Know your magnesium
You’ve probably heard of magnesium supplements before, but have you ever wondered why you need it in the first place?
What is magnesium?
Recalling your chemistry lesson, you would have pointed out that magnesium is an element with an atomic number of 12 on the periodic table. Clueless about your high school chemistry? Fret not. Just know that magnesium is also an essential nutrient required by the human body.
Magnesium is important for a healthy body as it plays a crucial role in many biological processes in the body, including regulating muscle and nerve function, ensuring heart health, regulates blood sugar levels, and blood pressure as well as aid in the production of protein, bone, and DNA. It is not even exaggerating to say that without magnesium you won’t exist.
Am I getting enough magnesium?
The recommended amount of magnesium may vary depending on the age, biological sex and pregnancy status of the person. Here is the lists of recommended magnesium amount recommended by MyHEALTH MoH:
Magnesium can be obtained from food and nutrition supplements. Some medications such as those for an upset stomach (i.e. gastric medications) may contain high levels of magnesium too.
What are the symptoms of magnesium deficiency?
-
Muscle twitches and cramps
-
Loss of appetite
-
Nausea and vomiting
-
Fatigue
-
Muscle weakness
-
Muscle spasms
-
Shaking
-
Pins and needles
-
Hyperexcitability (extremely or excessively excitable)
-
Irregular heartbeat
Who is more likely to experience magnesium deficiency?
-
People with gastrointestinal diseases (such as Crohn’s disease and celiac disease): Due to the abnormal gastrointestinal system, the absorption of magnesium is disrupted. If such individuals underwent surgery to remove their bowels, magnesium will be absorbed way lesser by the body.
-
People with type 2 diabetes. Individuals with insulin resistance (pre-diabetes) and diabetes may lose more magnesium in their urine compared to normal individuals.
-
People with long-term alcohol dependence. It is highly common to observe magnesium deficiency in people struggling with alcoholism due to their poorer nutritional status, gastrointestinal issues, fatty stools, inflammation of pancreas, poor kidney function, excess magnesium excretion excreted in the urine and liver diseases.
-
Elderly. Older people generally have lower levels of magnesium than young people. This is because as we age, magnesium absorption from the gut decreases and magnesium excretion from the kidney increases with age.
Diet rich in magnesium
The following foods are rich in magnesium:
-
Whole grains
-
Dark-green, leafy vegetables
-
Low-fat milk and yogurt
-
Protein such as seafood, lean meats, poultry and eggs
-
Legumes (beans and peas)
-
Nuts, seeds and soy products
Nonetheless, watch out for saturated and trans fats, added sugars and sodium. Keep your daily caloric intake in check.
Potential health benefits of magnesium supplementations
Not sure if you should buy any magnesium supplements for yourself and your loved ones? Scientists have identified some potential health benefits of magnesium supplementations. Although the following scientific evidence is not concrete to say the least, the general consensus is: there ’s is no harm giving magnesium supplements a go if you happen to suffer from one of the following health conditions and can afford a nutrition supplement. However, do not expect them to behave like a magic bullet; you still need to adhere to the medication treatment prescribed by your doctor for the best outcome.
-
High blood pressure and heart diseases
A meta-analysis of 12 clinical trials found that magnesium supplementation for 8–26 weeks in 545 participants with high blood pressure resulted in only a small reduction (2.2 mmHg) in diastolic blood pressure. Not a huge improvement for someone to stop their high blood pressure medication. Nevertheless, experts recommended people with high blood pressure to adopt a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, in which the diet also contains high levels level of magnesium fruits and vegetables, among other essential nutrients.
-
Type 2 diabetes
Diets with higher amounts of magnesium are associated with a significantly lower risk of diabetes, possibly because of the important role of magnesium in blood sugar metabolism. Low level of magnesium might worsen insulin resistance, a condition that often precedes diabetes, or it might be a consequence of insulin resistance, as mentioned previously. Diabetes can further lead to increased urinary losses of magnesium, and the subsequent magnesium inadequacy might worsen diabetes control. While the importance of magnesium in blood sugar metabolism is clear, there is yet concrete scientific evidence to suggest that diabetes patients must take magnesium supplements.
-
Osteoporosis
Magnesium is important for healthy bones. People with higher intakes of magnesium have a higher bone mineral density, which is important in reducing the risk of bone fractures and osteoporosis, especially among postmenopausal and elderly women.
-
Migraine
People who have migraine headaches sometimes have low levels of magnesium in their blood and other tissues. Several small studies found that magnesium supplements can modestly reduce the frequency of migraines. However, if you are someone with migraine and wishes to relieve the pain with magnesium supplements, you should see a healthcare provider for that matter, as the amount of magnesium required for migraine prevention may be different.
Medically reviewed by Ashwini Nair, MB BCh BAO.
DOC2US COVID-19 Services: Free COVID-19 Virtual Health Chat | COVID-19 Home Care Plan
References:
1. Office of Dietary Supplements - Magnesium. Accessed June 12, 2022. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
2. Magnesium Fact Sheet for Consumers. Accessed June 12, 2022. https://ods.od.nih.gov/pdf/factsheets/Magnesium-Consumer.pdf
3. MyHEALTH Portal - Ministry of Health Malaysia. Accessed June 29, 2022.
http://www.myhealth.gov.my/en/minerals/
4. Health direct. Accessed June 29, 2022.
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/magnesium-deficiency
