- Health Roles of Magnesium
- Magnesium: recommended daily allowances
- In video: 3 things to know about magnesium
- Symptoms of a lack of magnesium
- Diagnosis of magnesium deficiency
- Magnesium: where to find it in food?
- Lack of magnesium: when to take a cure?
Health Roles of Magnesium
Nearly 70% of French people lack magnesium. However, we often forget that a deficit of this mineral salt is not without consequences for the body. Indeed, magnesium is involved in many functions of the body such as the regulation of the heart rate, the proper functioning of the nervous system or the regulation of mood.
THE magnesium is one of the most abundant minerals in the body. Minerals are essential for the proper functioning of the body as well as at the metabolic level. THE magnesium is essential for healthy bones and muscles, allowing good muscle contraction. It also contributes to the optimal functioning of the nervous system, by promoting concentration, memorization and logical sense. This is why magnesium is linked to stress: a deficiency leads to neuronal hyperactivity and exacerbates the effects of stress. In addition, magnesium acts on energy, reducing fatigue.
Magnesium: recommended daily allowances
According to the European Food Safety Agency, a man should have an intake of 420mg per day of magnesium and the woman 360mg per day. For children, the recommended daily intake is around 80mg up to 3 yearsthen 100 mg up to 6 years, 200 mg up to 9 yearsAnd 300 mg during adolescence.
In video: 3 things to know about magnesium
Symptoms of a lack of magnesium
Symptoms generals
Symptoms of a lack of magnesium are not easy to identify, as they can be numerous. Thus, a deficiency can cause a loss of appetite or the onset of nausea. Headaches, hypersensitivity to noise, but also sleep disorders may appear, with difficulty falling asleep in particular.
More severe symptoms, such as high blood pressure, a feeling of malaise, dizziness or heart palpitations should be taken seriously: a medical consultation is required.
Lack of magnesium and fatigue
Magnesium deficiency can lead to the appearance of other, more characteristic symptoms. The mineral having a fundamental role in cognitive functions and the nervous system, a lack promotes concentration difficulties, but also nervous and physical fatigue. The lack of magnesium is also often mentioned when a person feels tired, and this, as soon as they wake up.
Magnesium deficiency and stress
Magnesium acts on the regulation of mood. Irritability, anxiety and increased stress levels can be the consequences of magnesium deficiency. You may feel irritable or moody. Eating a diet rich in magnesium can help reduce anxiety and stress and bring you more serenity and calm.
Muscle symptoms
Muscle signs may also be suggestive of magnesium deficiency. As it acts on the muscles, cramps or involuntary contractions (of the eyelid for example) can be the consequences of a lack.
Diagnosis of magnesium deficiency
Today, it has become more difficult to know if one is slightly deficient in magnesium. Indeed, the evaluation of the magnesium level by a blood test is no longer reimbursed. The results not being sufficiently reliable, because they express the plasma level of magnesium whereas it is the intracellular magnesium level which is the most interesting.
This is why you must remain attentive to the various signs that may indicate that you are lacking in magnesium: fatigue, irritability, sleep disturbances, twitching of the eyelids, palpitations, muscle cramps, migraines, tingling, bloating, etc.
If you are affected by some of these symptoms, it is best to talk to your doctor to rule out another cause that could explain them. It is through an interrogation and a clinical examination that your doctor can tell you whether or not you are deficient in magnesium.
Magnesium: where to find it in food?
To prevent deficiency, bet on a diet rich in magnesium. Dark chocolate, pulses (dried beans, lentils, etc.) or winkles are excellent sources of magnesium. Other foods contain it, such as spinach, bananas, avocado or oilseeds (almonds, walnuts, etc.). And let’s not forget the waters rich in minerals and magnesium.
Lack of magnesium: when to take a cure?
If this is the case, it may then be necessary to resort to a magnesium cure. However, do not seek a prescription from your doctor. No more magnesium-based products are reimbursed. You can find it in pharmacies in different forms. To be effective, your magnesium supplement must include:
- a form of magnesium well assimilated by the body, such as magnesium glycerophosphate, a fat-soluble salt of the third generation which does not have the laxative action of its predecessors
- vitamin B6
- taurine (at a nutritional dose) which promotes the fixation of magnesium. This amino acid also has a calming action on cells.
It can also be interesting to adapt your diet by favoring foods rich in magnesium.
Read also :
- 8 signs that show a protein deficiency
- 9 signs of vitamin C deficiency
- 9 signs that show you haven’t had enough to drink during the day
