Are you getting enough magnesium?

Magnesium is one of the important nutrients for the body, as it is found abundantly in various food sources, including plant and animal sources.

Magnesium must be obtained in the recommended quantities for each category, which are as follows:

Adult men: 400-420 milligrams per day.
Adult women: 310-320 milligrams, and more if pregnant and breastfeeding.
Although magnesium is available in many different foods and food sources, nutritional surveys have shown that there is a group of adults who do not get their need of it, as it was found that half of adults take less than their need for this mineral.

What is the importance of magnesium for the body?
Magnesium plays an important role in many cellular functions in the body. It helps maintain bone and muscle strength, in addition to its ability to regulate various nervous system functions, and other important functions.

Below, we will show you the most important health benefits that can be obtained when including foods rich in magnesium in your diet daily:

Maintaining bone health: Magnesium is often stored in the body’s bones, so obtaining it in sufficient quantities contributes greatly to maintaining bone health and improving their strength.
Regulating blood sugar levels: Based on some scientific studies, it has been found that people who do not obtain sufficient amounts of this mineral are more susceptible to developing type 2 diabetes.
Lowering blood pressure: Magnesium has an important role in regulating blood pressure levels, as not getting enough of it may expose you to high blood pressure in some cases.
Improvement in mental health: Magnesium helps regulate neural pathways in the brain, as some scientific evidence has found the importance of obtaining magnesium in reducing the risk of anxiety and depression.
Reducing the risk of migraines: Some studies indicate that taking magnesium supplements may help reduce the frequency and severity of migraine attacks.
Improving sleep quality: An imbalance in the levels of some minerals in the body, such as a severe deficiency in magnesium, can lead to suffering from muscle spasms and restlessness, which results in an inability to sleep, so it is important that you get enough magnesium to reduce this condition and obtain Adequate rest for sleep.
Regulating bowel movement: The main importance of taking magnesium supplements lies in treating cases of constipation, but it has been found that excessive use may result in diarrhea, so you must be careful when taking them.
What are the best sources of magnesium?
Fortunately, it is very easy for your body to get enough of this mineral on a daily basis, especially if you follow a healthy and balanced diet, as it is available in many different food sources. Here are the details:

1. The best plant sources of magnesium
There are many plant sources that may help you get enough of magnesium, such as eating nuts, seeds, and legumes, the most important of which are:

Pumpkin seeds: 156 milligrams in 28.3 grams of pumpkin seeds.
Chia seeds: 111 milligrams in 28.3 grams of chia seeds.
Almonds: 80 milligrams in 28.3 grams of almonds.
Cashews: 74 milligrams in 28.3 grams of cashews.
Black beans: 60 milligrams in half a cup of cooked black beans.
Peanut butter: 49 milligrams in two tablespoons of peanuts, which is approximately half a cup.
2. The best animal sources of magnesium
Animal sources of meat, fish, and dairy products in general do not contain high percentages of magnesium like plant sources, but some examples can be noted that may contain good percentages of it, for example:

Low-fat natural yogurt: 42 milligrams in 226.4 grams of yogurt.
Salmon: 26 milligrams in 85 grams of cooked salmon.
Chicken breasts: 22 milligrams in 85 grams of cooked chicken breast.
Lean ground beef: 20 milligrams in 85 grams of cooked beef.
What are the signs of magnesium deficiency in the body?
If you suffer from a chronic magnesium deficiency, you will show some signs indicating this, the most important of which are the following:

Tired.
Muscle weakness.
Vomiting and nausea.
Muscle spasms.
Heart rate disturbances.
Anorexia.
Feeling numb or tingling.
Severe magnesium deficiencies are relatively uncommon, but some people may be at greater risk of not getting enough magnesium, such as:

People with Crohn’s disease and celiac disease: These health conditions hinder the body’s absorption of magnesium and its proper processing.
People with type 2 diabetes: They are more likely to lose large amounts of magnesium through urine.
Addicts to alcoholic beverages.
the elderly.
If you are among the people who have a greater chance of developing magnesium deficiency, or if you have any of the previous symptoms of magnesium deficiency, we advise you to consult a specialist doctor, as he may recommend that you take magnesium supplements after confirming the validity of their benefits and possible side effects on you.

This content is sourced from:

UCLA Health

UCLA Health MENA

By WebTeb - Sunday, August 13, 2023
Last modified - Sunday 13 August 2023