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What is Magnesium and Why Does My Body Need It?
Magnesiums is a wondrous mineral that benefits our bodies in so many ways, yet so many people are unaware of how important it is and the many ways it can help us!
Like most normal folk, you're probably NOT waking up first thing in the morning thinking... "I gotta get myself some more magnesium". It really isn't top of mind for the majority of society.
But hey, you've landed on this page, most likely linked from google or somewhere else, and your interest is peaked enough to read a blog post all about Magnesium
This short article is designed to simplify what Magnesium is, what it's for, how many of us don't have enough of it in our body, and how we can boost this easily.
What is Magnesium and Why Do We Need It?
Magnesium is a mineral, and one that should be abundant in our body. Magnesium is so vital for our survival it contributes to the support, function and regulation of over 300 enzyme reactions within the body.
You may not know it, but you're probably feeling the effects of being deficient of this essential mineral.
Magnesium is stripped from our body by the stressors in our life, such as processed foods, alcohol, caffeine. Mental stress also influences our levels of magnesium as well as environmental stressors such as air pollution.
So what are the more serious symptoms of a magnesium deficiency?
- Cramping and muscle twitching
- Mental disorders
- Osteoporosis
- Fatigue and muscle weakness
- High blood pressure
- Asthma
- Irregular heat beat
If you also struggle with poor sleep quality, and abnormal hormonal imbalances then it's possible Magnesium deficiency is part of the problem.
Where Do We Get Magnesium From?
Food Sources Of Magnesium
The main source of magnesium for most people is through their day to day diet. However if you want to boost your magnesium levels, you can eat the following foods, which are great sources of magnesium.
- Chocolate (specifically dark chocolate)
- Avocado
- Nuts such as almonds, cashew and brazil nuts
- Legumes - lentils, chickpeas and beans
- Tofu - great for vegans wanting to top up
- Seeds - flax, pumpkin and chia seeds
- Fish - Mackerel, salmon and halibut (also good for your Omega 3 intake too)
- Leafy Greens - spinach, kale and collard greens
Magnesium From Epsom Salt Baths
Absorption of magnesium through foods is actually quick difficult. However you can boost your levels of magnesium through your body's biggest organ... Your skin!
The studies surrounding transdermal absorption of magnesium are mixed, and whilst there is plenty of anecdotal evidence of the effectiveness of magnesium through salt baths, we can't say for certain that this is the best way.
Magnesium From Supplementation
The third way of boosting magnesium levels is through supplementation. Like many other supplements the devil is in the detail, aka the quality and source of magnesium is more important than the quantity.
Most adults do not need to consume more than 400mg per day of Magnesium through supplements. More than that and you may have some minor side effects.
The type of Magnesium you are looking for is a Magnesium Citrate. Avoid the Oxide versions, they are not as absorbable as citrate.
Why Should I Increase My Magnesium Intake?
Whilst trying to avoid the negatives of magnesium deficiency, ensuring you can maximise your body's natural stores of this important mineral will net some pretty cool benefits.
Let's cover some of the most important benefits.
Better Manage Post Exercise Sore Muscles (DOMS)
Have you ever had sore muscles the day after a tough workout? This is commonly known as DOMS (Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness). Magnesium is important for the body to help muscles relax, so a lack of magnesium can cause muscle cramps. you might have experienced this if you sweat a lot during exercise.
Having your magnesium stores maximised have shown to reduce DOMS... Meaning less painful days, and potentially faster recovery for the next workout.
Improved Sleep Patterns
Magnesium has an important role in how your nervous system operates, including the mechanisms for calming and relaxing your body as a whole. It also has benefits for lowering anxiety levels and depression, all of which can impact your sleep patterns.
If you're supplementing with Magnesium it's suggested that you take your daily dose about 1 - 2 hours prior to your normal bed time.
Anxiety Reduction
There are a number of studies that show the relationship of low magnesium levels and subjectively reported anxiety levels. The difficulty we'll always have is this link is clinically difficult to prove. We can only go on self reported anxiety levels.
With that said, many people do find relief from anxiety when they consume more magnesium from supplementation and/or their diet. It's certainly worth trying.
Magnesium and PMS
One area that many woman are totally unaware of is the impact of low magnesium levels on their menstrual cycle. And there's a growing base of study showing the effectiveness of increasing your magnesium stores for the severity of PMS.
This particular study shows positive results from increasing Magnesium and Vitamin B6 intake. Only thing to consider is excessive magnesium supplementation can cause some side effects and in particular if you're on other medication. So as always double check with your doctor before changing your diet or trying a supplement.
Ready to Boost Your Magnesium Levels?
Hopefully this article has helped you understand the importance of magnesium for our health, as well as how and where we can get more magnesium in to our body.
For our very own perfectly crafted magnesium, zinc and vitamin B6 supplement, read on.
Drift Off : Magnesium Citrate, Zinc Citrate and Vitamin B6
This product has been selfishly developed by the Lean Greens founder to help with his own sleep challenges.
Bringing together the perfect ratio and quantity of magnesium citrate, zinc citrate and Vitamin B6 to help with many of the things discussed in this article.
If you're looking for a daily magnesium supplement to complement your healthy lifestyle, then give Drift Off a trial today.