Tired, fatigued? This could be a sign that you need more magnesium.

Magnesium is an essential mineral which is used in many functions of the body including contributing towards normal energy-yielding metabolism (turning the food that we eat into energy), reducing tiredness and fatigue, normal functioning of the nervous system, normal muscle function and the maintenance of normal bones and teeth. Some food sources of magnesium include green leafy vegetables, nuts, bread, fish, meat and dairy products.

The current government reference nutrient intakes (RNIs) for magnesium for men and women aged 19+ are 300mg/day and 270mg/day, respectively. A healthy, balanced diet should provide all the magnesium needed to reach this recommendation. Despite this, one in five women in the UK aged 19-34 years and more than half of teenage girls have intakes below the lower RNIs and more than 20% of boys aged 11-14 are also at risk of low intakes.

Usually, too little magnesium in the diet will not produce severe visible symptoms, as the kidneys will retain more magnesium by reducing the amount lost in urine. Although, some minor symptoms may be muscle twitches and muscle cramps. Over a longer period of time, low magnesium intake may lead to a deficiency with symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, weakness and fatigue. As well as diet, such as eating sugary foods, drinking carbonated drinks, tea, coffee, alcohol on a regular basis or being stressed other factors such as a medical condition or medication affects the absorbency or excretion of the mineral. An extreme deficiency may cause numbness, tingling, muscle cramps, seizures or heart arrhythmia.

There are some groups of people who are more likely than others to develop a deficiency:

  • People with gastrointestinal diseases
  • People with type 2 diabetes
  • People with long-term alcoholism
  • Older people

In a study by Tucker et al. (1999), magnesium intake was associated with a greater bone mineral density in elderly men and women. Other articles have suggested that magnesium may also protect against bone loss, breakages and the development of osteoporosis.

Magnesium is also thought to help reduce the incidence of inflammation. Long term inflammation can lead to a wide number of conditions, including heart disease, arthritis and diabetes.

Over time, low levels of magnesium have also been associated with high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. In a study by Paolisso and Barbagallo (1997), it was recorded that magnesium may play a key role when controlling glucose uptake. A relationship between low magnesium intake and high blood pressure was also found.

Finally, an association has been made between magnesium and increased HDL (good) cholesterol in the blood. In a study by Guerrero-Romero and Rodríguez-Morán (2002) in subjects with metabolic syndrome, a strong correlation was found between magnesium and HDL-cholesterol levels.

Are you ready for a magnesium kick? Check out our magnesium products, including our NEW Fill Good Magnesium 375mg Capsules which is formulated with the highly absorbent magnesium citrate.

References:

British Nutrition Foundation. (2016). Nutrient Requirements. Retrieved from https://www.nutrition.org.uk/attachments/article/234/Nutrition%20Requirements_Revised%20Oct%202016.pdf

British Nutrition Foundation. (2018). Minerals and trace elements. Magnesium. Retrieved from https://www.nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/nutrients-food-and-ingredients/minerals-and-trace-elements.html?limit=1&start=5

De Baaij, J. H. F., Hoenderop, J. G. J., Bindels, R. J. M. (2015). Magnesium in Man: Implications for Health and Disease.Physiology Reviews, 95, 1-46.

Guerrero-Romero, F., Rodríguez-Morán, M. (2002). Low serum magnesium levels and metabolic syndrome. Acta Diabetalogica, 39(4), 209-213.

Martin, K. J., González, E. A., Slatopolsky, E. (2009). Clinical Consequences and Management of Hypomagnesemia.Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 20, 2291-2295.

Mutlu, M., Argun, M., Kilic, E., Saraymen, R., Yazar, S. (2007). Magnesium, Zinc and Copper Status in Osteoporotic, Osteopenic and Normal Post-menopausal Women. The Journal of International Medical Research, 35, 692-695.

National Institutes of Health. (2016). Magnesium: fact sheet for consumers. Retrieved from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-Consumer/

NHS Choices. (2017). Vitamins and Minerals. Others. Retrieved from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/others/#magnesium

Paolisso, G., Barbagallo, M. (1997). Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitis, and Insulin Resistance. The Role of Intracellular Magnesium. American Journal of Hypertension, 10(3), 346-355.

Tucker, K. L., Hannan, M. T., Chen, H., Cupples, L. A., Wilson, P. W. F., Kiel, D. P. (1999). Potassium, magnesium, and fruit and vegetable intakes are associated with greater bone mineral density in elderly men and women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 69, 727-736.

WebMD. (2018). All about Magnesium. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-diet-magnesium