One mineral that's packed full of benefits...
How essential is Magnesium for normal bodily functions and your overall health? Very!
Magnesium is an essential mineral for human nutrition.
Function
Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps to maintain normal nerve and muscle function, supports a healthy immune system, keeps the heart beat steady, and helps bones remain strong. It also helps regulate blood glucose levels and aid in the production of energy and protein. There is ongoing research into the role of magnesium in preventing and managing disorders such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. However, taking magnesium supplements is not currently recommended. Diets high in protein, calcium, or vitamin D will increase the need for magnesium.
Food Sources
Foods which contain magnesium:
Green leafy vegetables: spinach and kale
Fruit: Figs, avocado, banana and raspberries
Nuts and seeds
Legumes: black beans, chickpeas and kidney beans
Vegetables: peas, broccoli, cabbage, green beans, artichokes, asparagus, Brussels sprouts
Seafood: salmon, mackerel, tuna
Whole grains: brown rice and oats
Raw cacao
Dark Chocolate
Tofu
Baked beans
Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency
The symptoms of magnesium deficiency include:
Hyper-excitability
Muscle weakness
Sleepiness
Deficiency of magnesium can occur in people who abuse alcohol or in those who absorb less magnesium including:
People with gastrointestinal disease or surgery causing malabsorption
Older adults
People with type 2 diabetes
Symptoms due to a lack of magnesium have three categories.
Early symptoms:
Loss of appetite
Nausea
Vomiting
Fatigue
Weakness
Moderate deficiency symptoms:
Numbness/Tingling
Muscle contractions and cramps
Seizures
Personality changes
Abnormal heart rhythms
Severe deficiency:
Low blood calcium level (hypocalcemia)
Low blood potassium level (hypokalemia)
Recommendations
These are the recommended daily requirements of magnesium:
Infants
Birth to 6 months: 30 mg/day*
6 months to 1 year: 75 mg/day*
*AI or Adequate Intake
Children
1 to 3 years old: 80 milligrams
4 to 8 years old: 130 milligrams
9 to 13 years old: 240 milligrams
14 to 18 years old (boys): 410 milligrams
14 to 18 years old (girls): 360 milligrams
Adults
Adult males: 400 to 420 miligrams Adult females: 310 to 320 milligrams
Pregnancy: 350 to 400 milligrams
Breastfeeding women: 310 to 360 milligrams
Adult males: 400 to 420 milligrams
References
Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Fluoride. National Academies Press. Washington, DC, 1997. PMID: 23115811 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23115811.
Mason JB. Vitamins, trace minerals, and other micronutrients. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 25th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 218.
National Institutes of Health. Magnesium: fact sheet for health professionals. Updated February 11, 2016. ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/#h5. Accessed April 6, 2016.
Yu ASL. Disorders of magneium and phosphorus. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 25th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 119.