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Magnesium - the Overlooked Nutrient
A lack of magnesium underlies our epidemic of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and osteoporosis. Minus magnesium, hearts beat irregularly; arteries stiffen, constrict and clog; blood pressure rises; blood tends to clot; muscles spasm; insulin grows weaker and blood sugar jumps; bones lose strength; and pain signals intensify.
Many people needlessly suffer pain - including fibromyalgia, migraines and muscle cramps - because they do not get enough magnesium. Many people worsen the problem by loading up on calcium, which flushes magnesium out of cells.
The recommended daily allowance for magnesium is 320mg for women, 400mg for men. Many authorities take a 400mg-magnesium supplement daily. Possible side effects: Diarrhea or loose stools. The body will usually adapt, however, but if not, you can cut back. Avoid magnesium supplements if you have kidney disease. On the other hand, you need extra magnesium if you drink alcohol or if you take diuretics or high doses of calcium. Those all deplete magnesium.
Following are ten essential benefits of magnesium:
01. Heart arrhythmias. Magnesium deficiency predisposes people to serious, even deadly, heart arrhythmias - irregular and abnormally fast heartbeats or atrial fibrillation.
02. Blocked arteries. High blood magnesium cuts your odds of dying from common "ischemic" heart disease (blocked or narrowed arteries) by one-third. Other research shows magnesium shortages lower good HDL cholesterol and accelerates hardening of the arteries.
03. Blood pressure. The higher the magnesium inside your cells, the more apt you are to have lower blood pressure, more elastic blood vessels and a less enlarged heart. Supplements can help normalize blood pressure.
04. Diabetes. Diabetes is a magnesium deficiency state. Eighty-percent of diabetics have low intracellular magnesium. Research suggests low magnesium boosts your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by one-third. Supplements can improve insulin activity and may cut diabetes' risk and complications. Some specialists tell diabetics to take 400mg magnesium daily.
05. Strong bones. Magnesium is as vital as calcium in preventing osteoporosis. It is essential for normal bone metabolism. Tufts researchers found high magnesium intake predicted higher bone mass and less bone loss in the elderly.
06. Migraines. Half of migraine sufferers have low magnesium and upping magnesium has reduced the duration, intensity and frequency of migraines.
07. Sound sleep. Several studies show a lack of magnesium can alter electrical activity in the brain, causing agitated sleep and frequent awakenings.
08. Safer pregnancy. Extensive research shows that magnesium lessens pre-eclampsia, in which blood pressure soars in late pregnancy, upping the risk of spontaneous abortions and premature, low-birth weight babies. A large British study of 10,000 women in 33 countries confirms that taking magnesium sulphate supplements reduced the hazard by 50-percent.
09. Pain relief. If you have leg cramps or other muscle cramps, taking 100mg to 400mg magnesium daily may bring relief. Extra magnesium also may help prevent or relieve painful myalgias (including the syndrome known as fibromyalgia), chronic lower back pain, restless legs syndrome, erythromelalgia (a painful dilation of skin blood vessels) and chronic fatigue syndrome. Magnesium reduces a pain transmitter in the nervous system called substance P.
10. Extra Benefits. Taking magnesium could counteract the heart attack and stroke hazards of hormone replacement therapy. Research shows magnesium counters estrogen's clot-producing abilities. Further magnesium may help treat premature ejaculation and relieve certain symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.
Food Sources of Magnesium
Nuts and seeds per ounce:
Pumpkin seeds - 152mg
Sunflower kernels - 100mg
Almonds - 78mg
Cashews - 73mg
Peanuts - 50mg
Walnuts - 45mg
Wheat bran cereals per 1-ounce:
100-percent bran - 134mg
All Bran - 106mg
Wheat germ - 90mg
Raisin Bran - 48mg
Legumes per one-half cup:
Tofu - 94mg
Baked Beans - 72mg
Chickpeas (cooked, canned) - 52mg
Lentils (cooked) - 43mg
Fruits and Vegetables
Potato (medium, w/skin) - 56mg
Spinach (1-cup raw, one-half cup cooked) - 52mg
Avocado (one-half Hass) - 35mg
Banana (medium) 34mg
Seafood - 3 ounces:
Shrimp (cooked, peeled) - 43mg
Salmon - 31mg
A lack of magnesium underlies our epidemic of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and osteoporosis. Minus magnesium, hearts beat irregularly; arteries stiffen, constrict and clog; blood pressure rises; blood tends to clot; muscles spasm; insulin grows weaker and blood sugar jumps; bones lose strength; and pain signals intensify.
