Why is magnesium needed?
Magnesium is required by our body due to the fact that:
- Without magnesium, calcium cannot be absorbed;
- magnesium, calcium and phosphorus take care of strong bones
- necessary for the metabolism of glucose, amino acids, fats, transport of nutrients, required for energy production
- participates in protein synthesis
- plays an important role in the transmission of nerve signals
- essential for a healthy cardiovascular system
- necessary for good functioning of the genitourinary system, prevents the formation of kidney stones
- has an anti-stress effect
- helps with overwork, chronic fatigue
- reduces blood cholesterol levels
- smoothes the symptoms of PMS and menopause in women
The role of magnesium in the human body is the main function
Magnesium is a key mineral in human metabolism,
He can be compared to the best supporting actor in the mineral kingdom.
Like supporting actors, magnesium doesn't get as much fame and popularity as sodium or calcium, but its role is essential to human health.
Friends, just imagine! Magnesium takes part in MORE than 300 chemical reactions that occur in the human body.
Role in maintaining health - what does magnesium do in the body?
So, let's look at the main points:
- Strengthens bones and maintains their integrity
Approximately 50–60% of the magnesium a person consumes comes from the bones. It plays a key role in bone metabolism.
Researchers have found that even mild but persistent magnesium deficiency can lead to significant bone loss.
This is partly because when magnesium absorption is too slow, parathyroid hormone levels decrease.
This leads to decreased absorption of calcium in the intestine, as well as increased excretion of calcium and magnesium in the urine.
The association between adequate magnesium intake and improved bone mineral density is observed throughout the life cycle from adolescence to older men and women.
Scientists have not yet established whether magnesium intake has the same level of relative importance as vitamin D or calcium in maintaining bone tissue.
But existing research suggests that the impact of chronic dietary magnesium deficiency on bone loss may be underestimated.
- Promotes energy production
One of the most important tasks performed by the cells of our body is the production of energy.
This task is complex and involves dozens of chemical processes. All of them are closely connected and occur in a strictly defined sequence.
If these chemical reactions cannot occur in the strictly required order, our cells will simply not be able to produce energy.
In this energy production sequence, magnesium plays an important role.
Many of the chemical reactions cannot take place unless magnesium is present as a cofactor in enzymes that are involved in energy production.
Enzymes are protein molecules that help chemical processes occur more easily throughout the body.
Cofactors are nutrients that must be combined with each other by enzymes in order for those enzymes to function.
Based on the important role of magnesium in energy production in our cells, low levels may be one of the possible factors causing fatigue.
- Supports a normal nervous system
All cells in our body have membrane receptors.
Among the most studied receptors are those located along the membrane of our brain cells. One type of these brain cell receptors is called NMDA receptors. (N-methyl D-aspartate).
NMDA receptors are located where some anesthetics and recreational drugs affect our brain function.
Magnesium plays a key role in the activity of our NMDA receptors.
Research has shown that when the amount of magnesium in our diet is insufficient, the risk of depression increases.
This increased risk is most likely due to problems with our NMDA receptors.
- Strengthens control over inflammatory processes
Diets systematically low in magnesium are strongly associated with an increase in unwanted inflammatory processes.
Although a certain amount of inflammation is necessary to maintain normal tissue immune function after injury and during healing, chronic and low-grade inflammation is most often associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes.
Restoring normal magnesium levels to the recommended daily intake resulted in normalization of inflammation in clinical settings.
For example, one of the most significant clinical trials showed that the “Scandinavian diet” (a diet with increased consumption of foods containing sources of magnesium) led to the suppression of the main mediator of inflammatory processes, interleukin-1.
- Strengthens blood sugar control
Magnesium is a cofactor for more than 100 enzymes involved in the control of blood sugar and glucose metabolism.
Therefore, it is likely that low magnesium levels will have serious negative effects on blood sugar control.
Researchers were able to demonstrate how, in people with blood sugar control problems and low magnesium, their sugar levels returned to normal once magnesium returned to normal.
Many or few
If you suffer from insomnia, you have a hard time getting up in the morning, are irritated and hate even the slightest noise. You have a headache, flickering spots appear before your eyes, you feel dizzy, lose your balance, have high blood pressure, and your heart is beating loudly - know that all these signs indicate a lack of magnesium in the body. Or about its poor absorption and rapid losses. The body can quickly consume magnesium during pregnancy and toxicosis, feeding a child, and during treatment with diuretics.
Too much magnesium means the following symptoms:
- drowsiness, loss of coordination, speech
- lethargy
- slow heart rate
- nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
- dry mucous membranes (especially the oral cavity)
Physiological role of potassium and magnesium
Potassium is
the main intracellular ion. The normal functioning of the body depends on the concentration of potassium inside the cell and in the intercellular fluid. Adequate intake of potassium from food ensures the conduction of an electrical impulse, which is necessary for the functioning of the heart and the contraction of smooth and striated muscles, the functioning of the brain and the peripheral nervous system; maintaining intracellular osmotic pressure; water balance. Potassium acts as an activator of certain enzymes; regulator of the activity of voltage-dependent channels; necessary to maintain vascular endothelial function; normal blood pressure (BP); acid-base balance in the body; influences the release of hormones (insulin) [1].
Magnesium
is the eighth most abundant element in the earth's crust, a vital mineral, the second predominant intracellular electrolyte after potassium, and the fourth most abundant cation in the body. Its content in the body of an adult is about 1000 mmol (or 24 g), i.e. 20 mmol/kg of lean body mass. The main depot of magnesium is bone tissue, which contains about 50–60% of its total amount, and about 40–50% in muscles and other soft tissues. It is necessary for muscle relaxation, regulates the mineralization of bone tissue, its uniform growth, flexibility, strength and increases the reparative potential of bones [2].
