Magnesium is an important mineral that is involved in more than 300 enzyme reactions in the human body. It is naturally present in many foods. And most people get enough magnesium from their diet. However, some develop magnesium deficiency when they are unable to consume or retain enough magnesium in their diet, either due to lifestyle factors, medications they take, or an underlying health condition. How to understand that the body does not have enough magnesium?
ContentWhat is magnesium and how does it affect our body? What can cause magnesium deficiency? How to understand that the body does not have enough magnesium
Getting a blood test from your doctor is the best way to determine if you have a magnesium deficiency. However, understanding how this mineral affects the body and what its signs are may be the first step in recognizing the problem before you tell your doctor. WomanEL will tell you everything you need to know about him.
What is magnesium and how does it affect our body?
There are certain vitamins and minerals that your body simply cannot live without. Magnesium is one such mineral. “Magnesium is an element, much like sodium and calcium, that is critical to keeping your body healthy,” explains Richard Scanlan, MD. “Magnesium is important for maintaining normal heart and lung function and is also important for controlling blood pressure and other brain and nervous system functions.”
The US National Institutes of Health adds that magnesium helps regulate blood sugar levels, muscle function, and protein, bone and DNA development.
What can cause magnesium deficiency?
If you consume or retain too little magnesium, it can lead to a number of magnesium deficiency symptoms. But how much do we need? Experts say women should get 310 to 320 mg of magnesium in food every day. For men, the amount is higher: 410 to 420 mg.
“Are you eating a high-fat diet filled with fried foods and sugar? If you don't include nuts, seeds, leafy green vegetables, whole grains and legumes in your diet, you may become magnesium deficient at some point.”
Richard Scanlan warns that you can also lose magnesium if you regularly drink too much alcohol, as alcohol can impair magnesium absorption and cause frequent urination. Certain diseases – both acute and chronic – can also lead to magnesium deficiency.
“Chronic diarrhea can lead to low magnesium levels along with kidney problems. If your kidneys are not working properly, it can prevent your body from reabsorbing magnesium. People with uncontrolled diabetes may also lose magnesium,” explains Scanlan. Daniel Landau, MD, adds that it is not uncommon for people undergoing cancer treatment to develop this particular deficiency.
How to understand that the body does not have enough magnesium
Headache and migraine are one of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency in the body, Source: freepik.com
As Scanlan notes, symptoms of magnesium deficiency , tend to be very non-specific, meaning they are common and can have many underlying causes. That's why if you experience these symptoms, you should request laboratory testing rather than trying to diagnose yourself. The most common test is a serum magnesium test, which measures the concentration of magnesium in your blood.
Knowing the symptoms of magnesium deficiency can help alert you to get tested:
- Fatigue.
- Migraines.
- Heart rhythm disturbances.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Muscle cramps and weakness.
- Numbness or tingling in the legs or arms.
< li>Weakened immune system.
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