Many people needlessly suffer pain - including fibromyalgia, migraines and muscle cramps - because they do not get enough magnesium. Many people worsen the problem by loading up on calcium, which flushes magnesium out of cells.
The recommended daily allowance for magnesium is 320mg for women, 400mg for men. Many authorities take a 400mg-magnesium supplement daily. Possible side effects: Diarrhea or loose stools. The body will usually adapt, however, but if not, you can cut back. Avoid magnesium supplements if you have kidney disease. On the other hand, you need extra magnesium if you drink alcohol or if you take diuretics or high doses of calcium. Those all deplete magnesium.
Following are ten essential benefits of magnesium:
01. Heart arrhythmias. Magnesium deficiency predisposes people to serious, even deadly, heart arrhythmias - irregular and abnormally fast heartbeats or atrial fibrillation.
02. Blocked arteries. High blood magnesium cuts your odds of dying from common "ischemic" heart disease (blocked or narrowed arteries) by one-third. Other research shows magnesium shortages lower good HDL cholesterol and accelerates hardening of the arteries.
03. Blood pressure. The higher the magnesium inside your cells, the more apt you are to have lower blood pressure, more elastic blood vessels and a less enlarged heart. Supplements can help normalize blood pressure.
04. Diabetes. Diabetes is a magnesium deficiency state. Eighty-percent of diabetics have low intracellular magnesium. Research suggests low magnesium boosts your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by one-third. Supplements can improve insulin activity and may cut diabetes' risk and complications. Some specialists tell diabetics to take 400mg magnesium daily.
05. Strong bones. Magnesium is as vital as calcium in preventing osteoporosis. It is essential for normal bone metabolism. Tufts researchers found high magnesium intake predicted higher bone mass and less bone loss in the elderly.
06. Migraines. Half of migraine sufferers have low magnesium and upping magnesium has reduced the duration, intensity and frequency of migraines.
07. Sound sleep. Several studies show a lack of magnesium can alter electrical activity in the brain, causing agitated sleep and frequent awakenings.
08. Safer pregnancy. Extensive research shows that magnesium lessens pre-eclampsia, in which blood pressure soars in late pregnancy, upping the risk of spontaneous abortions and premature, low-birth weight babies. A large British study of 10,000 women in 33 countries confirms that taking magnesium sulphate supplements reduced the hazard by 50-percent.
09. Pain relief. If you have leg cramps or other muscle cramps, taking 100mg to 400mg magnesium daily may bring relief. Extra magnesium also may help prevent or relieve painful myalgias (including the syndrome known as fibromyalgia), chronic lower back pain, restless legs syndrome, erythromelalgia (a painful dilation of skin blood vessels) and chronic fatigue syndrome. Magnesium reduces a pain transmitter in the nervous system called substance P.
10. Extra Benefits. Taking magnesium could counteract the heart attack and stroke hazards of hormone replacement therapy. Research shows magnesium counters estrogen's clot-producing abilities. Further magnesium may help treat premature ejaculation and relieve certain symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.
Food Sources of Magnesium
Nuts and seeds per ounce:
Pumpkin seeds - 152mg
Sunflower kernels - 100mg
Almonds - 78mg
Cashews - 73mg
Peanuts - 50mg
Walnuts - 45mg
Wheat bran cereals per 1-ounce:
100-percent bran - 134mg
All Bran - 106mg
Wheat germ - 90mg
Raisin Bran - 48mg
Legumes per one-half cup:
Tofu - 94mg
Baked Beans - 72mg
Chickpeas (cooked, canned) - 52mg
Lentils (cooked) - 43mg
Fruits and Vegetables
Potato (medium, w/skin) - 56mg
Spinach (1-cup raw, one-half cup cooked) - 52mg
Avocado (one-half Hass) - 35mg
Banana (medium) 34mg
Seafood - 3 ounces:
Shrimp (cooked, peeled) - 43mg
Salmon - 31mg