Magnesium Facts

August 05, 2015 3 min read

Ingredients that contain magnesium on a table to teach about Magnesium Facts

Did you know that magnesium is a co-factor in over 350 enzymatic reactions in the body? That It is necessary for the transmission of nerve impulses, muscular activity, heart function, temperature regulation, detoxification reactions, formation of healthy bones and improving insulin sensitivity?

Deficiency symptoms include muscle cramps, weakness, insomnia, loss of appetite, kidney stones, osteoporosis, nervousness, restlessness, irritability, sugar cravings, fatigue and high blood pressure. Chronic deficiencies of magnesium are also implicated in reduced bone mineral density and increased risk of osteoporosis as well as anemia, depression and irregular heart rate. Virtually every body system can display symptoms because ALL systems throughout the body rely on magnesium.

 

Here are some important reasons why you need a good magnesium supplement:

  1. Magnesium is deficient in the soil from which the food we eat grows.

    Chemical fertilizers and modern chemical farming have stripped increasing amounts of nutrients such as magnesium from our soil.

    Ideally (normally) one should be able to get sufficient magnesium from food, however more than 2/3 of the American population are deficient in magnesium.

  2. Refined foods common in today’s diet are deficient in magnesium.

    Techniques used to refine grains found in the breads and pasta from your local supermarket remove up to 97% of magnesium!

  3. Prescription drugs cause magnesium depletion.

    Common prescription drugs such as oral contraceptives, statins, diuretics, antibiotics, diuretics, corticosteroids, asthma medications as well as drugs taken for for irregular heart rhythm, depression and anti-psychosis ALL cause magnesium nutrient depletion in the body.

  4. Magnesium improves detoxification.

    Magnesium inhibits heavy metals, chemicals, pesticides and other toxins from attaching to tissue. Mg is crucial for the removal of toxic substances and heavy metals such as aluminum and lead.

    Glutathione, the body’s most important anti-oxidant also needs magnesium in order to neutralize free-radicals.

  5. If you exercise, you need magnesium. Athletes have a greater need for a higher intake of magnesium supplementation.

    Magnesium is crucial for energy metabolism by the activation of enzymes known as ATPases, which are needed to generate ATP (adenosine triphosphate).

    There is emerging evidence that magnesium requirements are significantly elevated in athletes, and that performance might benefit from higher intakes.

    Magnesium is also lost through sweat, so athletes training hard in hot and humid environments might further increase demands.

  6. Your heart and lungs needs magnesium to stay healthy.

    Magnesium regulates the contractile ability of the heart muscle. It is concentrated 18 times greater in the heart muscle than in the bloodstream. A decreased magnesium level in the heart muscle may predispose a person to coronary spasms. It helps the heart to pump more effectively. It has been shown that both histamine production and bronchial spasms increase with magnesium deficiency.

  7. Magnesium can help with Depression.

    A magnesium deficiency magnifies depression and stress. Serotonin, the feel good brain chemical depends on magnesium for its production and function.

  8. Magnesium helps prevent constipation and bowel disease.

    Magnesium deficiency slows down bowel movements causing constipation. This could lead to bowel disease, toxicity, lack of nutrient absorption, as well as colitis. The best way to tell if you are getting enough magnesium is the “bowel tolerance test”. You know when you have too much magnesium when your stools become loose.

  9. Magnesium supports healthy brain function.

    Magnesium is a neuro-protective agent. Magnesium deficiency causes over-excited brain patterns, which damages the neurons, eventually leading to cell death. In the brain, that is not easy to fix. Studies show that magnesium also protects against neurological deficit after brain injury.

  10. Magnesium helps prevent feelings of fatigue.

    People deficient in magnesium often feel tired, fatigued and run-down because hundreds of enzymatic reactions in the body are being compromised and consequently under-function due to the serious need for the important mineral.

  11. Magnesium helps you get a better night’s sleep.

    Magnesium has a calming effect on your body’s nervous system and relaxes the muscles, which in turn will help you to fall asleep easier. A deficiency of magnesium is also sometimes responsible for the nervousness that prevents sleep as well as restless legs syndrome. Magnesium may also improve the length and quality of slow wave sleep.

  12. Magnesium helps regulate hunger cravings.

    The body requires magnesium to absorb and utilize nutrients. Without magnesium the body cannot properly use the fats, proteins and carbohydrates we eat every day. When we aren’t getting what we need from our diet, the body will crave more food in an effort to obtain those vital nutrients.

  13. Magnesium improves pre-menstrual symptoms.

    Levels of the mineral drop during the second half of a female’s menstrual cycle, suggesting a possible link with many of the symptoms of PMS. If you suffer from PMS symptoms such as irritability, headaches, cramps and bloating, it may be worth trying a reputable magnesium supplement.

  14. Magnesium is crucial for GABA production.

    Magnesium binds to and activates GABA which is your most major relaxing neurotransmitter (brain chemical). Normalization of brain GABA levels leads to a reduction in stress, anxiety, nervousness, depression and an improvement in insomnia resulting in a more restful night’s sleep.


*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.