Importance Of Magnesium In Life

Magnesium is an essential mineral required by our body for maintaining the overall health. It is one of those essential minerals that help in calcium absorption by the human body and plays an important role in the formation and strengthening of teeth and bones.

  • The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adults 19-51+ years is 400-420 mg daily for men

  • The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for women is 310-320 mg.

  • Pregnancy requires about 350-360 mg daily and lactation, 310-320 mg

Food rich in magnesium

Following are the food items rich in magnesium

  • Whole grains like Wheat bran and oats are rich in magnesium.

  • Nuts like Almonds, cashew nuts, pistachios, peanuts, and walnuts are loaded with magnesium.

  • Vegetable seeds.

  • Potatoes and leafy vegetables.

  • Fruits.

  • Rock salt and sea salt.

  • Ragi.

  • Coconut.

Benefits of magnesium

Relieves Constipation

  • Magnesium provides quick relief from constipation, and a high dose of its water-soluble supplements is known to bring relief to even the most severely constipated state.

  • The laxative property of this vitamin relaxes the intestinal muscles, thereby helping to establish a smoother rhythm while passing bowels.

  • It also has another property of absorbing water, which, in turn, softens the stool and helps it to pass easily.

Prevents Eclamptic Seizures

  • Magnesium is one of the vital elements to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

  • Proper intake of its supplements during pregnancy is extremely beneficial for reducing the risk of osteoporosis and increasing the pain tolerance level, resulting in a smooth delivery and an optimization of blood pressure.

  • Magnesium sulfate is the best treatment for preventing eclamptic seizures in expecting mothers who may have hypertension.

Treats Psychiatric Disorders

Magnesium is known to treat some of the psychiatric dysfunctions such as panic attacks, stress, anxiety, and undue agitation.

Prevents Asthma

Patients that suffer from chronic asthma may be able to normalize their breathing with the help of magnesium supplements that aid in relaxing the bronchial muscles and regulating breathing. Even wheezing and breathlessness can be relieved through the intravenous administration of this mineral.

Boosts Energy

Magnesium helps boost energy production in the body and it promotes the activation of enzymes to create cellular energy.

Keeps Bones Healthy

  • Magnesium is directly related to bone density, and subsequently, an inadequacy of this mineral in the body can be a cause of osteoporosis.

  • It helps in the regulation of calcium levels in the body, along with vitamin D, copper, and zinc.

  • It, along with calcium and vitamin D, should be taken throughout the developmental years and adulthood, since it lowers the chances of developing osteoporosis when you get older.

Relieves Cramps

  • Magnesium helps treat severe backaches by relaxing back muscles, kidney stress, and muscular tension.

  • As mentioned earlier, it also helps in the body’s absorption of calcium, which may lead to faster healing of the bones.

  • Cramps in the legs and general fatigue are traditional symptoms of its deficiency. Therefore, proper intake of its supplements acts as a cure for chronic leg cramp problems.

Controls Diabetes

  • Magnesium helps regulate the insulin reaction to blood sugar levels.

  • Its supplements are vital for people with diabetes as many of them suffer from its deficiency.

  • It aids in regulating blood sugar, thus promoting normal blood pressure.

  • Hypertension is one of the major reasons for an impending heart attack, and it has been found that many people with high blood pressure also have a magnesium deficiency.

Relieves Migraines

Migraine attacks badly affect many people, especially females. Magnesium supplements and liquids considerably reduce the severity of such attacks and also help in reducing the rate of their recurrence.

Symptoms of magnesium deficiency

  • The deficiency symptoms of magnesium include pain in the neck and back, anxiety, fatigue, migraine attacks, muscle weakness and spasms, loss of appetite, vomiting, nausea, insomnia, abnormal heart rhythms, diarrhea, muscle twitching, and Raynaud’s spastic vessels.

  • When you are under stress, your body tends to quickly deplete its stores of magnesium.

  • One very common symptom of its deficiency is chocolate cravings since chocolate is rich in this essential mineral.

  • Its deficiency can be a major cause of diabetes, depression, and menopausal symptoms.

Side effects of excess intake of magnesium

  • The side effects of magnesium are very rare, but it is important to cover them.

  • Excess intake often leads to diarrhea, because it has a laxative quality.

  • However, if you take it in the form of nutritional supplements, there are fewer chances of such side effects.

  • People with kidney disease or bleeding disorders should avoid taking magnesium supplements without consulting a doctor.

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