Approximately one third of bone magnesium is available to maintain levels outside the cell. Extracellular magnesium in the body (less than 2% of total magnesium) is found in blood plasma and erythrocytes [3].
Magnesium is present in all cells as a cofactor of more than 300 enzymes involved in glucose metabolism, the synthesis of proteins and nucleic acids, the formation and transfer of energy, the regulation of vascular smooth muscle tone and the function of endothelial cells, as a counterion for high-energy compounds (ATP) and nucleic acids, regulates transmembrane transport plays a role in maintaining the structure of proteins, DNA stabilization, synthesis and metabolism of catecholamines (norepinephrine), acetylcholine and other neurotransmitters, as well as neuropeptides in brain tissue [4].
Magnesium is necessary for maintaining the homeostasis of calcium, potassium and sodium, plays an important role in the metabolism of vitamin D and the synthesis of its hormonal form, since the activity of enzymes (hydroxylases) that hydroxylate vitamin D3 is magnesium-dependent [5–7].
Foods that contain magnesium
We have selected 10 foods that contain the most magnesium. Some were a pleasant surprise...
Article on the topic
Healthy bones on fasting days: plant sources of calcium High magnesium content in the grain shell. Therefore, cereals and bread made from whole grain flour are so important for a healthy diet. In addition, be sure to eat green leafy vegetables (spinach, salads, chard, etc.), drink cocoa and chew nuts. So, 10 foods with the highest magnesium content:
Wheat bran – 590 mg
Cocoa – 440 mg (this is in dry powder. A dark chocolate bar contains about 200 mg of magnesium)
Cashew – 270 mg
Buckwheat – 258 mg
Soy – 249 mg
Almonds – 170 mg
Rice (unpolished) - 157 mg (for comparison: polished 64 mg magnesium)
Oatmeal – 139 mg
Spinach – 58 mg
Chicken egg – 47 mg
What else contains magnesium →
How much magnesium do you need - daily requirement?
Dietary needs vary slightly from person to person, but the recommended daily intake values can help you determine how much magnesium you need. These values depend on your gender, age and certain lifestyle variables.
Aim to get the following amounts each day:
- Men ages 19 to 30: 400 mg magnesium per day.
- Women aged 19 to 30 years: 310 mg magnesium per day.
- Pregnant women of this age require slightly more magnesium - 350 mg per day. Breastfeeding women need the same amount of magnesium as non-pregnant women - 310 mg of magnesium per day.
- Men over 30 years of age: 420 mg magnesium per day.
- Women over 30: 320 mg magnesium every day. Pregnant women over 30 years of age should aim for 360 mg of magnesium. Breastfeeding women require the same amount as non-pregnant women - 320 mg.
Why do women need magnesium?
How is it best absorbed?
Article on the topic
All the salt is in the iron. How to eat to increase hemoglobin levels Be sure to take calcium to absorb magnesium. Or eat foods with a high content of it. A lot of calcium is found not only in milk, but also in sesame seeds, spinach, orange and green fruits and vegetables.
You will get the maximum amount of magnesium from fresh vegetables, but if you want to cook them, do not pour out the broth, which has absorbed a large amount of the element.
Best food sources of magnesium
To avoid magnesium deficiency in your body, add more of the following foods to your diet:
1. Seeds . Sesame, flax, poppy, sunflower and chia contain more than 300 mg of magnesium/100 g of product. But the absolute record holder here is pumpkin seeds: 460 mg/100 g. Tahini sesame paste has 95 mg/100 g.
2. Nuts . You will find the most magnesium in Brazil nuts (350-360 mg/100 g), as well as in cashews, almonds and pine nuts (>200 mg). Of course, these values vary depending on how the nuts are prepared: roasted/dried, salted/unsalted. There is more magnesium (and overall health benefits) in dried nuts, without any additives. The popular treat peanut butter contains 180 mg of magnesium/100 g.
3. Legume products . Among them, the champions in the amount of magnesium per 100 g of product are: soybean (225 mg), mung bean (189 mg) and white beans (184 mg). In 100g of good tofu you will find 111mg of magnesium.
4. Cereals . The fastest way to compensate for magnesium deficiency are grain products such as wheat bran (480 mg/100 g) and wheat germ (259 mg). Among the grains, the most magnesium is found in quinoa, brown rice, oats, wheat, and buckwheat (see table below).
And other foods where you can find magnesium:
5. Vegetables and fruits . In fact, they do not stand out for their high magnesium content. But still, snacking on some dried fruits, natural potato chips, as well as adding tomato paste, chard or watercress to your dishes helps to replenish the daily requirement of this important mineral.
6. Dark chocolate . In addition to being high in antioxidants, as we've previously written about, this healthy treat also boasts 121 mg of magnesium per 100 g. By comparison, its cousin, milk chocolate, contains only 55 mg per 100 g of the product.
7. Spices and other dry foods . You can’t eat a lot of spices, cocoa, coffee and salt in one sitting (and it’s not recommended). However, almost all of us consume these foods on a daily basis, which means they also play a role in meeting the body's magnesium needs. Thus, cocoa powder contains as much as 523 mg of Mg (per 100 g). This means that only 1 tbsp. l. plain cocoa (average dose per large cup) provides approximately 50 mg of magnesium. Regular table salt contains 290 mg of magnesium, tea leaves, ground coffee and rose hips - 240-250 mg. Among the spices that stand out here are: coriander (694 mg), dried dill (451 mg), fennel seeds (385 mg), coriander (330 mg), cumin (366 mg), cumin seeds (258 mg) and curry (254 mg) .
