Not Just Placebos – Magnesium

Not Just Placebos! Magnesium

Less Pain : More Energy : Better Sleep!!

Magnesium is possibly the most important mineral in the body, it activates over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. Without it your heart won’t beat, your lungs won’t breath and your muscles won’t move!

We easily need about 600mg of magnesium per day but because magnesium has been starved out of the soil due to lack of crop rotation and traditional farming methods, and the fact the water put on the crops is no longer nutrient dense, getting this amount through diet alone is almost impossible. Couple this with the fact that stress and modern life in general can deplete magnesium reserves, It’s safe to say that most of the population suffer from a deficiency in some way. Research has consistently shown that intakes of magnesium are lower than recommended
amounts add into this equation Carbonated drinks, high caffeine intake, daily stress and poor food choices which can all lead to magnesium being leached out of your already depleted system.

Consider the following common complaints:
Feeling anxious or depressed
Restless legs at night
Muscle cramping
Headaches
And poor quality sleep- if at all!

We are covered from head to toe in muscles and nerves and Magnesiun plays a vital role in the optimum function of both. In addition 6 of the 8 steps to creating energy in the body require magnesium, therefore fatigue can be a symptom of magnesium deficiency, because your body simply doesn’t have enough raw materials (or in this case raw minerals) to do its job properly!

Magnesium is essential for athletes and avid gym goers. When you exercise you sweat out vital minerals via your skin, further depleting your stores of this essential mineral. Severe muscle cramps during exercise and after can be an indication of severe magnesium deficiency.

Magnesium is involved in bone formation and influences the activities of osteoblasts (bone builders) and osteoclasts (clear away old bone). Magnesium also affects the concentrations of both parathyroid hormone and the active form of vitamin D, which are major regulators of bone homeostasis.

Feeling fatigued or run down? These are real signs that magnesium is depleted or deficient in the body.

Suffer from restless legs or muscle cramps at night? This is more then likely a magnesium deficiency.

Can’t sleep? Or wakening up tired? It’s possible that you are magnesium deficient. If there are inadequate amounts of magnesium in your body your muscles will remain tense during the night, and tense muscles do not allow for a wonderful night of restful sleep!

The Journal Psychology Today recently described magnesium as the ultimate ‘Chill Pill’, and it’s no wonder as Magnesium is required by the adrenal glands and without it they will get trigger happy, this results in a great increase in instances of anxiety. In addition, because magnesium plays an essential role in hormone regulation, if it is in deficit this plays havoc with hormonal balance which in turn has a negative effect on mood, leading to depression.

The highest concentration of magnesium is found in the heart and it helps the heart beat rhythmically. Magnesium is considered a natural statin because the enzyme in the body that mimics the drug statin (ie elevates or reduces cholesterol in the body according to its needs) is directed by magnesium.

So you can see- Magnesium has a long list of benefits! Supplementing helps with:
✅ Alleviating Anxiety
✅ Reducing Depression
✅ Easing Stomach problems
✅ Assisting in Optimal Muscle function
✅ Assisting in Optimal Nerve function
✅ Bone homeostasis
✅ Reducing symptoms of PMS
✅ Powerful anti-insomnia agent
✅ Reduced instance and severity of headaches
✅ Promoting Hormonal balance

Some studies have even shown that magnesium can help atrial fibrillation and asthma and also strengthen Tooth enamel but more research is needed in these areas!

During the evolutionary process we lived beside the sea and ate a lot of produce from it which was highly rich in magnesium. Today’s diet is extremely magnesium deficient and this is why we need to supplement!

Want to know more?
Check out :
The Magnesium Miracle by Dr Carolyn Dean

Naomi McArdle MSc
PTI Tutor