How much do you know about magnesium? It’s an important question because magnesium is a mineral that is involved in more than 300 different enzyme systems, meaning that it can support a variety of body functions including:1
- Protein synthesis
- Muscle contraction
- Nerve function
- Bone health
- Cardiovascular system
- Healthy teeth
- Heart function
- Cellular energy production
In addition, magnesium activates and supports vitamin D function, which is an extremely important nutrient for health. 2
Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency
As it turns out, more than 50% of the United States population is deficient in magnesium because the typical American diet does not contain enough magnesium-rich foods.3 What’s more, a diet high in processed foods, fat, sugar, and refined grains may also lead to magnesium deficiency.3
Other factors that can reduce magnesium levels in the body include:1
- Cooking and boiling foods
- Some medications such as antibiotics and antacids
- Commonly used pesticides
- Alcohol consumption
- Cigarette smoking
- Being elderly—there can be up to a 30% reduction in magnesium levels as people age
How do you know if you are not getting enough magnesium? Early signs can include loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, weakness, cramping, numbness, tingling, and spasms.4 Keep in mind, however, that according to the National Institutes of Health, people can be deficient in magnesium without having any symptoms at all, which means you may have low levels and not even realize it.5
Fortunately, there are foods containing magnesium that you can incorporate into your diet, including pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almonds, spinach, soymilk, rolled oats, whole wheat bread, avocado and brown rice. If that’s not enough, there are dietary supplements available to help fill the magnesium gap.
What Type of Magnesium is Best for You?
Remember, magnesium supports hundreds of different body systems so it’s important to make sure you are getting enough and getting the right form.
There are different forms of magnesium including the inorganic form known as magnesium oxide and the organic form known as magnesium citrate. Research demonstrates that magnesium citrate has higher bioavailability, which means it is more easily absorbed than magnesium oxide.6
However, each type of magnesium has a specific function. Read our blog to learn more about the different types of magnesium and what to use them for.
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References
- Schwalfenberg GK, Genuis SJ. The Importance of Magnesium in Clinical Healthcare. Scientifica (Cairo). 2017;2017:4179326. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5637834/?report=reader
- Uwitonze AM, Razzaque MS. Role of magnesium in vitamin D activation and function. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2018;118(3):181-189. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29480918/
- Karlovitch S. Study: Half of all Americans are magnesium deficient. Pharmacy Times. 2020;Jul 29. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/study-half-of-all-americans-are-magnesium-deficient
- Fiorentini D, Cappadone C, Farruggia G, Prata C. Magnesium: biochemistry, nutrition, detection, and social impact diseases linked to its deficiency. Nutrients. 2021;13(4). https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/4/1136
- Cleveland Clinic. Signs you may have magnesium deficiency. HealthEssentials. 2022;Oct 25. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/feeling-fatigued-could-it-be-magnesium-deficiency-and-if-so-what-to-do-about-it/
- Kappeler D, Heimbeck I, Herpich C, et al. Higher bioavailability of magnesium citrate as compared to magnesium oxide shown by evaluation of urinary excretion and serum levels after single-dose administration in a randomized cross-over study. BMC Nutrition. 2017;3. https://bmcnutr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40795-016-0121-3
