Magnesium: Why You Need It, and Why You Are Most Likely Deficient
Magnesium is an essential mineral that has many critical roles in the body, including supporting a healthy immune system, maintaining strong bones, regulating blood sugar levels, and promoting muscle and nerve function.
There are 56 conditions magnesium is associated with, all of which can be improved by magnesium treatment. Some of these conditions are:
acid reflux
adrenal fatigue (stress)
Alzheimer’s disease
angina
anxiety and panic attacks
depression
arthritis
asthma
atherosclerosis
blood clots
constipaton and bowel disease
brain dysfunction
cholesterol elevation
bladder spasms
detoxification
diabetes
fatigue
headaches/migraines
heart disease
hypertension
hypoglycemia
indigestion
inflammation
insommnia/sleep
IBS
kidney disease
kidney stones
fibromyalgia
nerve problems
PMS/infertility
osteoporosis
sports injuries
tooth decay
WHY YOU ARE MOST LIKELY NOT GETTING ENOUGH MAGNESIUM
While magnesium is abundant in nature, modern agricultural practices and poor diets have led to a widespread deficiency in magnesium, making most people deficient and lacking this crucial mineral. Factors such as soil depletion, processed foods, medications, smoking, and alcohol consumption also contribute to low magnesium levels.
INCREASING YOUR MAGNESIUM
Having a proper diet is key to making sure you are getting enough of this mineral. Making sure to eat lots of fresh organic fruits and vegetables is the best way to ensure you’re getting lots of magnesium. Some foods high in magnesium include raw pumpkin seeds, organic leafy greens (such as spinach and kale), brown rice and quinoa, grass-fed/pasture-raised beef, fatty fish (such as wild salmon and mackerel), bone broth, vegetable broths, bananas, avocados, and blackberries are all great dietary sources of magnesium.
SUPPLEMENTS:
Magnesium supplements come in many different forms:
magnesium citrate
magnesium oxide
magnesium glycinate
magnesium chloride
magnesium malate
My personal favorite form is magnesium glycinate as it absorbs best in the body and is the least likely to cause digestive upset. Some other forms may cause mild diarrhea or stomach cramping.
Note of caution: Be careful with low-quality supplements that you get from supermarkets, drug stores, and big box stores like walmart, Costco, etc. They are usually synthetic vitamins and minerals which have poor absorption and are typically filled with toxic fillers and binders that have negative effects on your health. It is really important to only buy high-quality supplements that come from real food sources as they are the best absorbed into the body without all the toxic ingredients. High-quality supplements are found in natural health food stores, organic grocery stores, or from natural health practitioners.
I aim to get around 400mg of magnesium a day (typically before bed time) and in the form of magnesium glycinate
SOURCES:
BOOK - The Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D.
