Magnesium is popular mineral, but did you know 60% of your magnesium is found in your bones? Discover magnesium's role in bone health, sleep, mood, physical relaxation and cardiovascular health, and what might be affecting your health magnesium balance.
In today's busy world, this nutrient can often be lacking but is essential for our well-being. Magnesium is a superstar as it supports so many functions in the body, such as energy production, protein formation and cellular replication. Magnesium is used to make things happen in the body since its primary function is supporting enzyme activation; in fact, it is used in more than 300 reactions in the body. Let's look at some key functions and how magnesium can help, from sleep to period cramps.
What does Magnesium do for us?
Bone Health
When we think about what is needed for bone health, most people think about calcium and vitamin D. However, without magnesium, our bones would be inflexible and break more easily. This is because magnesium supports the production of collagen, which creates a framework in the bones that allows them flexibility. Magnesium is also important for the process of depositing calcium in the bones.
Sleep
If you feel like your sleep is light and restless, a possible cause could be low magnesium. Magnesium is important for deep sleep as it is used in the process of creating melatonin, our sleep hormone that creates healthy sleep patterns. It also helps regulate our circadian rhythms, our inner clock that sets our sleep/wake cycles. Magnesium also physically relaxes us, so we are ready for rest and falling asleep.
Mood
Magnesium is important in the process of creating our brain chemicals that affect our mood. It facilitates GABA for calming the nervous system, Serotonin for positive mood and calm, dopamine that governs our reward system and motivates us and our adrenal hormones that help us respond to stress. so, you can see why low magnesium can be associated with low mood.
Muscle relaxation
When you think about getting muscle cramps or those pesky legs won't stay still when you are trying to get to sleep, think magnesium. Magnesium works as a partner with calcium, where calcium helps to tighten the muscles for movement and magnesium relaxes them again. This is why magnesium is great to take post-exercise, or you can soak in a bath of Epsom salts (magnesium sulphates) for muscle aches. It is also these muscle-relaxing actions that make magnesium helpful for those who get headaches and period cramps.
Heart health
Knowing the role of magnesium as a muscle relaxant helps with understanding its role in cardiovascular health. The heart is one large muscle that pumps blood, so magnesium is required for the process of pumping, where muscles contract and relax. It is also important for the arteries to maintain normal blood pressure, as when pressure is high, magnesium can relax the muscle, making arteries wider to reduce the pressure. It is also important for a normal heart rhythm.
What causes low Magnesium?
Stress is a common issue for many people and may lower magnesium levels. When we are stressed magnesium floods out of the cells and is removed from the body through the urinary tract. Ironically, the lower our magnesium levels, the more stressed we feel, creating a vicious circle.
Many medications can also affect magnesium levels, such as diuretics, stomach acid-lowering medications, corticosteroids and some antibiotics. Poor gut health that affects absorption and a poor diet low in magnesium-rich foods is another.
Times that we need good levels of magnesium are during pregnancy and breastfeeding, when feeding a growing foetus/baby. To support kids when they are having a growth spurt, growing bones and teeth, and at times when we are training/working out hard.
Signs that we need a Magnesium boost
As magnesium supports muscle relaxation, it makes sense that muscle tension could hint at insufficient levels. Muscle tension could occur after regular exercise, for women around menstruation or when we are busy and feel tension around the head and shoulders. Magnesium also supports relaxation at night and sound sleep. So, people who have trouble staying asleep may need some magnesium support.
Signs we are taking too much Magnesium
Basically, high levels of magnesium make us go to the bathroom, often urgently. This is why magnesium can be used as a laxative. Taking a high-dose supplement can do this, especially if it is a high dose of a poor-quality magnesium, such as magnesium oxide or marine magnesium. These have big molecules that are hard for the gut to absorb, so they draw water into the gut and cause diarrhea. Better absorbed forms of magnesium, like magnesium citrate, magnesium aspartate complex and magnesium chloride, are more bioavailable and gentler on the stomach.
What is the Recommended Dietary Allowance for Magnesium?
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is the average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97-98 %) individuals in each life-stage and gender group. With the progressing degradation of our food, daily magnesium intakes have progressively declined in many countries, including New Zealand. The RDAs for magnesium for adults, in milligrams (mg) are:
| Age Group | Men | Women | Pregnant | Breastfeeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14–18 years | 410 mg | 360 mg | 400 mg | 360 mg |
| 19–30 years | 400 mg | 310 mg | 350 mg | 310 mg |
| 31+ years | 420 mg | 320 mg | 360 mg | 320 mg |
Where can I find a good source of Magnesium?
Most often magnesium is found in the same sources as calcium as they are so closely linked. Therefore, it is found in meat, fish and seafood. Vegetarian sources include tofu, wholegrains, legumes, nuts, seeds and green leafy vegetables.
If you have more questions about magnesium and your personal needs, then talk to our naturopaths. Book a free 15-minute Nat chat on our website.
