What Are the Benefits of Magnesium?
Top 7 Benefits
When you think about minerals, magnesium may not be at the top of your list, yet it plays a vital role in the overall health of your body. Unfortunately, many Americans may be deficient in this important mineral. You can boost those magnesium levels by adding a few delicious foods.
Read on as we explore the benefits of magnesium, from mental health to bone health. We will also discuss the best ways to incorporate magnesium into your diet and the daily requirements for both men and women.
What Is Magnesium?
There are over 100 different vitamins and nutrients your body needs to function. One of these nutrients is magnesium. Magnesium is a crucial mineral to the body and many of its processes, assisting with over 300 enzyme systems. A few of these include muscle and nerve function, energy production, and the transport of calcium and potassium in the body.
Most magnesium in the body is found in the bones. The remaining is found in various soft tissues — muscles, nerves, blood vessels, fat, and tendons. One percent of the magnesium in your body is found in the blood, making it difficult to measure levels with a simple blood test.
What Are the Health Benefits of Magnesium?
With so many systems relying on magnesium, it's no wonder magnesium has so many benefits. Whether you consume your daily magnesium intake through your food source or supplements, here are some of the amazing effects of magnesium on your overall health.
1. Supports Heart Health
Magnesium plays a large role in the function of the heart. It has been shown that higher levels of magnesium may support heart health.
Magnesium has also been shown to support blood pressure regulation. Your blood pressure tells you how hard your heart is working to pump blood throughout the body. If you have high blood pressure, the heart may be working too hard and pushing blood through your blood vessels with too much force. Supporting your heart with magnesium-rich foods can help regulate this important function.
Magnesium also supports a normal heartbeat rhythm. While your heartbeat will fluctuate throughout the day depending on your activity level, a healthy resting heart rate for adults is between 60 to 100 beats per minute. However, the lower your heart rate is, the more efficient your heart may be. Magnesium assists with this function because of its role in the ion pump, which triggers electrical impulses of the heart muscle.
2. Maintains Bone Health
Balanced levels of magnesium have been shown to be beneficial to bone health, which may be no surprise, with most of the magnesium in our bodies found in the bones.
Insufficient magnesium intake has been shown to negatively impact bone mineral density. However, taking too much magnesium can have the same effect, specifically for women over 65 who consume over 422.5 mg of magnesium per day.
3. Supports Sleep Health
If you have been struggling to get the sleep you need, you may want to look into magnesium. Because magnesium assists with nerve function and communication to the brain. It also regulates certain hormones, like melatonin.
Melatonin plays an important role in the sleep-wake cycle of the body. Melatonin levels naturally rise in the evening, causing you to feel sleepy. Many people have begun to use a melatonin supplement, but your body naturally produces this hormone. Prioritizing magnesium may be a more beneficial long-term solution.
4. Maintains Energy Levels
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a molecule in the body's cells that provides energy. Cells strongly rely on magnesium for the production and utilization of ATP. ATP binds to magnesium to deliver energy to the cells.
Magnesium can cause fatigue when levels are below the recommended daily levels. It has been shown that increasing magnesium levels may combat both physical fatigue and muscle fatigue.
5. Supports Mental Wellness
Another amazing benefit of Magnesium is its ability to support your mental health. Magnesium deficiency has been shown to increase feelings of uneasiness, restlessness, and irritability. Stress and excess calcium consumption can deplete magnesium levels, along with insufficient magnesium consumption.
When managing your magnesium levels, you may notice improvements in your mental health quickly. Some studies recommend using 125 to 300 mg of magnesium with each meal, and before bed. However, this may be above your average daily recommended dosage.
Always talk to your doctor before making any significant changes in your nutrition or medications. Your doctor will be able to make suggestions based on your individual needs.
6. Maintains Muscle Function
Exercise and magnesium go hand in hand. Exercise regulates magnesium distribution and utilization. At the same time, magnesium supports strength training and cardiorespiratory function. It is thought that the more active you are, the more magnesium your body will likely require. Magnesium supports the energy found within the muscle and its ability to contract and relax.
Magnesium may also support exercise performance. Magnesium may increase the amount of glucose available to the brain, muscles, and blood. Glucose is the body’s main energy source.
When you consume the appropriate amount of magnesium daily, you may notice improved grip strength, leg strength, and jumping performance.
7. Supports Digestion
Magnesium oxide has been used for 350 years as a laxative for constipation and other digestion issues. Magnesium oxide generally comes in a salt form and is formed with magnesium and oxygen ions. The common name is Epsom salt. You can also find this magnesium supplement in capsule form.
