22 Subtle Warning Signs That Your Magnesium Levels are Dangerously Low
Magnesium is
a mineral used by every organ in your body, especially your heart, muscles, and
kidneys.1 If you suffer from unexplained fatigue or weakness, abnormal heart
rhythms or even muscle spasms and eye twitches, low levels of magnesium could
be to blame.
22 Subtle
Warning Signs That Your Magnesium Levels are Dangerously Low
If you’ve recently had a blood test, you might
assume it would show a magnesium deficiency. But only 1 percent of magnesium in
your body is distributed in your blood, making a simple sample of magnesium
from a serum magnesium blood test not very useful.
Most
magnesium is stored in your bones and organs, where it is used for many
biological functions. Yet, it’s quite possible to be deficient and not know it,
which is why magnesium deficiency has been dubbed the “invisible deficiency.”
By some
estimates, up to 80 percent of Americans are not getting enough magnesium and
may be deficient. Other research shows only about 25 percent of US adults are
getting the recommended daily amount of 310 to 320 milligrams (mg) for women
and 400 to 420 for men.2
Even more
concerning, consuming even this amount is “just enough to ward off outright
deficiency,” according to Dr. Carolyn Dean, a medical and naturopathic doctor.
Magnesium
Deficiency May Trigger 22 Medical Conditions
Magnesium is often thought of primarily as a
mineral for your heart and bones, but this is misleading. Researchers have now
detected 3,751 magnesium-binding sites on human proteins, indicating that its
role in human health and disease may have been vastly underestimated.3
Magnesium is
also found in more than 300 different enzymes in your body and plays a role in
your body’s detoxification processes, making it important for helping to
prevent damage from environmental chemicals, heavy metals, and other toxins. In
addition, magnesium is necessary for:
Activating
muscles and nerves
Creating
energy in your body by activating adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
Helping
digest proteins, carbohydrates, and fats
Serving as a
building block for RNA and DNA synthesis
Acting as a
prDr. Dean has studied and written about magnesium for more than 15 years. The
latest addition of her book, The Magnesium Miracle, came out in 2014 and in it
you can learn about 22 medical areas that magnesium deficiency triggers or
causes, all of which have all been scientifically proven. This includes:4
Anxiety and
panic attacks Asthma Blood clots
Bowel
diseases Cystitis Depression
Detoxification Diabetes Fatigue
Heart
disease Hypertension Hypoglycemia
Insomnia Kidney disease Liver disease
Migraine Musculoskeletal conditions
(fibromyalgia, cramps, chronic back pain, etc.) Nerve
problems
Obstetrics
and gynecology (PMS, infertility, and preeclampsia) Osteoporosis Raynaud’s
syndrome
Tooth decay
Early sinausea,
fatigue, and weakness. An ongoing magnesium deficiency can lead to more serious
symptoms, including:
Numbness and
tingling Muscle contractions and
cramps Seizures
Personality
changes Abnormal heart rhythms Coronary spasms
The Role of
Magnesium in Diabetes, Cancer, and More
Most people
do not think about magnesium when they think about how to prevent chronic
disease, but it plays an essential role. For instance, there have been several
significant studies about magnesium’s role in keeping your metabolism running
efficiently—specifically in terms of insulin sensitivity, glucose regulation,
and protection from type 2 diabetes.
Higher
magnesium intake reduces risk of impaired glucose and insulin metabolism and
slows progression from pre-diabetes to diabetes in middle-aged Americans.5
Researchers stated, “Magnesium intake may be particularly beneficial in
offsetting your risk of developing diabetes, if you are high risk.”
The Role of
Magnesium in Diabetes, Cancer, and More
Most people
do not think about magnesium when they think about how to prevent chronic disease,
but it plays an essential role. For instance, there have been several
significant studies about magnesium’s role in keeping your metabolism running
efficiently—specifically in terms of insulin sensitivity, glucose regulation,
and protection from type 2 diabetes.
Higher
magnesium intake reduces risk of impaired glucose and insulin metabolism and
slows progression from pre-diabetes to diabetes in middle-aged Americans.5
Researchers stated, “Magnesium intake may be particularly beneficial in
offsetting your risk of developing diabetes, if you are high risk.”
