To prevent muscle issues and other health concerns, it’s essential to ensure an adequate daily intake of magnesium. Here are five signs that indicate your body may require more magnesium:
Just like other essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, magnesium is crucial for your body’s well-being. It plays a vital role in maintaining the health of your muscles and heart. Adequate magnesium intake has been linked to a reduced risk of conditions such as atherosclerosis (fatty buildup in arteries) and hypertension (high blood pressure).
Did you know that magnesium is necessary for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body? With its numerous benefits, it’s important to recognize the signs indicating when your body may require more magnesium.
Here are five signs that suggest your body needs more magnesium:
Spasms and muscle contractions
As you’re aware, magnesium plays a vital role in maintaining muscle health. However, increased occurrences of twitches, tremors, and muscle cramps can signal magnesium deficiency. In severe cases, magnesium deficiency can even lead to seizures or convulsions. It’s important to note that muscle twitches may also stem from other factors such as stress or excessive caffeine consumption.
Elevated blood pressure
Several studies indicate that low levels of magnesium or inadequate dietary intake may contribute to elevated blood pressure. High blood pressure directly impacts heart health. Therefore, consuming magnesium may help reduce blood pressure, particularly in older individuals with hypertension.
Asthma
In some cases, individuals with asthma exhibit magnesium deficiency in their bodies, with lower magnesium levels compared to healthy individuals. Research suggests that magnesium deficiency can lead to the accumulation of calcium in the muscles lining the airways of the lungs, thereby affecting airway function and making breathing more challenging.
Irregular heartbeat
Heart arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, is one of the most significant symptoms of magnesium deficiency. In many cases, arrhythmia symptoms are mild or asymptomatic. However, some individuals may experience heart palpitations, characterized by pauses between heartbeats. Symptoms such as lightheadedness, shortness of breath, chest pain, or fainting are possible indicators of arrhythmia. In severe instances, arrhythmia can elevate the risk of heart failure or stroke.
Mental illness
Another health issue associated with magnesium deficiency is mental illness. Apathy, characterized by a lack of emotion, delirium, and coma can result from inadequate magnesium levels. Additionally, low magnesium levels are linked to an increased risk of depression.
Foods abundant in magnesium
Dark chocolate, tofu, almonds, cashews, peanuts, quinoa, whole wheat, spinach, black beans, edamame, avocado, and cultured yogurt are all rich sources of magnesium. According to the National Institutes of Health, the recommended daily intake of magnesium varies based on age and gender:
- Children 1-3 years: 80 mg
- Children 4-8 years: 130 mg
- Children 9-13 years: 240 mg
- Teenagers 14-18 years: Boys – 410 mg, Girls – 360 mg
- Adults 19-30 years: Men – 400 mg, Women – 310 mg
- Adults 31+ years: Men – 420 mg, Women – 320 mg