You have heard that you need adequate magnesium. However, have you been wondering why? Magnesium is good for what? Keep reading and find out, including a delicious recipe.
Magnesium (Mg) is WAY MORE important than most people realize.
- As many as 80% of children and adults are eating less than the recommended amount.
Magnesium is Good for What?
- It is a mineral that is responsible for numerous bodily processes.
- This mineral is the fourth most abundant mineral in our bodies.
- Magnesium is essential for carrying out over 300 reactions within the body.
- Magnesium deficiency can lead to potassium deficiency, an important mineral for healthy heart and fluid balance.
Building block for RNA and DNA synthesis.
- RNA and DNA are the building blocks of life and are important for healthy genes.
- Not enough Magnesium in your diet can lead to increased risk of genetic damage (mutations) in the adult as well as in the unborn.
- This can lead to increased risk of cancer and other diseases, as well as increased risk of birth defects.
Proper transportation of certain nutrients in the body
- This mineral is needed for transport of calcium, silica, vitamin D, vitamin K, and mg.
- So, even if your diet is sufficient in these other nutrients, they won't get to their destination without magnesium.
- This means the bus that takes your kids to school will breakdown on the way if there is not enough magnesium to help run the bus.
Muscle Contraction
- This mineral is important to proper muscle and nerve function.
- Therefore, insufficient magnesium can lead to muscle weakness, fatigue and cramping of the legs
Prevention of Excess Blood Clots
- Magnesium is important to maintain calcium balance in the blood.
- Too little Magnesium can lead to excess calcium in the blood. This could lead to life-threatening blood clots in the lungs.
Strong Bones
- Magnesium is just as important as calcium for strong bones.
- When too little is in the diet, the body will leach out magnesium from the bones in an attempt to function.
- Insufficient magnesium leads to weak bones.
Creating Energy in the Body
Acts as a Precursor to Serotonin
- Serotonin is a neurotransmitter important for many things including mood regulation.
Prevention of Depression
- Proper neurotransmitter function helps prevent depression in susceptible people.
- Necessary to help ensure neurotransmitters are working correctly.
Important for Digestion of Food
- Magnesium is important for the digestion of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in the diet.
Detoxification
- Important mineral in helping the body to rid itself of toxic substances taken into the body.
What are the signs of low magnesium in the body?
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and/or Vomiting
- Fatigue and weakness
- Numbness and/or Tingling
- Muscle contractions and cramps
- Personality changes
- Abnormal heart rhythms
- High blood pressure
- Blood clots
- Headaches
Many more conditions are being treated with magnesium therapy. Here are couple well-written and researched article by trusted sources:
WebMD.com
National Institutes of Health
I just ordered the below package of dark chocolate almonds tonight from Amazon.com because I love almonds and dark chocolate. Plus, each serving of these almonds has a whopping 66 mg of magnesium! That is 15% of the US Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for an adult. And it is a really good deal!
These are a new product, and are most likely going to be in the grocery stores soon. They may already be there, in fact.
For further reading, here are my most popular posts:
Why a Zinc Deficiency Can Lead to Pickiness
You helped my husband he was deficient in his magnesium
That’s awesome! How did you find out he was low?