Multiple
studies have also shown that higher magnesium intake is associated with a
higher bone mineral density in both men and women,6 and research from Norway
has even found an association between magnesium in drinking water and a lower
risk of hip fractures.7
Magnesium
may even help lower your risk of cancer, and a study published in the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that higher intakes of dietary magnesium
were associated with a lower risk of colorectal tumors.8
Results from
the meta-analysis indicated that for every 100-mg increase in magnesium intake,
the risk of colorectal tumor decreased by 13 percent, while the risk of
colorectal cancer was lowered by 12 percent. The researchers noted magnesium’s
anti-cancer effects may be related to its ability to reduce insulin resistance,
which may positively affect the development of tumors.
Surprising
Factors That Influence Your Magnesium Levels
Seaweed and
green leafy vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard can be excellent sources of
magnesium, as are some beans, nuts, and seeds, like pumpkin, sunflower, and
sesame seeds. Avocados also contain magnesium. Juicing your vegetables is an
excellent option to ensure you’re getting enough of them in your diet.
However,
most foods grown today are deficient in magnesium and other minerals, so
getting enough isn’t simply a matter of eating magnesium-rich foods (although
this is important too). According to Dr. Dean:
“Magnesium
is farmed out of the soil much more than calcium… A hundred years ago, we would
get maybe 500 milligrams of magnesium in an ordinary diet. Now we’re lucky to
get 200 milligrams.”
Herbicides,
like glyphosate also act as chelators, effectively blocking the uptake and
utilization of minerals in so many foods grown today. As a result, it can be
quite difficult to find truly magnesium-rich foods. Cooking and processing
further depletes magnesium.
Meanwhile,
certain foods can actually influence your body’s absorption of magnesium. If
you drink alcohol in excess, for instance, it may interfere with your body’s
absorption of vitamin D, which in turn is helpful for magnesium absorption. If
you eat a lot of sugar, this can also cause your body to excrete magnesium
through your kidneys, “resulting in a net loss,” according to Dr. Danine Fruge,
associate medical director at the Pritikin Longevity Center in Florida.9 The
following factors are also associated with lower magnesium levels:10
Excessive
intake of soda or caffeine
Menopause
Older age
(older adults are more likely to be magnesium deficient because absorption
decreases with age and the elderly are more likely to take medications that can
interfere with absorption)
Certain
medications, including diuretics, certain antibiotics (such as gentamicin and
tobramycin), corticosteroids (prednisone or Deltasone), antacids, and insulin
An unhealthy
digestive system, which impairs your body’s ability to absorb magnesium
(Crohn’s disease, leaky gut, etc.)
Calcium,
Vitamin K2, and Vitamin D Must Be Balanced with Magnesium
It may seem
like you could remedy the risks of low magnesium simply by taking a supplement,
but it’s not quite that simple. When you’re taking magnesium, you need to
consider calcium, vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 as well, since these all work
synergistically with one another. Excessive amounts of calcium without the
counterbalance of magnesium can lead to a heart attack and sudden death, for
instance. Research on the Paleolithic or caveman diet has shown that the ratio
of calcium to magnesium in the diet that our bodies evolved to eat is
1-to-1.11Americans in general tend to have a higher calcium-to-magnesium ratio
in their diet, averaginIf you have too much calcium and not enough magnesium,
your muscles will tend to go into spasm, and this has consequences for your
heart in particular. “What happens is, the muscle and nerve function that
magnesium is responsible for is diminished. If you don’t have enough magnesium,
your muscles go into spasm. Calcium causes muscle to contract. If you had a balance,
the muscles would do their thing. They’d relax, contract, and create their
activity,” Dr. Dean explains.
When
balancing calcium and magnesium, also keep in mind that vitamins K2 and D need
to be considered. These four nutrients perform an intricate dance together,
with one supporting the other. Lack of balance between these nutrients is one
of the reasons why calcium supplements have become associated with increased
risk of heart attacks and stroke, and why some people experience vitamin D
toxicity. Part of the explanation for these adverse side effects is that
vitaming about 3.5-to-1.
If you have
too much calcium and not enough magnesium, your muscles will tend to go into
spasm, and this has consequences for your heart in particular. “What happens
is, the muscle and nerve function that magnesium is responsible for is
diminished. If you don’t have enough magnesium, your muscles go into spasm.
Calcium causes muscle to contract. If you had a balance, the muscles would do
their thing. They’d relax, contract, and create their activity,” Dr. Dean
explains.
