Magnesium – The Magnificent Nutrient

Are you getting enough magnesium to keep your body healthy?

Magnesium is an essential mineral as it is needed in more than 300 biochemical reactions in our cells. Yet most people do not consume even the minimum recommended daily intake (RDI) of 400mg. The latest US government study shows that a staggering 68% of Americans do not consume the RDI of magnesium.

Magnesium deficiency can cause a range of problems, from muscle cramps, spasms and pre-menstrual difficulties to irregular heartbeat and sudden cardiac death. Magnesium supplementation may be effective in preventing and controlling many health problems ranging from high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, strokes and high blood sugar levels to migraines, asthma and osteoporosis.

Magnesium Supplementation:
Helps Promote Good Heart Health
Magnesium appears to be critical for the integrity of heart muscles. It has been shown to be effective in preventing abnormalities in heart rhythm which are associated with heart attacks. Besides that, magnesium may prevent spasms in the heart muscles and coronary arteries – other common causes of angina and heart attacks. Evidence shows that magnesium also helps maintain the health of arterial walls and that a deficiency of the mineral may predispose a person to arteriosclerosis and hypertension. Simply put, magnesium relaxes and dilates blood vessels, which improves circulation and lowers blood pressure.

Helps Diabetes
Since 1967, Harvard University has tracked the health of 85,000 nurses and 43,000 men, and a significant relationship between magnesium intake and the risk of developing diabetes was found. The greater the intake of magnesium, the lesser the likelihood of developing diabetes.

Clinicians believe that magnesium repletion may play a role in delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes and in warding off it devastating complication – cardiovascular disease, retinopathy and nephropathy.

Helps Asthmatics
Many studies note that drugs used in the treatment of asthma cn cause loss of magnesium. Many other drugs and alcohol also cause rapid depletion of magnesium. Magnesium relaxes the smooth muscles of the windpipes (bronchioles) and helps keep airways open. Daily supplementation is crucial as asthmatics tend to be deficient in magnesium.

Helps Reduce Frequency of Migraines
An increasing number of doctors believe that some of the most severe cases of migraines may actually be caused by an imbalance of key minerals: magnesium and calcium. “Not all headache are produced by this imbalance, however, we now know that 50-60% of migraines are magnesium-linked.” says Dr Burton M. Altura, a professor of physiology and medicine at the State University of New York Health Science Centre in Brooklyn.

Why Is Magnesium Deficiency So Common?

• Most people do not eat enough magnesium-rich foods like vegetables, nuts and whole grains.
• Refining of whole grains eliminates most of the magnesium content.
• Soft drinks and other beverages contain large amounts of phosphates that interfere with magnesium absorption.
• Diets containing large amounts of fat, salt, coffee or alcohol also interfere with magnesium absorption.
• Stress of any kind can deplete the body of magnesium.
• Today’s drinking water has low levels of magnesium.

To avoid magnesium deficiency, you should take at least 400mg of magnesium supplement daily. If your are affected by any of the health conditions mentioned above, consider taking up to 800mg daily – but please consult your doctor first.