Magnesium is an all-rounder mineral that plays a crucial role in everything from supporting our heart and brain functioning to maintaining our muscle and bone health. Despite its importance, statistics suggest that almost 50% of Americans aren't getting enough magnesium daily. This shortfall can lead to a host of health issues. From sleep disturbances to muscle cramps, this article discusses 11 warning signs of magnesium deficiency and how to ensure you get enough of this essential mineral.
Magnesium Deficiency: An Overview
Magnesium supports the function of over 300 enzymes that play a role in numerous body processes like liver detox and digestion, making this mineral essential for a healthy body.
Some key roles of magnesium include supporting muscle relaxation, energy production, bone health, nervous system functioning, and heart health.
Hence, a deficiency of this mineral can wreak havoc on the body.
Causes And Risk Factors
Magnesium deficiency occurs in the following situations:
- Too little magnesium is being consumed
- Too much magnesium is being excreted
- Magnesium consumed is not being utilized by the body well
Let’s discuss the causes and risk factors of each
Too little magnesium is being consumed
- A diet that doesn’t contain enough food sources of magnesium
- Alcohol use disorder
- Gastric conditions like celiac disease, Crohn’s, and inflammatory bowel disease that lead to malabsorption
- Certain medications that interfere with the absorption of magnesium
- Health conditions that lead to nutrient consumption only through an IV
Too much magnesium is being excreted
- Diarrhea
- Untreated diabetes (excess loss through urine)
- Certain drugs
- Diuretics
- Antibiotics like gentamicin, tobramycin, streptomycin
- Chemotherapy drugs
Magnesium consumed is not being utilized by the body well
Once magnesium enters the body, it must be taken to all the correct places, and enough of it should be reabsorbed in the kidneys during excretion.
Certain genes influence this process:
- The TRPM6 gene produces a protein that forms channels for magnesium to flow into cells. When the body needs magnesium, the protein opens up these channels in the intestine.
- Similar to the TRPM6 gene, the CASR gene ensures optimal magnesium levels by influencing its reabsorption in the kidneys.
People with variations in these genes may be at a higher risk of magnesium deficiency due to poor regulation in the body.
Hand-picked Article For You: How Genes Influence Magnesium Requirements
What Depletes Magnesium In The Body?
Inadequate magnesium in the diet, certain health conditions and medications, excess excretion, and variations in genes that regulate magnesium levels can all deplete magnesium in the body.
What Blocks Magnesium Absorption?
- Phytic acid binds to magnesium and hinders its reabsorption. It is found in foods like nuts, seeds, legumes, oats, and cereals.
- Foods with insoluble fiber, such as whole grains, bran, and seeds, also partially block magnesium absorption.
- Additional dietary components such as oxalate, phosphate, proteins, potassium, and zinc may also impact magnesium absorption.
It is important to note that phytic acid and insoluble fiber have numerous health benefits and should be part of your daily diet.
Overconsumption should be avoided to prevent the blocking of magnesium absorption.
11 Warning Signs Of Magnesium Deficiency
1. Muscle Pain, Cramps, And Twitches
Cramping and twitching of muscles is often a sign of magnesium deficiency.
Studies indicate that this could result from an imbalance between calcium and magnesium levels, resulting in excess flow of calcium into nerve cells.
This can overstimulate them, causing them to twitch and cramp.
2. Tiredness And Fatigue
Fatigue describes both physical and mental exhaustion.
Magnesium is crucial for energy production as it is involved in ATP (energy molecule) synthesis.
Thus, its deficiency can bring energy levels down.
Further, magnesium also impacts potassium levels, which is associated with muscle fatigue.
3. High Blood Pressure
Magnesium is involved in muscle relaxation, which includes the inner walls of blood vessels.
When the body doesn’t have enough magnesium, the blood vessels may not relax well.
This can cause high blood pressure, increasing the workload on the heart.
Research suggests that magnesium supplements can, in fact, help lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
4. Osteoporosis/Frequent Fractures
The favorite nutrient for our bones is calcium and calcium cannot get its work done without magnesium.
Magnesium also helps convert vitamin D to its active form, which is required for calcium absorption.
If deficient in magnesium, it can result in lower levels of calcium, making the bones brittle and weak, thereby increasing the risk of osteoporosis.
5. Mental Health Conditions
Magnesium helps the nervous system relax by regulating the activity of key brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) like serotonin and GABA.
Magnesium deficiency could disrupt the neurotransmitter balance, causing mood swings and irritability and increasing the risk of various conditions like anxiety and depression.
6. Irregular Heart Beats
A severe magnesium deficiency may result in irregular heartbeats or heart arrhythmia.
Magnesium plays a role in muscle contraction - even the heart muscles. Further, the heart rhythm is maintained by important electrolytes like sodium and potassium.
