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Magnesium is present in all tissues including bone. In the cells of the body it is involved in energy transfer. Deficiency is rare. Magnesium is found in chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants. Dark green leafy vegetables contain plentiful amounts, but much of its bound and not readily available for absorption.
Food Sources of Magnesium
Magnesium is found in dairy products, fish, meat and seafood, as well as in legumes, apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, whole grain cereals, nuts, dark green vegetables, and cocoa, while hard water and mineral water may also supply it in fair quantities. Herbs that contain magnesium include alfalfa, bladderwrack, catnip, cayenne , chamomile, chickweed, dandelion, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, hops, horsetail, lemongrass, licorice, mullein, nettle, oat straw, paprika, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaf, red clover, sage, shepherd's purse, yarrow, and yellow dock
Benefits and Functions of Magnesium
Magnesium maintains your bones and helps your muscles relax. Its best form is magnesium citrate, gluconate, or aspartate because they're better absorbed, but magnesium oxide (a common and inexpensive form) is also absorbed decently.
Needed for functioning of approx. 90 enzymes. Magnesium is essential to the health of the heart. It may assist in the treatment of arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. This mineral might also be useful for kidney stones, epilepsy, nausea and stress. Magnesium is one of the main constituents of nerve fibres. It may be a valuable aid in the treatment of muscular spasms such as uncontrollable twitching and convulsive fits and also in relieving cramping associated with menstruation. It is thought to be helpful where stabbing, shooting pains characterise symptoms for example in cases of neuralgia, neuritis, angina, sciatica and some types of headaches.
Dosage
You should be able to get all the magnesium you need from your daily diet. This is:
300 mg a day for men
270 mg a day for women. Having 400 mg or less a day of magnesium from supplements is unlikely to cause any harm.
What are the deficiency symptoms of Magnesium?
Deficiency can occur gradually, leading to:
Anxiety; Fatigue; Insomnia; Muscular problems; Nausea; Premenstrual problems.
The most extreme cases of deficiency may be associated with arrhythmia.
Overdosage Signs of Magnesium
Taking high doses of magnesium for a short time can cause diarrhoea. There isn't enough evidence to say what the effects might be of taking high doses of magnesium for a long time.
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