Did you know that magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in your body? It’s true! It plays an essential role in your body’s and your brain’s health. About 60% of the magnesium in your body is found in bone, while the rest is in muscles, soft tissues and fluids, including blood, according to Healthline.
In fact, every cell in your body uses magnesium! It’s involved in all of the following:
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Energy creation
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Protein formation
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Gene maintenance
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Muscle movements:
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Nervous system regulation
Unfortunately, you may not be getting enough of it, even if you eat a healthy diet. Magnesium deficiency is extremely common — about 50% of Americans and Europeans intake less than the recommended daily amount.
Magnesium Deficiency
Common signs of magnesium deficiency include abnormal eye movements, muscle spasms or cramps, fatigue, numbness, muscle weakness, and convulsions. Magnesium deficiency is really common because loss of it is caused by everyday activities! If you do or have any of the following, chances are, you’re low on magnesium.
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Alcohol use
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Burns that affect a large area of the body
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Chronic diarrhea
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Excessive urination (polyuria), such as in uncontrolled diabetes and during recovery from acute kidney failure
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Hyperaldosteronism (disorder in which the adrenal gland releases too much of the hormone aldosterone into the blood)
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Kidney tubule disorders
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Malabsorption syndromes, such as celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease
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Malnutrition
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Medicines including amphotericin, cisplatin, cyclosporine, diuretics, proton pump inhibitors, and aminoglycoside antibiotics
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Pancreatitis (swelling and inflammation of the pancreas)
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Excessive sweating
Being deficient in magnesium can be life threatening if it’s not treated and is allowed to continue to drop. It can lead to cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, and death.
What About the Benefits of Magnesium?
Now that we got all the scary stuff out of the way, let’s get to the benefits of having healthy magnesium levels.
It Can Boost Exercise Performance
Magnesium plays a key role in exercise performance! Weight-based training and athletes who participate in weight-based sports need 10–20% more magnesium than when you’re resting! It helps soothe your muscles after such strenuous activity. Magnesium also helps move sugar into your muscles and dispose of lactate (meaning less soreness and fatigue).
Athletes who take magnesium supplements for four weeks had faster running, cycling and swimming times during a triathlon. They also experience reductions in insulin and stress hormone levels.
Magnesium Fights Depression
Magnesium is also amazing at helping your brain function, which directly correlates to your mood. In fact, low magnesium levels can lead to depression.
One study that researched the correlation between magnesium and depression with people under the age of 65 found that those with the lowest magnesium intake had a 22% greater risk of depression.
In another study, a randomized control group was given a daily dose of magnesium of 450 mg. The results found that magnesium improved their depression symptoms as much as an antidepressant!
It Has Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Low magnesium intake is linked to chronic inflammation and taking magnesium supplements can reduce inflammation and headaches and migraines. Research has shown that taking daily magnesium supplements can be effective at preventing menstrual-related migraines too.
In one study, supplementing with 1 gram of magnesium provided relief from an acute migraine attack more quickly and effectively than a common medication
Additionally, magnesium-rich foods, such as dark chocolate, may reduce migraine symptoms.
How Can I Get Magnesium?
You can get magnesium in three ways: eating certain foods, supplements, or IV therapy. Magnesium is also one of those nutrients that is tough for your body to absorb fully in the digestive tract, so keep that in mind when you’re choosing how to boost your levels.
Foods that have magnesium include:
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Green leafy vegetables
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Fruit (figs, avocado, banana and raspberries)
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Nuts and seeds
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Legumes (black beans, chickpeas and kidney beans)
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Vegetables (peas, broccoli, cabbage, green beans, artichokes, asparagus, brussels sprouts)
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Seafood (salmon, mackerel, tuna)
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Whole grains (brown rice and oats)
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Dark chocolate
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Baked beans
If none of those tickle your fancy and you don’t want to take supplements or you just want an extra boost, try IV therapy.
IV therapy is safe when done by a trained nurse, like our staff at IV Revival, and takes anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. It is painless and can be done from the comfort of your own home! It bypasses your body’s digestive tract completely by inserting magnesium directly into your bloodstream. This guarantees a high absorption rate and you will feel the health boosting effects almost immediately.
If you’re interested in either a shooter or an IV, give us a call or go online to request an appointment. We promise you’ll be feeling better in no time.