Hence, optimal levels of magnesium is crucial to lower the risk of arrhythmias.
7. Asthma
Magnesium deficiency can increase asthma risk by constricting the airways in the lungs (due to calcium buildup).
A type of magnesium supplement is used in asthma treatment as it helps relax the lung muscles, allowing free air flow.
8. Insomnia/Sleep Disorders
Melatonin is a hormone that promotes sleepiness.
Magnesium appears to affect melatonin levels, which, in turn, can affect sleep.
Further, magnesium also directly affects sleep through unknown pathways.
Studies suggest that taking magnesium along with melatonin supplements can enhance its sleep-promoting effects.
9. Loss Of Appetite
Magnesium’s role extends to the digestive system as well. It plays a key role in aiding digestion and regulating appetite.
Lower levels of this enzyme can result in inadequate production of digestive enzymes, leading to nausea and loss of appetite.
10. Numbness And Tingling
Calcium is required for signaling in the nerve cells - how they send and receive messages.
Adequate magnesium levels are necessary for calcium to function properly.
When there’s magnesium deficiency, it may cause abnormal nerve function, leading to numbness and tingling, commonly experienced as “pins and needles” sensation.
11. Imbalance In Blood Sugar Levels
Magnesium deficiency is common in people with type 2 diabetes.
This is because magnesium increases the sensitivity of fat cells to insulin thereby promoting glucose uptake and reducing blood sugar levels.
Identify your genetic risk factors for magnesium deficiency with a nutrition genetic test
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What Is The Daily Required Intake Of Magnesium?
| Age range | Males (in mg) | Females (in mg) | Pregnancy (in mg) | Lactation (in mg) |
| Birth - 6 months | 30 | 30 | ||
| 7-12 months | 75 | 75 | ||
| 1 - 3 years | 80 | 80 | ||
| 4 - 8 years | 130 | 130 | ||
| 9 - 13 years | 240 | 240 | ||
| 14 - 18 years | 410 | 360 | 400 | 360 |
| 19 - 30 years | 400 | 310 | 350 | 310 |
| 31 - 50 years | 420 | 320 | 360 | 320 |
| > 50 years | 420 | 320 |
Source: ResearchGate
How To Overcome Magnesium Deficiency?
It is important to consult a doctor if you identify signs of magnesium deficiency.
Consuming a diet rich in magnesium or taking supplements (prescribed by a doctor) can help overcome mahogany deficiency.
Further, lifestyle tweaks like cutting down on alcohol, consuming less caffeine, and stress management can also help boost magnesium levels.
Top Food Sources Of Magnesium
- Nuts and seeds: top sources - pumpkin and chia seeds, almonds and cashews
- Avocados
- Leafy greens: top sources - kale, spinach, and collard greens
- Peanuts
- Black beans and kidney beans
- Dark chocolate
- Plain or vanilla soy milk
- Salmon
How Do You Get 100% Of Magnesium Daily?
By incorporating magnesium-rich foods throughout your day, you can meet 100% of your magnesium requirements.
Here’s a way you can do that:
- Breakfast: Avocado toast with whole-grain bread
- Lunch: Kale and quinoa salad with black beans and crunchy peanut topping (you can choose to have this for dinner, too)
- Dinner: Baked salmon
- Morning snack: Almonds and seeds
- Evening snack: Dark chocolate and cashew
How Long Does It Take To Recover From Magnesium Deficiency?
Magnesium supplements can take a week to start showing results, and it can take around 4 weeks for magnesium levels to come back to normal.
In certain cases of chronic magnesium deficiency, it may take up to 40 weeks.
Summary: 11 Warning Signs Of Magnesium Deficiency
- Magnesium is crucial for heart, brain, muscle, and bone health, yet nearly 50% of Americans don't get enough daily, leading to various health issues.
- Deficiency can result from insufficient intake, excessive excretion, or poor utilization due to genetic factors or health conditions.
- Magnesium supports over 300 enzymes in processes like liver detox and digestion.
- Common symptoms of deficiency include muscle cramps, fatigue, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, mental health issues, irregular heartbeats, asthma, sleep disorders, loss of appetite, numbness, and blood sugar imbalances.
- The required daily intake of magnesium varies by age and gender, ranging from 30 mg for infants to 420 mg for adult males.
- Addressing deficiency involves consulting a doctor, consuming magnesium-rich foods, and possibly taking supplements. Lifestyle changes like reducing alcohol and caffeine intake and managing stress can also help.
- Rich sources of magnesium include nuts, seeds, avocados, leafy greens, beans, dark chocolate, soy milk, and salmon.
References
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/magnesium-deficiency-symptoms
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322191
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional
https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/trpm6
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/846
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/magnesium-deficiency-symptoms
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10506126
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8108907
