Without magnesium, nothing in life works. This mineral is absolutely essential for all metabolic functions, but the body cannot produce it itself.
A magnesium deficiency can have negative consequences for your physical and mental well-being and sleep quality, so it's worth paying more attention to your magnesium intake!
Table of contents
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1. Magnesium – an underestimated mineral
It's hard to believe how important magnesium is for the organism: restful sleep , the ability to concentrate , muscle performance - these are just some of the processes in the body that cannot function optimally without the mineral.
In short, magnesium has a hand in pretty much everything : the nervous system, blood circulation, cell supply, protein synthesis and immune system would all come to a complete standstill without this micronutrient.
Magnesium, for example, acts as a coenzyme and is an important activator for the function of approximately 300 enzymes in the body, including adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Without ATP, muscles cannot perform. This applies not only to physical performance, but also to mental performance.
Magnesium is also incredibly important for blood flow to the brain. It can even reduce the risk of stroke, as a comparison of seven studies involving stroke patients shows. [1]
Further studies even demonstrate that a magnesium deficiency in the body can lead to lifestyle diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and other cardiovascular diseases. For this study, 4,497 young Americans between the ages of 18 and 30 were observed for 20 years. During this time, 330 new cases of diabetes occurred.
A comparison of blood values and dietary habits quickly led to the conclusion that magnesium deficiency was prevalent among participants with diabetes. [2]
Another study even discovered a link between magnesium deficiency and sudden cardiac death. [3] This demonstrates how important the mineral is for blood pressure and cardiovascular health.
Magnesium even plays a significant role in osteoporosis prevention . Only in combination with the mineral calcium in a 1:2 ratio can it be optimally utilized by the body and ensure bone maintenance.
However, the importance of magnesium is still greatly underestimated, and many people don't even think about getting enough. Approximately 15 percent of Germans have a demonstrable magnesium deficiency, but the actual number is estimated to be much higher.
Take-home message #1: Without magnesium, the body could not function. This valuable mineral is involved in all metabolic processes. A magnesium deficiency can have serious consequences for the body and mind.
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2. What are the causes of magnesium deficiency?
But how can a nutritional deficiency even occur? You eat healthy and cook with fresh ingredients, and yet a nutrient deficiency can still occur.
As an adult, you need about 300 mg (women) to 400 mg (men) of magnesium per day . A deficiency can quickly develop if you don't consume enough magnesium through your diet or if you have an increased magnesium requirement. Possible causes include:
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One-sided diet: If you want to lose weight or generally follow a low-carbohydrate diet , you will quickly find yourself with a magnesium deficiency .
This valuable mineral is found in foods such as oatmeal , unpolished rice , and wheat germ. Furthermore, a high-protein diet can inhibit magnesium absorption . Furthermore, a large portion of the original nutrients is lost when cooking fresh foods.
- Alcohol consumption: An occasional glass of wine isn't a problem if your lifestyle is otherwise healthy. However, regular or excessive alcohol consumption can negatively impact magnesium levels, even with a healthy diet. Alcohol stimulates dehydration—and thus the excretion of minerals.
- Disturbed digestion: You can eat a perfectly balanced diet, but if the intestines can't absorb enough nutrients through the intestinal mucosa, a magnesium deficiency in the blood quickly develops. This can be caused by inflammation, but also by an imbalanced intestinal flora . In addition to supplementing magnesium, you should also work on establishing an intact bacterial environment through pro-cultures.
- Hypothyroidism: You may not have thought about your thyroid before, but an underactive thyroid can be the reason why you cannot absorb enough magnesium from food due to a slowed metabolism.
- Stress : Magnesium normally helps keep stress hormones in check. However, with a magnesium deficiency, these hormones run rampant and cause, among other things, heart palpitations and high blood pressure. Some people therefore use magnesium specifically to prevent stress. A healthy work-life balance also contributes to a better nutrient supply for the entire body.
- Sports: Active athletes lose many minerals through sweat during exercise. At the same time, magnesium requirements increase to maintain muscle function. To compensate for this deficit, athletes should balance their electrolyte levels .
- Pregnancy : During pregnancy, women need about 50 percent more magnesium.
Take-home message #2: Magnesium deficiency is caused by an increased need or insufficient nutrient intake.
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3. Symptoms: How do you recognize a magnesium deficiency?
A magnesium deficiency manifests itself through a variety of symptoms and complaints. Therefore, even for a doctor, it's difficult to identify the mineral deficiency as the cause of physical and psychological impairments.
The deficiency can manifest itself as a single symptom or as several symptoms simultaneously. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include:
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Muscle cramps : You've probably experienced calf cramps while exercising before and heard someone say, "It's due to a magnesium deficiency." Magnesium can actually reduce frequent calf cramps or muscle twitches, as a mineral deficiency is usually the cause of muscle cramps.
While calcium causes muscle contraction, magnesium is responsible for muscle relaxation . Endurance athletes, in particular, quickly suffer from mineral depletion due to intensive training and should replenish their electrolyte levels in a timely manner.
To avoid calf cramps or muscle cramps in general during exercise or in everyday life, you should avoid a magnesium deficiency. However, there are many other symptoms that don't so clearly indicate a deficiency in this micronutrient.
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Sleep disturbances : Without sufficient magnesium in your blood, you may find yourself lying awake in bed for hours, unable to fall asleep. You simply can't find the restorative phase where your body and mind regenerate.
