Why You Might Need More Magnesium
Many people are surprised to learn that they might be deficient in magnesium. A poor diet, stress, lack of sleep and an addiction to coffee can all add up to a magnesium deficiency. The signs and symptoms of this deficiency can often be unpleasant, but luckily, fixing this condition is relatively simple. The best possible thing to do is to eat a magnesium-rich diet followed by supplementation if needed. If you’re one of those people who drinks too much coffee, is often sleep deprived and over stressed; well, you might just be one of those people who have a magnesium deficiency.
Our Paleolithic ancestors had much more available to them as far as natural sources of magnesium. Whether it was from their diet, the water, or the soil, they never had to experience the current depletion of magnesium that we experience today. Let’s think about exactly what magnesium is and why we really need it.
What Is Magnesium?
You might be surprised to know that only three elements on Earth are more abundant than magnesium. As far as our health is concerned, there are only 10 other elements that are found in higher concentrations inside our own body. Magnesium is also essential to all cells, and it plays a major role in DNA and RNA which can make having a deficiency problematic.
About half of your magnesium is stored in bone, which means that bone health depends just as much on magnesium as it does other elements. Some studies have even been able to induce osteoporosis by simply mimicking our current low magnesium diet.
Why Do I Need Magnesium?
Magnesium is needed for over 300 enzymatic reactions in the human body including neurotransmission and energy for your cells. It’s even more important for women to have enough of this nutrient, as a magnesium deficiency can make your monthly menstrual cycle much more painful. Magnesium can also help to reduce headaches, nausea and cramps associated with that time of the month.
A magnesium deficiency can also affect your fitness level too. Studies have shown that even a marginal magnesium deficiency impairs athletic performance and amplifies the negative effects of exercise, like soreness, making it even more difficult for you to work out effectively.
Besides impairing performance, acute exercise can cause the body to redistribute magnesium throughout the body and to lose more magnesium from the exercise. Magnesium then goes into the red blood cells to assist with the stress of exercise.
As a muscle relaxant, magnesium can often help with sleep, as well as constipation. Sleep and magnesium are so interrelated, that one study shows that not getting enough magnesium can disrupt your sleep, and even alter your mood. For all these reasons it is important to take magnesium at the right time and with the right intention.
How To Get More Magnesium
The easiest way is to supplement. But the best way, and the cheaper way, is to simply eat a diet which contains much more magnesium. This means more halibut, spinach, Swiss chard, nuts and (with moderation) dark chocolate. Eating these foods helps to add other much-needed vitamins and minerals as well.
Since everyone in the Paleo world loves nuts, it is important to note that Squash, pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, almonds, and cashews all contain decent amounts of magnesium. Wild-caught mackerel and tuna are also excellent sources of magnesium.
Drinking mineral water can also help to bring some more magnesium into your body. While our Paleolithic ancestors consumed water that was rich with minerals, our tap water has been stripped of magnesium so making a conscious effort to drink mineralized water can help.
In this day and age, we all just want to be able to take a pill to fix our situation so if it’s easier for you, of course you can supplement with magnesium. It is wise to choose a small amount to start with and then slowly progress from there. This is primarily due to the laxative effect that magnesium can have for some people.
The only form of magnesium supplement worth avoiding is magnesium oxide. as your body can’t absorb this form very well. Magnesium citrate seems to have the most risk as a potential laxative so ask your pharmacist for help in determining which form might be best for you.
The Bottom Line
Magnesium deficiency is not always a bothersome thing, but when you suspect you might be deficient in this mineral, it’s relatively simple to correct. If you just so happen to be a coffee drinker, perhaps this might give you a bit of motivation to cut back on the bean and increase your meditation and sleeping routines. Remember, your body does NOT need caffeine, but your cells DO require magnesium!
