Are you getting enough magnesium? Should you be concerned about having enough magnesium? Magnesium is an essential mineral that helps you sleep better, helps with stress management, and enhances your heart and bone health. It also helps regulate blood sugar and blood pressure levels as well as maintain muscle and nerve functions. Magnesium is in many different foods including leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
Specifically, some of the most important benefits of magnesium include:
Helps to Manage Type 2 Diabetes:
A deficiency in magnesium increases your risk of diabetes. In fact for every 100mg decrease per day in magnesium results in a 15% increase in the risk for diabetes.
May Help Ease Constipation:
Certain forms of magnesium (such as magnesium based laxatives e.g. Milk of Magnesia) have been used for decades to help relieve constipation and keep you regular.
Improve Mental Health:
A deficiency in magnesium can cause mild anxiety and nervousness as well as increased stress, which can lead to depression. Low magnesium level may contribute to autism and ADHD.
Assist with Sleep Regulation:
A magnesium deficiency can alter your sleep-wake cycle leading to insomnia and daytime sleepiness.
Relief from Migraines:
Magnesium plays a roll in keeping the nervous system healthy; therefore, a deficiency can cause neurological complications that could include migraines. Research shows that taking 400-500mg of magnesium oxide could reduce migraine headaches.
Support Heart Health:
Magnesium can help protect the heart by reducing inflammation and maintaining the function of cell membranes. As well, magnesium helps to maintain healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels, which is important for a healthy heart. Magnesium can also help decrease levels of LDL, the bad cholesterol within your body.
Strengthen Bones:
60% of all magnesium is found in the bones, making the mineral very important for bone health and specifically bone density. People with a magnesium deficiency are more prone to broken bones.
The daily recommendation of magnesium for adults is 420mg per day. Ideally the majority of your magnesium should come from food, however if you feel you need more consult your doctor to determine what is right for you.
