Did you know Magnesium is a cofactor in more than 300 enzyme systems?
- Energy production (aiding the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins & fats)
- Protein synthesis
- Muscle and nerve function
- Blood glucose control
- Blood pressure regulation.
Magnesium is also required for the metabolism of your foods, hormone production, stress modulation, muscle relaxation, bone health and sleep regulation. Magnesium also plays a role in the active transport of calcium and potassium ions across cell membranes, a process that is important to nerve impulse conduction, muscle contraction, and normal heart rhythm. Additionally, it also contributes to the structural development of bone and is required for the synthesis of DNA, RNA, and the body major antioxidant glutathione. So, you can see why magnesium is a vital nutrient!
HERE ARE SOME TOP REASONS YOU MAY NEED MORE OF THIS MIRACLE MINERAL
Reason 1: DEFICIENCY
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 33% of the Australian population are not meeting their minimum daily magnesium requirements.
Recommended dietary intakes (RDIs) for magnesium range from 310 mg/day (females) to 420 mg/day (males), which can easily be obtained from consuming roughly one cup of cooked green vegetables, a handful of nuts, and a raw cacao smoothie. Unfortunately, that’s not what everyone is eating, with magnesium-deficient refined and processed foods creeping onto people plates.
These RDIs also do not take into consideration when your body has an increased demand or is actively deficient in magnesium, meaning you may need even more to meet your needs.
Reason 2: Even if you are eating a diet predominant in wholefoods, modern agricultural practices have unfortunately depleted the soil from many key minerals including magnesium, again making it harder to meet your RDI for magnesium.
You’re losing too much
Reasons 3, 4 & 5: COFFEE, TEA & ALCOHOL
Coffee and tea contain tannins that can decrease intestinal absorption magnesium. Additionally, caffeine, as well as alcohol have a diuretic effect, increasing the loss of water and minerals, such as magnesium, via the urine.
Reason 6 & 7:MEDICATIONS
Certain medications (such as antibiotics, diuretics and steroids) can cause moderate to a severe depletion in magnesium, as can exercise through urinary excretion and sweat.
Reason 8: STRESS
Magnesium deficiency is common because modern soils are depleted and because your body dumps magnesium during stress. So, if you’re under stress, you probably need more magnesium. Also, having a low level of magnesium is associated with the onset of stressful conditions. However, the activation of the stress response then actually increases the use and elimination of magnesium from the body.
This can result in a vicious cycle:
low magnesium causes increased stress, which leads to an increase in the use and excretion of magnesium, leading to lower magnesium levels.
On the bright side, this also means that you can use magnesium therapeutically as both a preventative and treatment of stress.
Reasons 9 & 10: COMMON SYMPTOMS OF LOW MAGNESIUM
Some of the most common presentations seen by healthcare Practitioners are those of poor sleep and fatigue, with low magnesium playing a causative role in both conditions. This is because magnesium is needed to synthesise the relaxing and sleep-promoting neurotransmitters GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) and melatonin, as well as being required to produce the energy your cells need to stay firing throughout the day.
Boost your magnesium levels
If you’re now thinking it’s time to increase your magnesium intake, a supplement can be a great way to top up your diet, support an increase in demand or address a deficiency. To make choosing a magnesium supplement available easier, focus on the two points below so you can make the right decision:
When pursuing supplement labels, look for how much elemental or equivalent magnesium it contains – 300 mg per dose is an ideal amount.
Dose:
When pursuing supplement labels, look for how much elemental or equivalent magnesium it contains – 300 mg per dose is an ideal amount. Talk to your healthcare Practitioner when interpreting supplement labels for further explanation and clarification.
Form: Not all forms of magnesium are the same
Different magnesium types lead to different levels of absorption and tolerability.
For example, salt forms of magnesium such as magnesium oxide and magnesium citrate are suboptimal for replenishing magnesium levels, as they can draw water into the bowel and cause diarrhoea. Alternatively, amino acid chelate forms, such as magnesium bis-glycinate, provide optimal absorption and lower side effects when compared to other forms of magnesium available. Magnesium combines well with taurine, another important nutrient for mood, mitochondria, and insulin sensitivity.
Additional benefits of Magnesium glycinate are;
- Glycine is a precursor to glutathione (a major antioxidant) and supports healthy insulin sensitivity and methylation.
- Glycine is also calming to the nervous system and promotes sleep by modulating NMDA receptors in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and lowering core body temperature.
- Glycine allows the magnesium to be absorbed via efficient protein channels in the intestine (instead of competitive mineral channels),
- Glycine protects magnesium from binding to things like tannins such as tea, coffee and red wine (ensuring absorption again), and stops drawing water into the bowel (preventing diarrhoea).
Magnesium, the Miracle Mineral
There may be many reasons why you may not be getting enough or may be in need of more magnesium. To learn more about magnesium, watch this short video
Reference
Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Health Survey: Usual Nutrient Intakes, 2011-12 [Internet]. 2015 [updated 2015 Apr 27; cited 2019 Feb 11]. Available from: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4364.0.55.008~2011-12~Main%20Features~Magnesium~406
Cuciureanu, M, Vink, R. Magnesium and stress. Magnesium in the Central Nervous System [Internet]. Adelaide: University of Adelaide Press. 2011 [cited 2019 Feb 11]. 251-261. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29920004
Guo, W, Nazim, H, Liang, Z, Yang, D. Magnesium deficiency in plants: An urgent problem. The Crop Journal [Internet]. 2016 Apr
4(2): 83-91. DOI: 10.1016/j.cj.2015.11.003
Hartle JW, Morgan S, Poulsen T. Development of a model for in-vitro comparative absorption of magnesium from five magnesium sources commonly used as dietary supplements. FASEB Journal. 2016 Apr[cited 2019 Feb 11]. 128(6). DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.128.6
National Health and Medical Research Council. Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand [Internet]. 2014
Nielsen, F, Lukaski, H. Update on the relationship between magnesium and exercise. Magnesium Research. 2006. [cited 2019 Feb 11]. 19(3): 180-9. DOI: 10.1684/mrh.2006.0060
Therapeutic Research Center. Magnesium Professional Monograph [database on the Internet]. 2019 [updated 2019 Jan 29; cited 2019 Feb 11]. Available from: https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/databases/food,-herbs-supplements/professional.aspx?productid=998#nutrientDepletion. Subscription required to view.
The original article was written by Talia Feller