Why Magnesiun is Important to Your Health

Michael Rupkalvis

When it comes to every organ in the body (especially the muscles, heart, and kidneys), magnesium is a mineral that provides never-ending benefits. Numerous advantages come when one maintains daily-recommended amounts, which are either achieved through diet or supplementation.

Without magnesium, enzymes stay inactive; the production of energy is hindered; and the regulation of calcium, potassium, copper, and many other nutrients in the body are affected.

Today, the majority of people living in the United States are not receiving enough magnesium through their diet, as the mineral is especially found in whole unprocessed foods. However, to greatly boost magnesium in the body by choosing specific dietary sources, one should consider adding whole grains, wheat bran, almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and green leafy vegetables to their meals.

Additional foods that contain magnesium include baked potatoes (with skin), oatmeal, bananas, spinach, peanuts, and even chocolate. When cooking meals, an assortment of spices and herbs also supply magnesium, including sage, cocoa powder, tarragon, poppy seed, coriander, basil, and dill weed.

When looking for a magnesium supplement to accommodate a diet, the local pharmacy or grocery store provides many different forms, including magnesium citrate, magnesium gluconate, and magnesium lactate. It is suggested to choose options that include a time-release formula, which elevates the overall absorption of the mineral. Other sources of magnesium are additionally found in laxatives and antacids (magnesium hydroxide), and bath tonics (magnesium sulfate) that are absorbed through the skin.

Benefits of Taking Magnesium

Once a suitable approach towards increasing magnesium levels is found, the treatment and prevention of a wide range of conditions and medical concerns begin. Maintaining healthy amounts of magnesium in the body may lead to beneficial effects regarding the following ailments:

* Asthma and Emphysema: A study regarding more than 2,500 children (ages 11 to 19) revealed that a low dietary magnesium intake might translate into a higher risk of developing asthma. The same results appeared in a study of more than 2,600 adults between the ages of 18 and 70.

* Diabetes: Low levels of magnesium in the blood have been linked to type-2 diabetes. Some patients have shown an improvement in the action of insulin and enjoyed decreased blood sugar levels when taking magnesium supplements, where results were especially noticeable among the elderly.

* Attention Deficit (and Hyperactivity) Disorder: Children with ADD/ADHD who have received magnesium supplements have shown improvement in their behavior. One study revealed that 95% of the children suffering from ADHD were magnesium deficient. Nowadays, it is common to see doctors recommend magnesium supplementation, or a significant increase of magnesium in the diet.

* Fibromyalgia: A reduction in pain and tenderness associated with fibromyalgia has taken place in patients who have taken medication containing both magnesium and malic acid. The overall results have varied depending on the individual.

* Heart Disease: There is no doubt that magnesium plays an important role regarding the health of the heart. Taking the mineral helps maintain a normal heart rhythm and is a popular treatment suggestion for patients who possess an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia).

* Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS): Scientific proof suggests that taking magnesium supplements works wonders on providing relief for women suffering the symptoms linked to PMS, such as bloating, swollen legs, weight gain, and tender breasts.

Additionally, magnesium has been linked to lowering high blood pressure, boosting energy in HIV patients, preventing flare-ups of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), lowering the risk of miscarriage in women, preventing bone loss in women undergoing menopause, treating migraine headaches, combating osteoporosis, lowering the risk of stroke, and treating the insomnia associated with restless leg syndrome.

So the benefits of including a sufficient amount of magnesium in one's diet - through either the foods eaten or via supplements - are both abundant and easy to achieve.