The Magic Mineral Magnesium

We thought this post was so good we updated this article from 2017 to be shared again!

Magnesium is one of the most important and essential minerals in our bodies. It’s used in or over 300 biochemical reactions! Our bodies use magnesium to activate enzymes, relax both smooth muscle (our gastrointestinal tract!) and skeletal muscle, and is key in membrane transport, energy metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, as well as calcium and phosphorus metabolism. It also has a role in nerve signal conduction. It is stored in many places throughout the body including bones, cells, and blood. It is actually quite difficult to measure the total amount of magnesium in the body because the majority is stored away in bone and cells. Adequate magnesium levels can improve conditions of poor bone health, anxiety, poor digestive, cardiovascular function, insulin resistance, headaches, constipation, and kidney stones.

Deficiency

Those who eat a diet high in processed foods, take proton pump inhibitors, or suffer from alcoholism, may be at an increased risk for magnesium deficiency. If you are depleted in magnesium, you may have muscle cramps, constipation, difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite, nausea, fatigue, or anxiety. Deficiency can also cause cardiac arrhythmias, vertigo, seizures, headaches, bone loss, depressed immunity, hypertension, poor wound healing, and also constipation.

Diet & Supplementation:

Dietary sources

Magnesium is present in the highest amounts in foods like nuts and seeds, spinach, beet greens, black and white beans, halibut, millet, tofu, seeds, swiss chard, and more. We recommend eating a diverse diet with a focus on plants to ensure you are getting sufficient magnesium through food.

Supplementation

A reason to begin supplementing with magnesium could be to correct a deficiency. It is also an excellent mineral for improving transit time through the gastrointestinal tract. When taking too much magnesium you could experience loose stools. If this happens reduce the amount of magnesium you are taking, and your stools should no longer be loose. It can take weeks to months for your body to replete its magnesium stores. PIM recommends magnesium glycinate, the most bioavailable form. Magnesium citrate, oxide, or other forms tend to cause loose stools and stomach upset at low doses.

Do I need Magnesium?

We encourage you to speak with a PIM provider to find out if supplementing with magnesium is a good choice for you. They can help you by discussing what supplements or dietary changes you need to make to be at your optimal health! We will perform unique testing and labs to find out where your body needs to be supported with supplementation or lifestyle changes. If magnesium is a supplement that you feel you need we will tailor a plan to fit your unique needs.

Looking for more info on how to improve your eating habits to include healthier choices? Join us for our next free webinar, Fun with Food, on May 18th at 7:30 pm presented by our very own nutritionist, Caitlin Self, CNS, LDN. Register here.

Sources:

“Office of Dietary Supplements - Magnesium.” NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/#:~:text=Magnesium%20is%20a%20cofactor%20in,%2C%20oxidative%20phosphorylation%2C%20and%20glycolysis.