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Magnesium is hugely important for our bodies. It contributes to your electrolyte balance, normal muscle function and helps to maintain normal bones.
Magnesium is hugely important for our bodies. It contributes to your electrolyte balance, normal muscle function and helps to maintain normal bones.
Not just that but it’s something we probably consume everyday without ever thinking about the wonders it works on our bodies and our health
Why is magnesium important for our bodies and our health?
Magnesium plays a vital role in our bodies and how healthy we feel, and it plays a crucial role in numerous physiological processes in the body. It is essential for overall health and wellbeing and contributes to your electrolyte balance, normal muscle function and helps to maintain normal bones.
It’s important for our muscle and our nerve function, our heart health, our blood sugar regulation, our energy production and so much more.
Maintaining adequate magnesium levels through diet or by taking magnesium tablets or supplements is essential for overall health and can help to prevent various health issues related to magnesium deficiency. If you don't get enough magnesium in your diet over a long time, you may be at a higher risk of health problems such as heart attack, stroke, diabetes or osteoporosis.
The benefits of magnesium
Magnesium is an ‘all rounder’ for the body, and comes with huge benefits for our health. These include:
Muscle Function
Magnesium is necessary for how well our muscles work and function everyday. It helps muscles contract and relax, making it crucial for movement as well as being used in important muscles like the heart.
Nerve Function
Magnesium is also involved in transmitting nerve signals in the body and regulating the nervous system, and this is one of the first areas that can be affected if we’re magnesium deficient.
Bone Health
Magnesium is a critical component of keeping our bones healthy, and it works with calcium and vitamin D to maintain our bone density and structure. A lack of magnesium over time can play a part in conditions like osteoporosis that sees brittle and easily breakable bones.
Heart Health
Magnesium also helps regulate our blood pressure and maintain a steady heart rhythm. It is regularly associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and arrhythmias, and having enough magnesium can help keep our hearts healthy.
Blood Sugar Regulation
Magnesium plays a role in insulin sensitivity and glucose regulation. Research has shown that adequate magnesium levels can help to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and improve our blood sugar control.
Energy Production
Magnesium is involved in the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the primary energy in our cells and it is crucial for energy metabolism and our overall vitality.
Antioxidant Defence
Filled with antioxidant properties, magnesium can help protect cells from damage and keep our defences up.
Stress Management
Battling stress puts huge pressure on our bodies, so having enough magnesium can have a calming effect on the nervous system and may also help reduce stress and anxiety. It can also improve sleep quality.
PMS and Menstrual Symptoms
Magnesium supplements can also be beneficial for women and they can help to alleviate premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms, including mood swings, bloating and cramps.
How much magnesium should we be having per day?
The NHS recommends different daily doses of magnesium, depending on our gender and age. For men aged between 19-64 years old, the recommendation is 300 mg per day and for women aged between 19-64 years old, the recommendation is 270 mg per day.
How can we get more magnesium?
If you are worried that you’re magnesium deficient or could look to include more of it within your diet and lifestyle, then it all starts with what you eat.
Although most foods contain some amount of magnesium, you can eat magnesium rich foods such as lots of leafy greens, nuts, and seeds to help improve your intake. Eating a diet packed with these foods should raise your magnesium levels, but you can also look to take magnesium supplements or magnesium tablets too.
Taking magnesium supplements
There are different forms of magnesium supplements available, such as magnesium citrate, magnesium oxide, and magnesium glycinate, among others. The form you choose can impact how well your body absorbs and tolerates the supplement.