As most of you probably know, magnesium is one of the most important minerals in the human body. It plays numerous roles in major organs in the body including the kidneys and heart and performs over 300 important functions. Lack of magnesium can be quite a big problem which manifests through fatigue, weakness, abnormal heart rhythm, eye twitches, muscle spasms and other problems.
Magnesium deficiency is diagnosed via blood tests, but with only 1% of the mineral distributed through the blood, magnesium blood tests are not so accurate. Most of the mineral is present in our organs and bones where it performs numerous biological functions. However, it’s quite possible to be deficient in magnesium without being aware of it, which is why lack of magnesium is known as the “invisible deficiency”.
According to estimates, 80% of the American population is not getting enough magnesium, with only 25% of American adults getting the RDA of 400-420 mg. for men and 310-320 mg. for women. Even worse, consuming this amount is just enough to correct the lack of the mineral, not raise its levels like it should.
Lack Of Magnesium Can Cause 22 Medical Conditions!
Although people consider it a mineral for our heart and bones, magnesium is much more than that. Studies have found that there are nearly 4000 magnesium-binding sites in human proteins, so the mineral’s health value may have been miscalculated. Magnesium is important for over 300 enzymes in our body and can easily detoxify it, preventing potential damage from heavy metals, chemicals and toxins.
Magnesium is also important for the proper function of our muscles, joints and bones, assists in the digestion of proteins, fats and carbs, helps the body create energy, serves as a building block for RNA and DNA and acts as a precursor to serotonin.
Many experts have studied magnesium in the past decade. In her latest book The Magnesium Miracle, Dr. Carolyn Dean concludes that magnesium can trigger more than 20 medical conditions and all of this has been scientifically proven.
Lack of the mineral in your body can lead to:
The Role Of Magnesium In Diabetes, Heart Disease And Cancer
As we already said, magnesium has a highly important role in the prevention of various ailments. For example, studies have shown that magnesium keeps our metabolism running properly and prevents diabetes, heart disease and even some types of cancer. Studies have also found that the higher the magnesium intake of a person, the lower the risk of diabetes goes. Higher magnesium intake is also associated with higher bone mineral density in both genders.
Magnesium can also reduce the risk of cancer, as one American study showed that higher magnesium intake means lower risk of colorectal tumors. The risk of the disease reduced by 13% per every 100 mg. of magnesium intake, while the risk of colorectal cancer was reduced by 12% at the same time.
Surprising Factors That Affect Your Magnesium Levels
The best way to get more magnesium in your body is through dietary sources. This means consuming leafy green vegetables and seaweed more often, as well as beans, nuts and seeds and avocados. Juicing is also a great way of getting more magnesium in your diet.
Sadly, most of the food grown today is lacking magnesium due to the lack of magnesium in the soil. A hundred years ago, we would have got 500 mg. of magnesium from an ordinary diet, but the levels have plummeted down to 200 in recent times. This is caused by the increased industrialization of the soil and the use of herbicides and pesticides such as glyphosate.
On the other hand, some foods and drinks can also reduce your magnesium absorption. For example, alcohol can interfere with proper vitamin D absorption which will affect your magnesium absorption as well. Consuming a lot of sugar can make your body excrete magnesium through the kidneys and result in a net loss of magnesium. Caffeine, diuretics and other medications, unhealthy digestive tract, menopause and other factors can also influence your magnesium levels.
Magnesium Must Stay In Balance With Calcium, Vitamin D and K2
If you think that taking a magnesium supplement can easily fix your magnesium deficiency, you’re wrong. In order to increase the mineral’s levels and fix the deficiency, you need to keep it in balance with calcium and vitamins D and K2, as all these nutrients work in synergy.
If your calcium levels are up for example, you may experience heart attack and even death. The healthy ratio between calcium and magnesium should be 1:1, but the modern American diet puts it to 3.5:1 on average. Too much calcium and less magnesium in your muscles can lead to painful muscle spasms.
The vitamin D and K2 levels should also be taken into consideration. Lack of balance between all these nutrients can lead to serious health problems and raise the risk of heart attack and stroke, which is exactly what you need to avoid. For best results, we suggest talking to your doctor who can tell you what your body needs.
Magnesium Supplements
Although the best way to raise your magnesium intake is through dietary sources, you can also stick to magnesium supplements in order to fix the deficiency. There are different types of magnesium supplements including magnesium chloride, magnesium oxide, magnesium glycinate, magnesium sulfate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium taurate, magnesium citrate and magnesium threonate. Every one of these supplements has a different function, so you should talk to a professional before deciding which one to get on your own.
