Everywhere we turn it seems that people are talking about balanced diets, and very often in terms of staying fit and looking good. However, the much more important reason why we should worry about what we consume is our health because our bodies get all of the nutrients they need to function properly through our diets. One such nutrient is magnesium, which is one of the minerals that are vital for our bodies.
At different ages, men and women need different amounts of magnesium. For adult men, it is recommended that they get 400-420 mg and for women 230-250 mg of magnesium per day. There are two ways to supply your body with enough magnesium. Namely, eating magnesium-rich foods, such as nuts, seeds, greens, legumes, cocoa, dark chocolate, coffee, oats, fish, meat, milk, yogurt, etc., or foods fortified with magnesium, like breakfast cereals, and by taking magnesium supplements.
The number of people carefully choosing what they consume has been increasing over the decades, and nowadays it is quite easy to work out a daily meal plan that will provide your body with all of the nutrients it needs, and in the right amount. Nevertheless, eating a healthy and balanced diet can take a lot of time and patience. So, unless you can cook every day, and you can monitor your food intake precisely, the best way to make sure that you are providing your body with enough magnesium for the day, is to take a magnesium supplement.
How Do I Know If I’m Getting Enough Magnesium?
Low magnesium levels during longer periods of time, as well as some medical conditions which may interfere with your body’s ability to absorb the mineral, may lead to magnesium deficiency. Unfortunately, the deficiency may not always present itself with obvious symptoms, which is why there isn’t really a way to know for sure. Nevertheless, there are some symptoms that may indicate that you have a low level of magnesium, including fatigue, muscle cramps, high blood pressure, mental health disorders, migraines, etc.
What Are the Benefits of Taking Magnesium?
We can think of magnesium as one of many fuels the machine that is our organism needs to be able to work, regenerate, repair itself, and so on. As a matter a fact, over 300 enzyme reactions in the human body occur thanks to magnesium, making it essential for our survival. Some of the many things in our bodies that benefit from this essential mineral include our immune system, our nervous system, our heart, our bones, our muscles, our blood, etc. Furthermore, magnesium is essential for metabolic processes and bodily functions such as producing energy, creating proteins from amino acids, repairing and creating DNA, and so on.
Helps with Blood Sugar Control
One of the more compelling reasons why you should add a magnesium supplement to your diet since it is really hard to be certain that you take the amount through the food you consume is the role it plays in controlling blood sugar. This not only means people with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome benefit from magnesium but that that proper intake of the nutrient lowers the risk of diabetes.
Lowers Blood Pressure
Other people who can benefit from magnesium supplements are people with high blood pressure. There is evidence that magnesium deficiency can increase blood pressure, and there are indications that magnesium supplements may lower blood pressure, effectively decreasing the risk of heart disease. Low levels of the mineral are also linked to other serious symptoms, such as irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia, which in some more severe cases may even lead to stroke or heart failure.
Improves Mental Health
Furthermore, magnesium is crucial for our brain, and therefore our mental health is another thing that benefits from it. Low levels of magnesium have been linked to depression. According to research people with low magnesium intake have a greater risk of depression, and getting the right amount of magnesium daily, is known to improve mood. Other mental health disorders that may indicate magnesium deficiency include anxiety and apathy.
Helps with Migraines
Migraines, a condition in which you experience intense headaches, are another thing that’s been connected to low levels of magnesium. Daily intake of magnesium supplements can lower the frequency of migraine attacks as well as their intensity, or can even help you prevent migraines.
Improves PMS Symptoms
Magnesium supplements can also be useful in improving symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in women. Magnesium not only helps improve mood but can also help reduce water retention and prevent headaches and other PMS symptoms.
Helps Your Muscles
Because magnesium is so important for our muscles, it is known to be helpful for boosting performance during exercise, as well as fight off fatigue and muscle weakness. There are so many benefits from exercising, but one downside is muscle pain. Magnesium is one of the nutrients that protect your muscles, by helping them dispose of lactic acid. Moreover, one of the unpleasant things you can experience as a result of magnesium deficiency is muscle cramps, as well as twitches and tremors. So, if you are often woken up by painful muscle cramps, taking a magnesium supplement may help you.