Magnesium is essential for health, implicated in over 300 enzymatic reactions affecting energy production, nerve function, and heart health. Optimal magnesium levels are crucial for preventing chronic diseases. Overall, magnesium is the fourth most profuse cation in the human body.
Low magnesium levels can cause stomach issues like constipation. Chronic stress also affects magnesium: ongoing stress can lessen magnesium in your body, and low magnesium can make you more sensitive to stress. These interrelated problems are known as the stress-magnesium circle and the constipation-magnesium circle.
How common is magnesium deficiency?
Magnesium deficiency is a common global health issue, influenced by factors such as gender, diet, age, and geographical site. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2006 reported that approximately 48% of the U.S. residents had insufficient magnesium intake from food sources.
11 warning signs of magnesium deficiency:
Early signs of magnesium deficiency are nausea, loss of appetite, fatigue, vomiting, and weakness. As the deficiency aggravates, symptoms can include tingling, abnormal muscle movements, numbness, muscle cramping, seizures, confusion, and heart arrhythmias. Low Magnesium can also disrupt the balance of other electrolytes, causing low serum calcium (hypocalcemia) and low serum potassium (hypokalemia).
Furthermore, low magnesium has been linked to several diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, asthma, hypertension, migraines, and osteoporosis.
Here are the warning signs of low magnesium.
1. Headaches and migraines:
Magnesium plays a crucial role in the neurotransmitter release and regulation of blood vessel function in the brain.
Research shows a link between magnesium deficiency and headaches and migraines. According to the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3-beta), about 90% of headaches in general practice are prime, including tension headaches, cluster headaches, and migraines. Using magnesium for headaches is an appealing alternative to traditional medications, which can cause addiction and side effects.
2. Fatigue:
Magnesium plays an important role in the production of ATP (cellular energy). Low magnesium can lower your energy levels leading to low energy and fatigue.
According to a study, patients treated with magnesium stated to have less pain, improved energy levels, and better emotional status.
3. Muscle cramps and tension:
If you have muscle cramps and tension most probably, it is due to the low magnesium levels in your body.
According to a study, using dialysate magnesium decreases the frequency and severity of muscle cramps.
4. Low mood:
Low magnesium levels can cause low mood because magnesium is crucial in regulating your brain or nervous system. Magnesium deficiency may lead to symptoms of low mood or stress.
According to a study, low magnesium may cause depressive symptoms. Depressed patients showed a decrease in total plasma magnesium.
5. Blood sugar imbalance:
Magnesium supplements can improve glycemic control and insulin sensitivity. So if you have low magnesium, this can lead to high blood sugar spikes and insulin resistance.
According to a study, magnesium protects blood vessel cells from damage and works against calcium. Low magnesium levels can cause problems like poor lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, and raised oxidative stress. This can worsen diabetes and its complications.
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6. Worsen premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms:
Magnesium deficiency can worsen PMS symptoms, such as irritability, mood swings, and cramps. Sufficient magnesium levels help regulate neurotransmitters and muscle function, reducing PMS distress.
To alleviate the magnesium deficiency symptoms, make sure to maintain adequate magnesium in the body through supplements and diet. This will improve your health during the premenstrual phase.
7. Constipation:
Digestive problems such as constipation can be due to low magnesium levels in the body. Magnesium plays a significant role in relaxing muscles in your intestine, and stomach, it also helps in bowel movement through the digestive tract.
Note: Too much magnesium intake may cause diarrhea. To avoid this condition always consume the recommended dosage.
8. Insomnia:
Low magnesium in the body can cause insomnia by disrupting sleep patterns and changing sleep structure. This deficiency impacts your neuroendocrine functions and the sleep-wake cycle, as a result, it will make it harder to fall and stay asleep, especially in older adults.
According to a study, magnesium deficiency in the body, can disrupt sleep patterns and cause insomnia. This may occur due to neuroendocrine dysregulation or disturbed sleep-wake cycles.
9. Decreased bone density:
Magnesium eases the conversion of vitamin D into its active form in your body. It is crucial for your healthy bones and teeth, as it helps to regulate the absorption, and metabolism of calcium (while calcium is a crucial mineral for bone formation).
Low magnesium or vitamin D may cause a decrease in your bone density, as a result, your bones get more susceptible and fragile to fracture.
According to a study, an adult body contains about 25 grams of magnesium, split between bones and soft tissues. Around one-third of skeletal magnesium is on bone surfaces and can be exchanged to maintain extracellular magnesium levels during depletion.
10. High blood pressure:
Low magnesium in your body may lead to high blood pressure, as it is responsible for reduce the workload on your heart by relaxing blood vessels and improving blood flow.
According to a study, chronic low magnesium intake, especially in older adults, is associated with higher risks of high blood pressure (hypertension) and stroke. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans propose following daily doses of magnesium including
- 420 mg for men
- 320 mg for women
11. Brain fog:
Brain fog occurs when you feel confusion or lack of mental clarity. This condition is called brain fog because it can make you feel like a cloud, which decreases the visibility or clarity of mind. The symptoms of brain fog are:
- Forgetful
- Depressed
- Discouraged
- Detached
Your brain needs magnesium to overcome brain fog but, other nutrients such as calcium, zinc, chromium, selenium, iodine, L-glutamine, choline, thiamine, L-taurine B6, B12, and other B-complex vitamins are also vital.
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How can I test my magnesium deficiency?
You can’t test your low magnesium by noticing magnesium deficiency symptoms, (such as muscle cramps, fatigue, irregular heartbeats, and mental fog) but, if you suspect, you can initiate with a blood test, specifically a serum magnesium test, which measures the amount of magnesium in your blood. However, this test might not always be correct as only a small fraction of the body’s magnesium is in the blood. For a more complete evaluation, your healthcare provider might recommend a
Red blood cell (RBC) magnesium test or a 24-hour urine test to measure magnesium excretion.
Additionally, a detailed dietary assessment can help determine if you’re consuming enough magnesium-rich foods. Combining these approaches provides a better understanding of your magnesium levels and helps guide potential supplementation or dietary adjustments.
How do I fulfill magnesium deficiency?
To overcome magnesium deficiency symptoms, it’s crucial to increase magnesium intake. You are required to change your diet and if necessary, your healthcare provider prescribes you supplements.
Foods that are enrich in magnesium:
Here is the list of foods that are enriched in magnesium
- Whole grains such as quinoa and brown rice
- Leafy green vegetables such as kale and spinach
- Legumes like lentils and beans
- Nuts like almonds
- Seeds such as pumpkin seeds
- Dark chocolate
- Avocados
If dietary sources aren’t sufficient, your healthcare provider prescribes magnesium supplements.
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Risk factors associated with magnesium deficiency?
Magnesium deficiency can be associated with several risk factors. Poor dietary intake is a primary factor, especially in people who consume diets high in processed foods and low in magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, nuts, and whole grains. Certain health conditions, like gastrointestinal diseases (such as Crohn’s disease, and celiac disease), can mess up magnesium absorption. Chronic diarrhea and vomiting also lead to low magnesium.
Age is another risk factor, as older adults often have lower magnesium levels and absorption. Additionally, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to elevated magnesium excretion by the kidneys. Medications such as antibiotics, diuretics, and proton pump inhibitors can decrease magnesium levels. Stress and chronic illnesses, like diabetes and hypertension, also increase the body’s magnesium needs.
Low magnesium levels in the body are also associated with oxidative stress, metabolic syndrome, low-grade inflammation, and insulin resistance. Furthermore, high BP (blood pressure) is the key independent and modifiable risk factor for ischemic heart disease and heart failure.
