Magnesium

 

An Essential Nutrient Your Body Can't Make

 

Magnesium Benefits

 

Prevents Asthma-Magnesium aids in relaxing bronchial muscles and helps normalize breathing. Wheezing and breathlessness can also be helped through magnesium supplementation.

Prevents Health Issues-A daily adequate amount of magnesium may ward off a number of conditions like depression, ADHD, autism, osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, and type II diabetes.

Healthy Bones-Magnesium deficiency can be a cause of osteoporosis. Magnesium is directly related to bone density and regulation of the body's calcium levels working to keep bones healthy.

Healthy Pregnancy-Magnesium is a vital nutrient - especially during pregnancy. Supplementation helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis and seizures in expectant mothers with hypertension. Magnesium also helps promote a smooth delivery process with an increased tolerance for pain.

Back Pain & Cramps-Magnesium helps with severe backaches because it helps relax back muscles and muscle tension. People who get leg cramps could have a magnesium deficiency, therefore supplementation may help.

Prevent Heart Attack-Heart disease is one of the side effects of magnesium deficiency. Supplementation helps keep a healthy heart rhythm and protects your heart from damage.

Constipation-Some people take magnesium supplements for quick relief of constipation. High dosage has a laxative property helping to relax intestinal muscles.

Prevents Diabetes & Regulates Blood Sugar Levels-Magnesium helps improve the body's insulin reaction to blood sugar level. People who have Diabetes are also at high risk of magnesium deficiency. Supplementing their diet with magnesium may help with regulating blood sugar and promotes normal blood pressure.

Stress & Anxiety-Magnesium has been known to help with cognitive issues such as panic attacks, agitation, stress and anxiety.

Headaches-Magnesium may reduce the severity of migraine headaches as well as the recurrence rate.

Mineral Absorption-Magnesium is important to many other nutrients in our body. It helps the body absorb sodium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin D, copper and zinc.

Enzyme Activity-Magnesium produces enzymes responsible for boosting energy production in the body.

 

Magnesium Food Sources

 

Foods High in Magnesium	Amount	Milligrams
Pumpkin Seeds	1 cup	738
Watermelon seeds, dried	1 cup	556
Sunflower seeds	1 cup	508
Cashews/Almonds	1 cup	400
Dark Chocolate	1 bar	193
Spinach, frozen, cooked	1 cup	157
Chinook salmon	4 ounces	138
Black beans	1 cup	120
Brazil nuts	1 ounce	107
Lima beans, frozen, cooked	1 cup	101
Pinto beans, cooked	1 cup	86
Cabbage, cooked	1/2 cup	28
Brown rice, long-grained	1 cup	84
Artichokes	1 cup	71

 

Recommended Dosage

 

Age (years)	Men (mg/day)	Women (mg/day)	Pregnancy (mg/day)	Lactation (mg/day)
1-3	80	80	N/A	N/A
4-8	130	130	N/A	N/A
9-13	240	240	N/A	N/A
14-18	410	360	400	360
19-30	400	310	350	310
31+	420	320	360	320

 

Adequate Intake for infants

Age (months)	Males and Females (mg/day)
0-6	30
7-12	75

 

Signs Of A Deficiency

 

• Exhaustion, Fatigue, Low Energy, Weakness
• Confusion
• Nervousness, anxiousness
• Irritability, tantrums, PMS/hormonal imbalances
• Poor digestion
• Sleeplessness
• Muscle tension, spasm & cramps
• bnormal heart rhythm

 

Quick Facts

• Magnesium helps you keep a steady heart rhythm, blood pressure normal, bones strong, the immune system healthy, and normal nerve and muscle function
• Your body does not produce magnesium; you must get it from food or supplements
• About 50% of your body's magnesium is stored in your bones, 27% in your muscles, 6-7% in cells and 1% in blood
• According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)1999-2000 68% of Americans get less than the RDA of magnesium, between 310 and 420 milligrams
• People with kidney disease, Crohn's disease or other digestive issues are most likely to be deficient. But stress, parathyroid problems, antibiotics or statin drugs (especially for diabetes or cancer), age, and alcoholism can affect your body's stores
• Foods high in saturated fat reduce magnesium absorption in the intestines
• A diet high in sugar causes your kidneys to excrete more magnesium
• Processed foods deplete magnesium and other nutrients from your body