The health of your
heart and the balance of your mood depend in large part on this mineral.
It is not as popular as calcium or iron, but magnesium is nevertheless a mineral as essential to the body as the former.
It is present in a meager 20-28 grams (nothing to do with
the kilogram of calcium that the body possesses...), but the list of functions
it has is essential.
What Is Magnesium?
Magnesium is a mineral
involved in synthesizing amino acids and proteins, the balance of potassium and
calcium, and nerve transmission. About 60-65% of magnesium is found in the
bones, 25-27% in the muscles, and the extracellular fluid.
It can be said that
there are few metabolic reactions in which magnesium is not involved in one way
or another. Magnesium is essential for the functioning of a large number of
enzymes.
For example, magnesium
plays a fundamental role in the production of serotonin from tryptophan. Hence
it is said, and rightly so, that magnesium is vital for a good mood.
It is also involved in the functioning of nerves, muscles, cardiac contractility, obtaining energy from food, muscle relaxation, healthy arteries... In short, it is an essential nutrient without which health is not possible.
What Foods Contain
Magnesium?
Foods of vegetable
origin provide the most magnesium per serving. They include green leafy
vegetables, quinoa, legumes, bread and whole grains, fruits, certain seeds and
nuts, and to a lesser extent, fish and some meats.
Besides, magnesium is
a crucial element of chlorophyll, a fundamental substance in vegetables, where
it plays a role similar to that of iron in the hemoglobin molecule.
Foods with More
Magnesium
100 grams of these
foods provide the following milligrams of magnesium:
- Pumpkin seeds: 535 mg
- Cocoa: 500 mg
- Sunflower seeds 420 mg
- Sesame 347 mg
- Wheat germ: 327 mg
- Soybeans: 250 mg
- Quinoa: 210 mg
- lima beans: 201 mg
- Millet: 170 mg
- Brown rice: 157 mg
- Oat flakes: 140 mg
- Whole wheat flour: 140 mg
- White bean: 130 mg
- Pearl barley: 125 mg
- Chickpeas: 108 mg
- Lentils: 77 mg
- Spinach: 58 mg
Magnesium Deficiency
The current daily
recommendation for the adult population is 300 mg/day of magnesium for women
and 350 mg/day for men. Those values lower in a blood test (serum magnesium
concentration) than 17 micrograms/ml is considered abnormal.
People who follow a balanced diet with a sufficient number of plant-based foods are not deficient in this mineral. If there is a specific magnesium deficiency, it can be challenging to diagnose since it has to be very marked for evident symptoms.
What can happen
is that a correct intake of magnesium can significantly improve our quality of
life and, ultimately, our health.
The people most prone
to suffer from magnesium deficiency consume few vegetables or follow unbalanced
diets without fresh vegetables, those who drink alcohol often and in high
doses, those who suffer from intestinal problems or malabsorption, and athletes
who neglect their diet.
Symptoms of Magnesium
Deficiency
Moderate magnesium deficiency causes some fatigue, involuntary muscle contractions, tremor, anorexia, insomnia, and irritability.
A slight deficit can be asymptomatic, and its signs
are almost unnoticeable. Hence, it's a difficult diagnosis.
When Can It Be Useful
to Take Supplements?
If a person is healthy and follows a balanced diet, it is not necessary to take supplements.
But
specialists usually advise them to promote sleep and relaxation, also as a
preventive in the formation of kidney stones and the reduction of premenstrual
pain.
Magnesium in The Bones
Magnesium and calcium are structural parts of the bones. There is a balance between calcium and magnesium and an excessive intake of calcium.
For example, if you take
supplements that do not include magnesium, it can cause low levels of this
mineral.
Magnesium and Stress
Stress is shown to be capable of causing a magnesium deficit mainly due to neurohormonal mechanisms.
In turn, magnesium deficiency can also induce hypersensitivity to stress and
create a vicious circle of negative consequences.
It is essential for
the formation of serotonin from tryptophan, an amino acid that influences mood
and sleep. It is also vital for athletes, as it is directly involved in muscle
relaxation.