Magnesium deficiency is diagnosed via blood tests, but with only 1% of the mineral distributed through the blood, magnesium blood tests are not so accurate. Most of the mineral is present in our organs and bones where it performs numerous biological functions. However, it’s quite possible to be deficient in magnesium without being aware of it, which is why lack of magnesium is known as the “invisible deficiency”.
According to estimates, 80% of the American population is not getting enough magnesium, with only 25% of American adults getting the RDA of 400-420 mg. for men and 310-320 mg. for women. Even worse, consuming this amount is just enough to correct the lack of the mineral, not raise its levels like it should.
Lack Of Magnesium Can Cause 22 Medical Conditions!
Although people consider it a mineral for our heart and bones, magnesium is much more than that. Studies have found that there are nearly 4000 magnesium-binding sites in human proteins, so the mineral’s health value may have been miscalculated. Magnesium is important for over 300 enzymes in our body and can easily detoxify it, preventing potential damage from heavy metals, chemicals and toxins.
Magnesium is also important for the proper function of our muscles, joints and bones, assists in the digestion of proteins, fats and carbs, helps the body create energy, serves as a building block for RNA and DNA and acts as a precursor to serotonin.
Many experts have studied magnesium in the past decade. In her latest book The Magnesium Miracle, Dr. Carolyn Dean concludes that magnesium can trigger more than 20 medical conditions and all of this has been scientifically proven.
Lack of the mineral in your body can lead to:
- anxiety
- bowel problems
- asthma
- blood clots
- depression
- heart disease
- high blood pressure
- kidney disease
- hypoglycemia
- liver disease
- nerve problems
- tooth decay
The Role Of Magnesium In Diabetes, Heart Disease And Cancer
As we already said, magnesium has a highly important role in the prevention of various ailments. For example, studies have shown that magnesium keeps our metabolism running properly and prevents diabetes, heart disease and even some types of cancer. Studies have also found that the higher the magnesium intake of a person, the lower the risk of diabetes goes. Higher magnesium intake is also associated with higher bone mineral density in both genders.
Magnesium can also reduce the risk of cancer, as one American study showed that higher magnesium intake means lower risk of colorectal tumors. The risk of the disease reduced by 13% per every 100 mg. of magnesium intake, while the risk of colorectal cancer was reduced by 12% at the same time.
Surprising Factors That Affect Your Magnesium Levels
The best way to get more magnesium in your body is through dietary sources. This means consuming leafy green vegetables and seaweed more often, as well as beans, nuts and seeds and avocados. Juicing is also a great way of getting more magnesium in your diet.
Sadly, most of the food grown today is lacking magnesium due to the lack of magnesium in the soil. A hundred years ago, we would have got 500 mg. of magnesium from an ordinary diet, but the levels have plummeted down to 200 in recent times. This is caused by the increased industrialization of the soil and the use of herbicides and pesticides such as glyphosate.
On the other hand, some foods and drinks can also reduce your magnesium absorption. For example, alcohol can interfere with proper vitamin D absorption which will affect your magnesium absorption as well. Consuming a lot of sugar can make your body excrete magnesium through the kidneys and result in a net loss of magnesium. Caffeine, diuretics and other medications, unhealthy digestive tract, menopause and other factors can also influence your magnesium levels.
Magnesium Must Stay In Balance With Calcium, Vitamin D and K2
If you think that taking a magnesium supplement can easily fix your magnesium deficiency, you’re wrong. In order to increase the mineral’s levels and fix the deficiency, you need to keep it in balance with calcium and vitamins D and K2, as all these nutrients work in synergy.
If your calcium levels are up for example, you may experience heart attack and even death. The healthy ratio between calcium and magnesium should be 1:1, but the modern American diet puts it to 3.5:1 on average. Too much calcium and less magnesium in your muscles can lead to painful muscle spasms.
The vitamin D and K2 levels should also be taken into consideration. Lack of balance between all these nutrients can lead to serious health problems and raise the risk of heart attack and stroke, which is exactly what you need to avoid. For best results, we suggest talking to your doctor who can tell you what your body needs.
Magnesium Supplements
Although the best way to raise your magnesium intake is through dietary sources, you can also stick to magnesium supplements in order to fix the deficiency. There are different types of magnesium supplements including magnesium chloride, magnesium oxide, magnesium glycinate, magnesium sulfate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium taurate, magnesium citrate and magnesium threonate. Every one of these supplements has a different function, so you should talk to a professional before deciding which one to get on your own.