When
balancing calcium and magnesium, also keep in mind that vitamins K2 and D need
to be considered. These four nutrients perform an intricate dance together,
with one supporting the other. Lack of balance between these nutrients is one
of the reasons why calcium supplements have become associated with increased
risk of heart attacks and stroke, and why some people experience vitamin D
toxicity. Part of the explanation for these adverse side effects is that
vitamin K2 keeps calcium in its appropriate place. If you’re K2 deficient,
added calcium can cause more problems than it solves, by accumulating in the
wrong places, like your soft tissue.
Similarly,
if you opt for oral vitamin D, you need to also consume it in your food or take
supplemental vitamin K2 and more magnesium. Taking mega doses of vitamin D
supplements without sufficient amounts of K2 and magnesium can lead to vitamin
D toxicity and magnesium deficiency syTips for Increasing Your Magnesium Levels
One way to
really increase your magnesium, as well as many other important plant-based
nutrients, is by juicing your greens. I typically drink one pint to one quart
of fresh green vegetable juice every day, and this is one of my primary sources
of magnesium. Organic foods may have more magnesium if grown in nutrient-rich
soils but it is very difficult to make that determination. If you opt for a
supplement, be aware that there are a wide variety of magnesium supplements on
the market, because magnesium must be bound to another substancThe substance
used in any given compound can affect the absorption and bioavailability of the
magnesium, and may provide slightly different, or targeted, health benefits.
The table that follows summarizes some of the differences between the various
forms. Magnesium threonate and citrate are some of the best sources, as it
seems to penetrate cell membranes, including your mitochondria, which results
in higher energy levels. Additionally, it also penetrates your blood-brain
barrier and seems to do wonders to treat and prevent dementia and improve
memory. If you take a supplement, you can use the “bowel test” to determine if
you’re taking too much magnesium. Dr. Dean explains:12e. There’s simply no such
thing as a 100 percent magnesium supplement.
The
substance used in any given compound can affect the absorption and
bioavailability of the magnesium, and may provide slightly different, or
targeted, health benefits. The table that follows summarizes some of the
differences between the various forms. Magnesium threonate and citrate are some
of the best sources, as it seems to penetrate cell membranes, including your
mitochondria, which results in higher energy levels. Additionally, it also
penetrates your blood-brain barrier and seems to do wonders to treat and
prevent dementia and improve memory. If you take a supplement, you can use the
“bowel test” to determine if you’re taking too much magnesium. Dr. Dean
explains:12
The best way
to tell if you are getting enough magnesium is the “bowel test”. You know when
you have too much magnesium when your stools become loose. This, in fact, may
be a blessing for people with constipation… [which] is one of the many ways
magnesium deficiency manifests.”
Besides
taking a supplement, another way to improve your magnesium status is to take
regular Epsom salt baths or foot baths. Epsom salt is a magnesium sulfate that
can absorb into your body through your skin. Magnesium oil can also be used for
topical application and absorption. Whatever supplement you choose, be sure to
avoid any containing magnesium stearate, a coMagnesium glycinate is a chelated
form of magnesium that tends to provide the highest levels of absorption and
bioavailability and is typically considered ideal for those who are trying to
correct a deficiency. Magnesium
oxide is a non-chelated type of magnesium, bound to an organic acid or a fatty
acid. Contains 60 percent magnesium, and has stool softening properties
Magnesium
chloride/Magnesium lactate contain only 12 percent magnesium, but has better
absorption than others, such as magnesium oxide, which contains five times more
magnesium Magnesium sulfate/Magnesium
hydroxide (milk of magnesia) are typically used as laxatives. Be aware that
it’s easy to overdose on these, so ONLY take as directed
Magnesium
carbonate, which has antacid properties, contains 45 percent magnesium Magnesium taurate contains a
combination of magnesium and taurine, an amino acid. Together, they tend to
provide a calming effect on your body and mind
. Magnesium citrate is magnesium with
citric acid, which like most magnesium supplements has laxative properties but
is well absorbed and cost effective Magnesium
threonate is a newer, emerging type of magnesium supplement that appears
promising, primarily due to its superior ability to penetrate the mitochondrial
membrane, and may be the best magnesium supplement on the market .
.
মন্তব্যসমূহ
একটি মন্তব্য পোস্ট করুন