The Importance of Magnesium in Your Body

What is magnesium, and what role does it play?

Magnesium plays an important role in keeping both the body and mind healthy and is involved in several crucial chemical reactions in the body. Therefore, magnesium is highly recommended as a supplement.

Magnesium is an electrolyte

To break it down, magnesium is an electrolyte – a mineral with the capacity to conduct electricity when dissolved in bodily fluids. This makes it an especially important player in most chemical reactions. A vital nutrient, magnesium, is needed by every cell in the body. It is necessary for bone and tooth formation. Other processes such as muscle regulation, blood sugar levels, nerve function, protein synthesis, as well as DNA formation are all to a large extent reliant on magnesium. Moreover, magnesium is essential for the proper functioning of many essential metabolic reactions in the body. Therefore, there is no or very few functions, capabilities and processes in the body which does not rely on magnesium.

Magnesium Helps other enzymes function

Many enzymes require magnesium to function. For example, magnesium is an essential coenzyme of carbohydrate metabolism and is involved in insulin regulation as well. The endocrine system – the body’s chemical messenger system, uses hormones which depend on magnesium for proper functioning.

Magnesium for your heart and your brain

Additionally, magnesium can act as an important therapeutic agent in the treatment of heart diseases. It raises HDL cholesterol – the ‘good’ kind of cholesterol in the body, reduces platelet aggregation, and ameliorates abnormal heart rhythms. Furthermore, magnesium is implicated as having a role in dopamine regulation in the brain, making the mineral play a role in neurotransmitters.

What does a magnesium deficiency look like?

A low intake of magnesium across an extended period can lead to a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium deficiency negatively impacts physical and mental health. The symptoms of a magnesium deficiency include, but are not limited to, muscle cramps, leg cramps, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, heart palpitations and arrhythmia.

Magnesium in the central nervous system

Additionally, there should be a high amount of magnesium present in the central nervous system. Low levels of magnesium leading to magnesium deficiency has been associated with low levels of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a chemical messenger involved in the regulation of cognition, memory, attention span, mood, and as well as learning. Magnesium is known to bind to and activate GABA receptors – enabling the calming and anti-depressant effects of these receptors. Furthermore, the synthesis of dopamine requires magnesium, highlighting magnesium’s role in mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. Therefore, magnesium plays an integral role for peak cognitive functioning, lack of which results in cognitive impairment.

How much magnesium do I need

The exact amount of magnesium required by the body differs from person to person and is dependent on different variables including age, size and sex. On average, however, women require 1200mg – 2400mg daily, and men require 2400mg to 4000mg daily.

Most over-the-counter magnesium supplements fall short of supplying the body’s required dose of magnesium. A healthy balance of magnesium does not just depend on magnesium levels. Rather, it is also dependent on the type of magnesium because all magnesium were not created the same. Therefore, it would be ideal to use a supplement that is well-rounded and aimed at building strength, and resilience.

What are the kinds of supplements available?

There are a number of supplements available for supplying magnesium required by your body, but you must be sure that you are providing yourself with the best options available, which supplies an adequate dose of quality magnesium ( when it comes to health there’s no room for doubts).

Choose your supplement brand wisely

The number of supplement brands are increasing day by day, you must be sure that the brand of supplements you choose is approved by healthcare professionals and is made with high quality ingredients. One example of such a brand is design for health or DFH.

Consult a nutritionist

Before making any decisions, make sure that you consult a nutritionist in your area and ask for their professional opinion regarding whether you need supplements for your magnesium levels or not; and if so which brand of magnesium supplements you can order.