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What are the benefits of magnesium?

Overview

Magnesium is an important nutrient that is necessary for the body's regular bone structure.

People acquire it from their diet, but magnesium supplements may be required to fulfil the body's needs if quantities are extremely low. Diseases like osteoporosis, high blood pressure, blocked arteries, hereditary heart disease, diabetes, and stroke have all been related to magnesium deficiency.

Over 300 enzyme processes in the human body involve magnesium, which makes it a vital element for your body.

A normal adult's body has about 25 grammes of magnesium, of which the human skeleton stores 50–60%. Muscles, soft tissues, and body fluids contain the remaining 50-40% magnesium.

Any food that is high in fibre contains a greater amount of magnesium.

Magnesium is essential for the formation of protein, DNA and the creation of metabolic energy.

Magnesium shortage is more common in some populations, such as older adults, those with type 2 diabetes, persons with digestive disorders that impair absorption, and people who have been dependent on alcohol for a long time. Numerous drugs, such as certain antibiotics and diuretics, may interfere with magnesium supplements or have an effect on the body's magnesium levels.

Magnesium-rich foods

The good news is that many delectable options are available to help you fulfil your daily requirements and avoid magnesium insufficiency. Women should take between 310 and 320 mg of magnesium daily. For men, it ranges from 400 to 420 mg per day.

The following foods are the best food sources of magnesium.

1. Whole grains

Wheat bran is a good source of dietary fibre and is also high in minerals, including magnesium, manganese, selenium, and phosphorus. It has a reasonable quantity of protein per meal and is low in both calories and fat. Magnesium in one ounce of wheat bran is around 171 milligrams.

As a prebiotic, wheat bran promotes the health of your digestive system. Prebiotics are not broken down by the human body, therefore they pass through the digestive system undigested.

It comes in the form of powder or little particles. Bran is best consumed by including it in regular dishes such as yoghurt parfait, hot or cold breakfast, sandwiches, soups, casseroles, and smoothies.

2. Amaranth

According to some estimates, this gluten-free grain was developed between 6,000 and 8,000 years ago and was a significant food crop for the Aztecs. Because of its nutrition and health advantages, it's regaining popularity. The amount of magnesium in one cup of cooked amaranth grain is roughly 160 milligrams.

Protein, fibre, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron are all abundant in amaranth. For instance, one cup of cooked grain contains nine grams of protein.

Lysine, an amino acid that is present in lesser amounts in other grains, is notably abundant in amaranth grains. Lysine is necessary for healthy growth and, according to a study, is crucial for the creation of carnitine, a nutrient that converts fatty acids into energy and lowers cholesterol.

3. Cooked Spinach

Although spinach is a highly rich source of many vital nutrients when it is raw, it becomes even more so when it is cooked. 160 mg of magnesium is present in one cup of cooked spinach.

A number of additional nutrients are also present in higher concentrations in the cooked spinach nutrition profile.

According to studies, foods like spinach may have anti-ageing benefits. In fact, studies suggest that spinach can both prevent age-related disorders of the brain and even repair any damage already done after a stroke to the cerebral cortex.

The majority of foods including, Thai, Indian, and Italian fare taste well with spinach and Swiss chard.

4. Dried Sunflower seeds

The edible seeds of the sunflower plant are another good source of magnesium. One cup of dried seeds of sunflower consists of 150 milligrams of magnesium. It has been demonstrated that eating seeds, such as sunflower seeds, can help reduce blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which are the two main risk factors for heart disease.

5. Almonds

Almonds are loved all over the world and utilized in a variety of products, including almond milk, almond butter, almond flour, and various body lotions, oils, and scents. They can also be eaten directly as a nutritious meal.

They contain a lot of magnesium. Magnesium is present in almonds in the amount of 57 mg per ounce. Due to the monounsaturated fatty acids, dietary fibre, and antioxidants that are found in almonds, their nutritional value is well-regarded in the medical community.

Almonds are a good source of vitamin E and other antioxidants that hydrate the body and delay the onset of wrinkles.

According to research, the antioxidants catechin, epicatechin, and flavonol are present in significant amounts in almond food. These substances prevent skin cancer and damage to the skin caused by poor diet and UV radiation.

6. Dark chocolate

Not just any kind of chocolate is being discussed here, but rather dark chocolate that contains between 70% and 85% cocoa powder. It has a magnesium content of 63.8 mg per ounce.

Even while chocolate can be a wonderful addition to a balanced diet, it's vital to remember that each serving contains a lot of calories from dark chocolate.

7. Fish

Mackerel is a favourite among fish eaters due to its adaptability, flavour, and extraordinary nutritional profile, and it is offered both pure and in cans. The amount of magnesium in a cooked three-ounce meal of Atlantic mackerel is about 82.5 mg.

Another significant benefit of mackerel fish is that it lowers blood pressure and promotes heart health.

