The role of magnesium

 

As a vital constituent of tens of trillion cell membranes in the human body, think of magnesium as the obliging doorman allowing many minerals right of entry – mainly calcium and potassium. Magnesium’s demanding role is required by over 300 enzymes for activation by the body, so it’s easy to see how we may become deficient.

Magnesium is the number one mineral we burn in truck loads whilst under stress and is not easily obtained from our daily diet. While calcium is necessary for muscle contraction, magnesium is necessary for muscle relaxation – often why you find them together in supplements. Magnesium phosphate is vital for the activation of most vitamins.

Factors that deplete magnesium are often symptoms that indicate low levels in the body; stress, digestive, hormonal, cardiovascular issues, poor sleep. Highly refined foods force levels to become depleted in the body; high intake of caffeine, alcohol, energy and fizzy drinks, sugar and certain medications (especially diuretics.)

Common symptoms of deficiency are anxiety, asthma, insomnia (can’t quieten the mind, can’t get back to sleep once woken), depression, irritability, confusion, disorientation, clumsiness, sensitivity to loud noise (easily startled), jaw clenching/teeth grinding, tension headaches, twitching eye lids, muscle spasms/cramps, restless legs, premenstrual tension/cramps, flatulence and colic, feeling of a tight band around stomach (must loosen clothing), hiccoughs, the list goes on.

The adult RDI for magnesium is 300-500mg daily, poor gut health and some medications impede absorption.

Since magnesium is an essential structural element of chlorophyll (the green pigment in plants), green leafy vegetables, nuts and legumes are the main contributors. Magnesium is also found in higher concentration in the following foods; Rice bran, NZ seaweeds, coriander, chives, mint, raw seeds and nuts, good quality cocoa powder (providing no allergy), fish, oats (providing no grain allergy) to name a few.

n Jan van der Lee is a Clinical Nutritionist based at Waipu Natural Health, 3 Cove Road, Waipu, 094321325, waipunaturalhealth.co.nz