A diet with balanced magnesium can support a healthy balance of gut bacteria. However, an excessive amount of magnesium may have the opposite effect. Supporting your gut microbiome is important for your overall health.
What Are the Signs of Magnesium Deficiency?
Because there are low levels of magnesium in the bloodstream, it can be difficult to test for magnesium levels. Knowing the signs of magnesium deficiency can be helpful. Here are some early signs of magnesium deficiency:
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fatigue
- Migraines
- Weakness
More serious signs may be:
- Numbness
- Tingles
- Muscle cramps
- Seizures
- Personality changes
- Abnormal heart rhythms
If you are experiencing these signs, contact your healthcare provider to rule out a magnesium deficiency.
What Are Good Sources of Magnesium?
Essential minerals, like magnesium, must be consumed. Our bodies do not make minerals, but many different foods include magnesium. If your diet is not providing you with your recommended daily intake of magnesium, you can also use different types of magnesium supplements.
Our Calming + Restore Magnesium includes Magnesium Gluconate, Magnesium Citrate, and Magnesium Acetyl Taurinate. Each of these different types of magnesium offers different benefits.
If your diet is lacking in essential nutrients, including magnesium, the Kroma Wellness
Kroma Wellness 5-Day Reset is just what you need to reset your diet. Our 5-Day Reset focuses on whole foods full of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to jump-start your diet. Our program is simple to follow, convenient in your busy life, and incredibly delicious. You’ll finish this program nourished, satisfied, and ready to focus on a nutrient-dense diet.
How Much Magnesium Do You Need in a Day?
With all the amazing benefits of magnesium, you're probably wondering how much magnesium you should be consuming. As with many nutrients, the amount of magnesium depends on many factors, including your activity levels. Here are the different general guidelines for both men and women.
Men
Adult men should generally aim to consume between 410 and 420 mg of magnesium daily. As men age, they require more magnesium. Kroma’s Calming + Restore Magnesium contains 74% of the daily allowance so you can meet your nutritional needs.
Women
The women's dietary magnesium recommendations are a little less cut and dry than men’s. Women, including those breastfeeding, should consume 320 to 360 mg of magnesium daily, according to general guidelines. Women who are pregnant should consume 360 to 400 mg of magnesium. As women age, they require less magnesium.
What Are Good Food Sources of Magnesium?
With a well-rounded diet including foods high in magnesium, you may be able to consume enough magnesium to meet your daily requirements — however, it can be tough to meet those requirements if you don’t maintain a constantly balanced diet.
Pumpkin seeds and chia seeds have some of the highest levels of magnesium. Nuts, such as almonds, peanuts, and cashews, are also high in magnesium. Our OMG Cookie Butter features organic raw almond butter as the first ingredient, alongside coconut butter, coconut oil, and hemp seeds.
Leafy greens, legumes, and whole grains also top the list. If you're a chocolate lover, you’ll be happy to know that dark chocolate is also high in magnesium.
What Are the Potential Risks of Taking a Magnesium Supplement?
While magnesium has many benefits to your overall health, magnesium supplements may also have side effects. Consuming too much magnesium may cause gastrointestinal issues, such as cramps, nausea, diarrhea, or soft stool.
If you are taking any prescription medications, you should always talk to your doctor about any potential interactions supplements may cause. Certain antibiotics and medications have known reactions to magnesium supplements.
The Bottom Line
Magnesium is crucial for the body to function. Without it, over 300 enzyme systems wouldn’t be able to function. Magnesium plays a large role in energy levels, muscle contraction, and transporting other vital nutrients.
Ensuring you are consuming your daily levels of magnesium, like with Calming + Restore Magnesium, can support your bone health, sleep health, digestive system, and emotional wellness. It can also increase your energy levels by supporting energy production at the cell level.
A diet full of seeds, legumes, and leafy vegetables can help you reach your needed magnesium levels. Magnesium supplements are also available when you need an extra boost to your diet.
Kroma Wellness focuses on bringing you products full of essential vitamins and minerals. You will find magnesium in many of our products to support your overall health.
Magnesium - Health Professional Fact Sheet | NIH
Modulation of the Na,K-ATPase by Magnesium Ions | PubMed
Rapid recovery from major depression using magnesium treatment | PubMed
Can Magnesium Enhance Exercise Performance? | PMC
Magnesium Oxide in Constipation | PMC
Effect of Dietary Magnesium Content on Intestinal Microbiota of Rats | PMC
The 5-Day Reset: Deluxe
Calming + Restore Magnesium
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