Benefits of Magnesium supplements

A persistent latent nutritional deficiency that is necessary for hundreds of basic biochemical and physiological processes typically leads to metabolic abnormalities and subsequent clinical symptoms.

This article will explore many clinical conditions caused by the resultant metabolic disturbance of magnesium shortage.

1. Bone health

In order for vitamin D to be converted into its active form, magnesium is necessary. This method facilitates calcium absorption, metabolism, and appropriate parathyroid hormone action. The absorption of calcium and magnesium may then increase by up to 300% if vitamin D levels are sufficient.

Vitamin D and Calcium both are required for the normal growth of muscle and nerve function. They increase the density of bone and prevent bone loss. In fact, postmenopausal women and young adult men have exhibited reduced bone turnover when given oral Mg supplements. However, abnormally high Mg levels and low Mg levels both seem to be bad for bone health.

2. Prevent Premature Birth

As Mg insufficiency is a frequent occurrence during pregnancy, the effects of gestational deficit are starting to be noticed. According to preliminary research, Mg shortage affects both pregnancy results and the long-term health of the baby.

For instance, oral magnesium citrate administered prior to the 25th week of gestation was associated with a decreased frequency of pregnancy complications and babies with low birth weight.

3. Prevent Diabetic Complications

People who have low levels of magnesium are suffered from metabolic diseases. An adequate intake of Mg in the diet may help avoid metabolic syndrome.

Hypomagnesia is the most often found electrolyte problem in diabetic individuals, and Mg intake is negatively correlated with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes. Another study discovered that type 1 diabetics' neuropathy outcomes are enhanced by long-term Mg supplementation.

4. Prevent cardiovascular disease

A lack of magnesium may alter multiple different pathophysiological processes that lead to the formation of arteriosclerosis. Low Mg is associated with arterial calcification, connective tissue buildup in the artery wall, serum lipid interchange between the vascular system and blood, elevated triglycerides, oxalate buildup in the blood vessels, and decreased HDL cholesterol transport. It has been demonstrated that oral Mg supplementation in older diabetes individuals enhances endothelium and vascular function.

Patients who consumed more magnesium had a lower chance of sudden cardiac death. Oral magnesium improves vascular permeability, works as a natural calcium channel blocker, raises nitric oxide, and causes both direct and indirect vasodilation.

There is proof that an Mg shortage can result in antihypertensive drug resistance.

Mg supplementation for at least a year has been demonstrated to improve symptoms or cause a full remission of symptoms in patients with mitral valve prolapse.

5. Prevent Kidney diseases

Dialysis can cause hypomagnesemia, and phosphate binders can help raise Mg levels, which are crucial to preventing vascular calcification, reducing inflammation, and lowering mortality.

Mg supplementation may improve endothelial dysfunction and gastrointestinal phosphate uptake in chronic renal disease. In patients on haemodialysis, low Mg levels could also be a risk factor for heart death.

6. Prevent Stress and anxiety

Stress can raise the risk of heart disease, the narrowing or blockage of coronary or cerebral arteries, irregular heartbeats, and eventual death when there is a Mg deficit. Adrenaline release in autonomic dysfunction may also be decreased by magnesium infusion.

Stress raises the requirement for magnesium, whether it be physical stress, emotional stress, or dyspnoea such as in asthma.

7. Beneficial for various Neurological conditions

Children with ADHD frequently have magnesium deficiencies, and supplementation has significantly improved attention and hyperactivity indices in these kids. Mg-deficient diets may also be linked to increased levels of fatigue in MS patients, and Mg supplementation may be an effective adjuvant for enhancing memory in dementia patients.

While overall serum magnesium levels have no correlation with cognitive performance, blood-ionized magnesium intake does.

Mg supplementation is being researched as an adjuvant therapy for several mental health diseases because research findings indicate that many psychopathological states, including schizophrenia, may be connected to metabolic abnormalities affecting Mg

8. Improve Skin Hydration

It has been demonstrated that children with allergic diseases had low blood Mg and cell zinc levels. Mg salts are also known to improve skin hydration, epidermal absorption, and barrier maintenance as well as to promote epidermal proliferation and differentiation, which lowers inflammatory response.

In a double-blind controlled experiment, a cream containing Mg and ceramides was found to be more effective than hydrocortisone creams at treating mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis. Mg may therefore be useful for treating a variety of skin problems.

9. Improve sleep in old-age people

According to estimates, 50% of older persons experience sleeplessness. Magnesium supplement naturally inhibits NMDA receptors and stimulates GABA receptors, two physiological processes that relax the body and promote sleep.

The severity index for insomnia, sleep duration, poor sleep, sleep onset delay, plasma cortisol content, blood renin, and serotonin have all been shown to significantly improve with 500 mg of magnesium supplementation.

Other benefits of magnesium

1. Prevent Migraine attacks

2. Help in Energy production

3. Prevent subjective anxiety

If you want to check your magnesium level, here we are providing the magnesium blood test at an affordable rate.