Many of us don’t take nutrition as seriously as we should until our health falters. Depending on the genes that we are born with, some may need more of certain vitamins, minerals and trace elements than others due to how our unique bodies process those nutrients despite a healthy diet. One mineral that most of us don’t get enough is magnesium, which is a shame with all the benefits if can offer from hundreds of internal biological reactions within the body. It works side by side with our enzymes from such actions as supplying energy to how muscles and nerves function to blood glucose control.
One reason to explain a likely deficiency in magnesium stems from the fact that the body excretes a lot of it through the kidneys or sweat. Farming processes often strip that mineral from the soil for how our food is grown is another. Furthermore, without lab work being performed it is difficult to judge magnesium levels in the body since it resides in the cells and bones.
Having a direct link to blood sugar, magnesium has benefits for those with type 2 diabetes. It can help since those with it often don’t have enough of this mineral according one study.
With how magnesium controls blood glucose, it can also be advantageous for those suffering with inflammation due to high blood sugar levels. This could relieve pain from conditions such as arthritis.
Speaking of how magnesium influences blood sugar, exercise performance can also be enhanced. After all, this is the mineral that can fire up glucose directly to the muscles while cleaning out lactate from the path the energy needs to travel.
In addition, this mineral can help lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure for those with high blood pressure. Interestingly enough, magnesium will not lower blood pressure for those with normal readings.
Not to be outdone by itself, magnesium also plays a large part in the chemistry of the brain to help with mood and depression.
In the relationship that magnesium has with muscles, it can have benefits for PMS pain from menstrual cramps from how it soothes the muscles of the uterus.
Just as remarkably with how magnesium works on the muscles, it can help those with asthma for relaxing bronchial muscles and expanding the airways.
Some great food sources to consider beefing up on are dark leafy green vegetables such as spinach and Swiss chard, salmon, mackerel, almonds, cashews, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, soy milk, potatoes, black beans, etc.
Supplementing with magnesium is another possibility. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for women is between 310-320 mg and 400-420 mg daily for men. Be warned though that taking too much of this mineral can have a laxative effect.
The information shared here on the benefits of magnesium is not meant to diagnose or treat any medical problem, but just provide some useful knowledge that could better life.
