Did you know that magnesium is needed in your body to preform over 300 different processes? If you take food supplements unless you have enough magnesium stored in your body, these supplements will not provide their full benefit. Magnesium is one of the most abundant minerals in our body, but tests show many people have a magnesium deficiency.
In fact, according to American neurosurgeon Norman Shealy, MD, PhD, almost every known disease is associated with a magnesium deficiency! If that is case here are some questions, we can ask ourselves which will give us a clue if we are lacking this important mineral.
8 Questions to Answer to Find Out if You Have a Magnesium Deficiency
- Do I often suffer from headaches?
- Do I suffer from poor sleep quality?
- Am I often constipated?
- Do I often feel fatigued (emotionally, physically and/or mentally)?
- Do I often get muscle spasms or cramps?
- Do I notice that parts of my body that seem numb or tingle?
- Have I been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat?
- Am I known to have mood swings or even behavioral disorders?
Have you experienced frequent moments of ‘brain fog’, poor concentration and constant forgetfulness? Then you most likely need magnesium. Our mitochondria are heavily reliant on magnesium for energy production. (1)
Headaches and especially migraines are often due to lack of magnesium which plays a key role of regulating neurotransmitter production. (2). Having adequate magnesium levels helps control calcium levels, as too much calcium can lead to neurotoxic effects where the brain cells are overstimulated, and this is a major factor in headaches and migraine formation.
Do you often suffer from constipation? Having adequate magnesium softens stools by drawing water into the bowels, supporting healthy elimination.
Do you ‘go to bed tired and wake up tired’? If you are chronically fatigued, you have a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is involved in so many enzymatic processes in the body, helping it perform over 300 normal processes. Lack of magnesium acts as a chronic stressor on your body and drains your energy! Insomnia is a major issue for many as we age, and the body produces less melatonin so adding both melatonin and magnesium supplementation will soon help with poor sleep quality.
Because magnesium is so important for proper nerve transmission, it comes as no surprise that it also plays a vital role in muscle contraction. When magnesium is depleted, muscle contractions can become weak and uncoordinated, leading to involuntary spasms and painful cramps.
Spasms typically occur in the legs, feet and even eyelids and this is actually one of the most common early signs of magnesium deficiency.
Chronic pain and fibromyalgia could be another sign of low magnesium. Magnesium can play a role here by helping to elicit an overall calming effect on the mind and body while soothing and relaxing the muscles.
All our muscles rely heavily on magnesium and our heart is no exception. (3). Have you noticed that at times your heart beats irregularly, or you experience rapid heartbeats, slow heartbeats, and sudden changes in heart rhythm for no apparent reason? This is another sign you are probably low on magnesium.
Foods That Are Rich in Magnesium
3 Additional Ways to Increase Magnesium
To be sure you are not lacking magnesium you would also be wise to consider Epsom Salts baths and/or Magnesium supplementation.
- Epsom Salts Baths
Epsom salts can be easily absorbed into the body through the skin while you soak and because of the rich magnesium content you feel very relaxed. Put 1 cup (approx. 250ml) of Epsom salts into bath water as hot as you can stand it and soak for about 20 minutes or more.
- Magnesium Supplementation
You have a choice between magnesium ‘powder’ that can be added to water or juice. The best choice is Magnesium Glycinate. Also you could try magnesium transdermal oil that can be sprayed on the abdomen or any area where you experience pain. The magnesium oil bypasses the digestive tract, which is a great advantage if it is damaged or compromised and cannot absorb magnesium properly (such as leaky gut).
At the Budwig Center, in Spain, we do a full “body scan” and test for magnesium deficiency along with many other parameters.
References:
1. Slutsky, I., Abumaria, N., Wu, L. J., Huang, C., Zhang, L., Li, B., … Liu, G. (2010). Enhancement of Learning and Memory by Elevating Brain Magnesium. Neuron, 65(2), 165–177. PMID: 20152124
2. Chiu, H.-Y., Yeh, T.-H., Huang, Y.-C., & Chen, P.-Y. (2016). Effects of Intravenous and Oral Magnesium on Reducing Migraine: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Pain Physician, 19(1), E97-112. PMID: 26752497
3. de Baaij, J. H. F., Hoenderop, J. G. J., & Bindels, R. J. M. (2015). Magnesium in Man: Implications for Health and Disease. Physiological Reviews, 95(1), 1–46. PMID: 25540137