium deficiency and if not, well, you have another sort of a problem standing in your way. In both cases, implementing magnesium in your diet is worth trying out. Anyone except for people with kidney problems can safely try out Mg supplements and see if they work. Those with kidney issues should consult their doctors first.
Number of different benefits
This mineral can improve our health significantly. We will name some of the effects that this important mineral has on our body.
Because of its ties to bones and muscles, magnesium helps us with recovery after strenuous exercise sessions. It helps with clearing lactic acid and thus propels your muscle recovery significantly. Less time spent recovering means you’ll be in the gym again quicker, making progress.
Magnesium is important for bone health. This mineral works with vitamin D to get oxygen into the bones. Therefore, if you want flawless bone health your levels of magnesium have to be substantial.
Next in line is heart health. Medical studies show that higher levels of Mg can lessen the risk of calcification within the arteries of the heart and your aorta. Even a lower number, such as 450mg, will already have an impact on lowering your blood pressure.
Because it is involved in carb and glucose metabolism, having normal levels of magnesium lowers the risk of diabetes. Therefore if you think there is a chance you might develop diabetes for any reason, try Mg supplements in order to prevent that from happening.
In the end, regular intake of magnesium combined with vitamin B6 can help with PMS. Some of the bloating and insomnia that women feel right before their menstrual cycle can be decreased with a regular intake of magnesium supplements or foods rich with it.
Different forms
Pills, cremes, foods, you name it. If you’re going to add more magnesium through the means of food then eat more salmon, almonds, quinoa, black beans, spinach, dark chocolate… If you prefer having a creme then you can apply the creme to your skin and raise your Mg levels that way.
Lastly, you can always settle for a magnesium pill which is famous for being quite big in size. If you have problems with swallowing the pill you may want to split it in half, just to be sure.
Finally
There are plenty of reasons why you may want to consider eating more foods rich in Mg or taking a supplement in order to replenish the stocks of magnesium in your body. If you find yourself with a health problem and think it might be because you lack this mineral then we highly recommend you try it out.
Taking it as a prevention tool is highly useful too. Also, athletes can greatly benefit from it, so if you exercise daily you should take more amounts of Mg in your diet.
Thank you for reading!
