The Devastating Health Impact of This Nutrient Deficiency
(AscendHealthy.com) – Getting enough vitamins and minerals matters for good health. Many people focus on things like vitamins C and D, B vitamins, and iron. But what about magnesium? Not getting enough of this nutrient could have serious, negative effects on your body.
How Much Magnesium is Needed?
To make sure a person is getting enough magnesium, they first need to know how much is “enough.” Age and gender both play a role in magnesium recommendations. Healthy women should take 310-320 mg of magnesium a day, while healthy men should take 400 to 420 mg a day. Pregnant women should consume more. Children require less. Be sure to check with a healthcare provider on dosing information.
What Does Magnesium Do In the Body?
In the human body, magnesium is responsible for regulating nerve and muscle function. It also regulates blood sugar and blood pressure levels and helps make DNA, bone, and protein. Without enough magnesium, these processes don’t work as well as they should. That could lead to bone loss, DNA mutations, and fluctuations in blood pressure and blood sugar, as well as muscle and nerve problems.
What Foods Provide Magnesium?
One of the easiest ways to get enough magnesium is to eat magnesium-rich foods. These include nuts, seeds, and legumes, as well as green leafy vegetables and whole grains. Also, consider adding milk and yogurt and look for magnesium-fortified foods, such as breakfast cereals.
What Problems Can Low Magnesium Cause?
People who are low in magnesium for a short time don’t generally see any health effects, but chronically low magnesium has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, and other serious health conditions, such as migraines and osteoporosis. The kidneys hold onto as much magnesium as possible when the body is running low on it, but eventually, their stores become depleted. At that point, the person experiences magnesium deficiency.
For those who have this deficiency, symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, weakness, and fatigue. Extremely low magnesium levels can also lead to muscle cramps, numbness, tingling, seizures, personality changes, and abnormal heart rhythms.
Who is Most at Risk for Low Magnesium?
The highest risk groups for magnesium deficiency are people who have type 2 diabetes, who struggle with long-term alcoholism, or who have gastrointestinal conditions, such as celiac disease or Crohn’s disease. Magnesium supplementation may be necessary for people who fall into these groups.
Like many other nutrients, magnesium levels can be checked with blood tests. Those who are low in this nutrient can adjust their diet or take supplements on the advice of their health care professional. It’s possible to get too much magnesium, as well, but that generally comes from excess supplementation. For most people, there’s no risk to a diet of healthy, magnesium-rich foods. As always, be sure to check with a healthcare provider before making any significant changes to your diet or before starting a new supplement.
~Here’s to Your Healthy Ascension
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