Sign In
Join now
This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
By Mandy Froelich / Life in Bloom. Updated by Village Media staff on Sept 9, 2022.
Did you know? A whopping 90 percent of humans are estimated to be deficient in magnesium. Considering the mineral is responsible for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, as well as impacts blood pressure, metabolism, and immune function, obtaining adequate stores of the nutrient is vital.
Magnesium is a mineral found in the Earth, sea, plants, animals, and humans. The majority (60%) of magnesium is found in your bones, while the rest is in your muscles, soft tissues, and fluids. Every cell in your body needs magnesium to function. In fact, one of magnesium’s main roles is acting as a cofactor or “helper molecule” in the biochemical reactions performed by enzymes, reports Healthline.
Magnesium is involved in energy creation, protein formation, gene maintenance, muscle movements, and nervous system regulation. Therefore, obtaining adequate amounts of magnesium should be on everyone’s priority list.
Good question, as there are several reasons.
Folks who live near the ocean (good source of magnesium), eat foods grown in magnesium-rich soil, and drink magnesium-rich water don’t necessarily have to worry about being deficient. However, that doesn’t apply to the majority of people living on Earth.
According to the US Food and Nutrition Board (FNB), the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of magnesium for adult males is 420mg and for adult females is 320 mgs. When it comes to supplementing with magnesium, the FNB recommends an upper limit of 350mg for all adults – this means you should look for supplements with serving sizes below 350mg of magnesium to avoid reaching unsafe magnesium levels after factoring the amount found in your regular diet. A popular supplement option is BioEmblem Triple Magnesium Complex which provides 3 high absorption forms of elemental magnesium at a safe 300mg amount in each serving.
As Wellness Mama points out, risk factors for low magnesium vary. However, the following are clues that you might need more magnesium:
Some experts claim that magnesium deficiency is the single largest health problem in our world today. Following are symptoms that you may be experiencing a deficiency of the vital mineral.
Believe it or not, magnesium deficiency is actually quite simple for the body to resolve with the right form of magnesium. Most of the supplements on the market are pills or solutions taken internally. Though these can be effective, they can also cause digestive disturbances or stress the kidney (definitely not ideal during pregnancy). Furthermore, experts estimate that magnesium absorption in the digestive system ranges from 20-55%, depending on the source. That means more than half of the magnesium leaves the body as waste.
Research currently shows that a combination of oral magnesium (in the right form) and topical magnesium is ideal for boosting low levels. A slow-release option can have an absorption rate up to 85%. This one, for example, has been formulated to decrease digestive distress. It also contains B vitamins.
If supplements aren’t for you — no worries! There are plenty of nutrient-dense foods that are rich sources of magnesium. The following contain high levels of the anti-stress mineral:
For recipe ideas, visit Life in Bloom.
Nearly everyone is magnesium deficient. However, it is a relatively simple deficiency to correct — if you take action to eat more magnesium-rich foods or supplement. If you experience any of the symptoms above, consult with your doctor and/or receive a blood panel to determine if you are deficient. At the very least, consuming more magnesium-rich foods will reduce your chances or experiencing hardening of the arteries, enhance your sleep, and help balance your mood.
Results > Archives >
© 2023 LongmontLeader