Magnesium is one of the most important minerals in the sleep process, as it ensures the transmission of stimuli between nerves and muscles—and thus promotes relaxation. It also promotes the effects of GABA , the most important calming neurotransmitter in the central nervous system.
It's no wonder, then, that a magnesium deficiency negatively impacts sleep. Are you plagued by restlessness and racing thoughts before bed? A magnesium deficiency could be the cause. If your sleep quality improves, however, you'll be more mentally alert during the day and be able to fully utilize your memory potential.
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Tiredness and exhaustion: Of course, if you can't rest at night and simply can't recover during sleep, you'll also feel exhausted during the day. The tiredness lingers throughout the day, concentration wanes, and every exertion becomes torture.
But maybe you're even sleeping well and still feel exhausted and drained? This could also be due to a magnesium deficiency, as magnesium plays an important role in energy production and supplies the cells with nutrients. Balancing your magnesium levels can help you regain your usual energy.
- Difficulty concentrating : A magnesium deficiency can generally manifest itself in impaired cognitive abilities. Memory performance deteriorates and you're unable to focus properly. This makes it difficult for you to deliver the optimal performance you expect of yourself at work.
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Nervousness and inner restlessness : Are you constantly on edge and feeling fidgety? This could also be due to a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium suppresses stress hormones and promotes inner relaxation – but only if the body is sufficiently supplied with it.
It promotes the action of the calming GABA receptors while simultaneously suppressing the excitatory NMDA receptors. Therefore, if the body lacks this crucial mineral, a kind of overreaction of the nervous system occurs.
- Headaches, migraines : Tension headaches or migraine attacks are not uncommon in cases of magnesium deficiency. A study has shown this connection, demonstrating that magnesium supplementation can both relieve pain and prevent it. [4] However, in this case, the use of magnesium to treat migraines should be discussed with your doctor.
- Cardiac arrhythmia, palpitations, high blood pressure : As already mentioned, magnesium can normalize blood pressure and prevent constriction of the heart vessels. However, if there is too little magnesium in the blood, symptoms such as palpitations and high blood pressure are not uncommon.
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Digestive problems : A magnesium deficiency can also negatively impact your digestion and your intestines. This often manifests itself in constipation or diarrhea, sometimes even alternating between the two. If your intestines aren't functioning optimally, further deficiencies can result, as they can no longer absorb and produce the nutrients you need.
In addition, your immune system is weakened, as 88% of your immune cells are located in your gut. Want to learn more about gut health? Then check out our article on gut bacteria .
- Gynecological complaints : In women, magnesium deficiency during menstruation often leads to severe abdominal cramps, heavy bleeding, or water retention. In pregnant women, a deficiency can even lead to premature onset of labor.
The list of possible complaints caused by a magnesium deficiency is long and can be applied just as easily to other diseases.
If you're experiencing similar symptoms and can't find an explanation, it could be due to a magnesium deficiency. Increasing your magnesium intake through food or supplements would be a first step.
Take-Home Message #3: The symptoms of magnesium deficiency are diverse and difficult to define. However, the mineral deficiency can negatively impact sleep, energy levels, and cognitive abilities.
4. Correct magnesium deficiency: What you can do
The best way to prevent a magnesium deficiency is to prevent it from occurring in the first place by providing your body with all the essential nutrients. If magnesium levels are too low, this can also negatively impact calcium and potassium levels—other minerals involved in many metabolic functions.
Of course, a balanced diet is the foundation for providing your body with the necessary nutrients. If you have a magnesium deficiency despite eating high-quality foods, you can meet your magnesium needs by taking supplements . Supplements are not medications, meaning you can order them without a prescription, for example, online.
Nutrition
You may have thought you were already eating well and providing your body with sufficient magnesium and all the essential nutrients. The problem is that the soil has been severely depleted by mass farming, and fruits and vegetables contain significantly fewer minerals than they did 100 years ago .
This is confirmed by a study by British scientist David Thomas, who compared the mineral content of fruit and vegetables with that of the 1940s .
The alarming result: The proportion of minerals and trace elements has decreased by more than 50 percent ; carrots, for example, now contain 75 percent less magnesium than before . [5]
So this means for you: Either eat more or include more magnesium-rich foods in your diet. Magnesium is found, for example, in
- Amaranth
- Quinoa
- oatmeal
- Almonds
- sesame
- Sunflower seeds
- pumpkin seeds
- algae
- Bananas
- green leafy vegetables
- contain dark chocolate.
Supplements
Dietary supplements can also help you compensate for a magnesium deficiency, especially if you are unable to meet your needs through food.
Depending on how a magnesium deficiency manifests itself in you, it may be a good idea to use a product that helps you, for example, sleep better or feel good in your skin while reducing stress.
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But if you want to improve your mood, have trouble concentrating, or are lacking energy for the day, then BRAINEFFECT MOOD is the product of your choice. It also contains magnesium and 20 other ingredients important for the production of the happiness hormone serotonin.
These include vitamin C to combat oxidative stress and vitamin B12 for your mental health. However, a balanced diet is essential, as magnesium can only be utilized in combination with other vital nutrients.
Take-home message #4: Magnesium-rich foods and supplements can balance magnesium levels.
5. Conclusion
Magnesium is involved in numerous functions in your body. This is also why a magnesium deficiency can manifest itself in a variety of ways.
If you're under a lot of stress, have an unbalanced diet, or are physically active and sweat a lot, your magnesium needs may increase. In this case, you can meet your magnesium needs through a balanced diet or special dietary supplements.
6. Sources
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22205313
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20807870
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20826254
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19271946
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14653505
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