Health benefits of magnesium

Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency

Some of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency are

• Nausea, muscular weakness, lethargy,
• Hyper-irritability, hyper-excitability, muscular spasms, Numbness
• Abnormal heart rhythms, and coronary spasms, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure
• low levels of calcium (hypocalcemia) and potassium (hypokalemia) in the blood
• Chocolate cravings
• Headaches, Back aches, neck pain, and jaw joint (or TMJ) dysfunction.
• Urinary and menstrual cramps;
• Difficulty swallowing in the throat-especially provoked by eating sugar;
• Photophobia, especially difficulty adjusting to oncoming bright headlights in the absence of eye disease;
• Loud noise sensitivity from stapedius muscle tension in the ear

Health benefits of Magnesium

Enzyme activation and metabolic functions: The main function of magnesium is enzyme activation. More than 300 biochemical processes in body are possible due to presence of magnesium. Hence the functions of minerals are very diverse and any deficiency largely affects body health. Some of the key metabolic activity where magnesium is involved is metabolism of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Our cardiovascular system, digestive system, nervous system, muscles, kidneys, liver, hormone-secreting glands, and brain depend on magnesium for their metabolic function.

Energy Production: Magnesium is one of the co-factors necessary for release of energy and ATP in body cells. Fatigue is hence one of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency. Most active parts of body including brain, heart, liver and kidney have highest concentration of magnesium and any deficiency of magnesium largely affects the functioning of the organs.

Nerve and Muscle Relaxation: Magnesium along with calcium regulates nervous and muscle system. In our nerve cells, calcium activates the nerve cells, while magnesium blocks calcium from activating nerve cell. Together in balance they are responsible for nervous system functioning. Magnesium blocks activation / over activation of nerve cells and keeps them and the target muscles relaxed. Magnesium deficiency can thus explain tension, soreness, spasms, cramps and fatigue of muscles.

Building blocks of body: DNA and RNA are the building blocks of our body and responsible for body growth. Studies show that DNA synthesis is slowed by insufficient supply of magnesium.

Pre-menstrual syndrome: Women suffering from abdominal cramps and pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) tend to have low levels of magnesium in blood. Studies show that magnesium supplements helps alleviate PMS-related mood changes and cramps, insomnia and breast tenderness.

Cardio vascular health: Magnesium is key to proper functioning of our circulatory system. The next time you feel your heart pounding as you sprint uphill on your bike, you know that magnesium is in there helping to make it all happen. Magnesium not only plays a critical role in sound functioning of heart and circulatory system, but also prevents and treats heart diseases including stroke, ischemic heart disease. Magnesium helps maintain a normal heart rhythm and is sometimes given intravenously (IV) to reduce the chance of atrial fibrillation and cardiac arrhythmia. Traditionally eating dairy products, lots of fruits and vegetables is associated with normal blood pressure. All of these foods are rich in magnesium, calcium and potassium. Some clinical studies show that people with high intake of dietary magnesium had low risk of high blood pressure.

Electrolyte balance in body cells: Human body cell is complex structure with various minerals and fluids acting in tandem. A fine balance of mineral and fluid, both within the cell and outside the cell is extremely important for its proper functioning. Magnesium plays a role in the healthy balance (“homeostasis”) of important minerals such as calcium, sodium and potassium and thus helps conduction of nerve impulses, muscle contraction, and heart rhythms.

Strength of Bone: More than half of magnesium in body is strored in body bones. Magnesium in our bones helps give them their physical structure. This magnesium is part of the bone scaffolding or bone crystal lattice together with phosphorus and calcium. Surface of bone also acts as storage site for magnesium which the body can draw upon in times of poor dietary supply.