Five signs of magnesium deficiency!
Without magnesium, our body cannot function properly. That’s why it’s important to recognize signs in time that we’re deficient in magnesium.
Without magnesium, our body cannot function properly. That’s why it’s important to recognize signs in time that we’re deficient in magnesium.
Magnesium is a mineral and an important nutrient that our body needs to function. It is responsible for helping in more than 300 processes in the body.
Magnesium helps muscles and nerves work efficiently, helps regulate blood sugar levels, helps maintain strong bones, and keeps the heart working. In addition, it is known for having a calming and relaxing effect on all body systems. So it is not uncommon for us to start feeling the effects when our body is deficient in magnesium. These are some of them.
1. Headache and migraine
If you suffer from chronic headaches or migraines, the reason for this may lie in the low level of magnesium in the body. Research has shown that people who suffer from migraines tend to have lower levels of magnesium in their bodies. Low magnesium levels are thought to contribute to headaches and migraines because of their role in supporting healthy neurological function and creating neurotransmitters.
The American Migraine Foundation suggests taking a magnesium oxide supplement in the amount of 400-500 milligrams (mg) per day to prevent migraines. It has also been found that taking magnesium helps reduce (pre) menstrual headaches that occur in a large number of women.
2. Irregular digestion
If you suffer from indigestion, i.e. constipation for several days, there is a high chance that you will lack magnesium. Namely, magnesium has multiple roles in our digestion. By helping to draw water into the intestines, magnesium helps keep the stool soft for more effective removal. It also helps maintain bowel muscle contractions.
In addition to the disorder of digestion due to magnesium deficiency, chronic stress, intake of too much caffeine and sugar also play a big role, and all this depletes the already low level of magnesium in the body.
3. Muscle cramps
Because of the important role it plays in supporting your muscles, magnesium deficiency can lead to painful muscle cramps, most commonly in the lower legs and feet. Muscles contract and relax, and without enough magnesium, these contractions and relaxations can become heavy and uncoordinated.
A study conducted in 1996, which came to this conclusion, introduced into medicine the examination of the amount of magnesium in every patient who has permanent or severe muscle pain.
4. Stress and anxiety
Due to its important role in the creation of neurotransmitters, low magnesium levels can leave a feeling of anxiety, stress, and irritability. Neurotransmitters are chemical compounds found in the brain that help nerves communicate with each other, so anxiety is one of the biggest symptoms of magnesium deficiency.
They help our body regulate various behaviors, such as sleep, thought patterns, moods, and more. Low magnesium levels can result in a variety of mood disorders, including anxiety, depression, irritability, and confusion. That is why it is important to examine these values when we notice symptoms of anxiety or depression.
5. Insomnia
If sleepless nights are not unfamiliar to you, the answer may lie in magnesium. The neurotransmitter gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) plays a role in helping the body relax. GABA is a neurotransmitter responsible for calming nervous activity, and magnesium plays an important role in the production of GABA in the brain.
