Are you magnesium deficient? Very likely. Despite the fact that more people are hearing about the importance of magnesium, a recent study suggests that only about half of Indian adults reach the bare minimum standard. Deficiency in magnesium has been linked to type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, osteoporosis, heart disease, asthma, colon cancer, and fibromyalgia… among other things.
What is Magnesium?
Magnesium is a mineral responsible for over 300 metabolic processes. It’s an anti-inflammatory mineral that offers protection from a host if illnesses and diseases and has been used to remedy problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, respiratory issues, and more.
10 Commons Signs You’re Magnesium Deficient
1. Muscle Cramps
2. High Blood Pressure
3. Fatigue
4. Poor Memory and/or Confusion
5. Restless Leg Syndrome
6. Weakness
7. Delayed Recovery from Exercise
8. Respiratory Issues
9. Sound and/or Light Sensitivity
10. Sleeplessness (tip: take magnesium before bed )
Severe magnesium deficiency can lead to even more troublesome issues like:
- Numbness and tingling
- Muscle contractions and cramps
- Seizures
- Personality changes
- Abnormal heart rhythms
- Coronary spasms
Of course, just because you have these symptoms doesn’t mean it’s all related to magnesium. As always, it’s important to talk to your healthcare practitioner if you have these or any other serious symptoms. But considering that our soil is so deplete from bad farming practices, it’s very common for people to be deficient in magnesium.
Over the course of their lives, women can experience additional emotional and physical demands on their bodies. This can often include juggling careers with pregnancy and raising a family, possibly in addition to health issues such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), mental health conditions or digestive issues while menopausal symptoms may start as early as in the forties. Here’s how magnesium can support women.
Stress management and detoxification
A theme in the modern world is stress and it is known that magnesium plays a vital role in stress management along with vitamins B5, B6 and C.
Similarly, when preparing for conception it is critical to ensure the diet is rich in antioxidant nutrients and that detoxification is supported. Magnesium plays a role in detoxification; this is where toxins are eliminated from the body. In fact, toxins can disrupt several body processes such as hormones, brain function and digestion.
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
Some conditions associated with menstruation can be a result of hormone disruption or blood glucose disruption such as PMS or PCOS. Subsequently magnesium may offer relief, magnesium contributes to normal hormone production and similarly assists insulin in removing blood glucose and delivering it to the cells.
Menopause
Menopause is characterised by a decline in the hormones progesterone and oestrogen, and ultimately the cessation of menstruation. The experience can be exacerbated by an inadequate intake of the nutrients necessary to produce hormones, subsequently, magnesium alongside vitamin B6 and saturated fats intake is vital.
In addition, magnesium can be useful to support the menopause symptoms that affect mood, ability to cope with stress, increased blood pressure and when balanced with calcium, for bone mineral density which is critical to ward off osteoporosis and damage from a fall.
How much magnesium do women need?
To support this wide range of roles, Public Health England recommend that adults should aim to consume 300mg daily.
Dietary sources:
Magnesium can be found naturally in many different foods but in small quantities. To meet this, each meal should have at least 3 magnesium containing foods to help achieve a realistic daily intake.
Fortunately, certain wholefoods are rich in magnesium such as oats and barley or the pseudocereals buckwheat and quinoa. Other good sources include oily fish at 120mg per fillet and pumpkin, flax and chia seeds and dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids).
Tip: Try adding a large handful of leafy green vegetables to each meal. Leaves such as spinach, kale, mustard greens and collard greens are great additions to meals and smoothies and can provide 150mg per double handful.
For more details and professional help do get in touch with your healthcare practitioner.
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