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The relaxing magic of magnesium

Think of magnesium as a secret little helper; the one you never knew you needed. Roughly 50% of our body’s total magnesium is stored in our bones while the remaining magnesium is mostly found in the cells of body tissues and organs. It is involved in just about every aspect of biochemical metabolism, but it can quickly become depleted, especially during extreme stress.

Just how important is magnesium? It’s a vital mineral for the muscles, heart and kidneys; keeping your organs functioning in tip-top condition. It activates over 300 enzymes found in all body tissues that translate to biochemical reactions that happen on a daily basis.

Magnesium says relax
Function and form come together with magnesium. Magnesium has a soothing effect on your nervous system, thanks to its key ingredient that helps your muscles relax. And relaxed muscles mean a relaxed body and mind, which bodes well for insomnia sufferers. Magnesium has a neuroprotective effect, meaning it lowers your brain temperature and regulates key hormones that make you nod off.

Your digestive tract benefits from all this relaxing too. With magnesium, bowel movements become easier, constipation is eased and your food digests easily. Pain also gets a helping hand, as this relaxation mineral can relieve nerve disturbances that lead to cramps and spasms.

Athletes in particular, benefit from a good dose of magnesium. Some of its main functions include:

  • Maintaining fluid balance
  • boosting energy production
  • regulating normal blood glucose
  • maintaining healthy nerves and muscles.

Whether you’re a competitive athlete or just a weekend gym bunny, there is something to gain from magnesium supplementation.

Convinced yet? Here’s how to mag to the max:
Most dieticians recommend a standard magnesium supplementation dose of 200-400mg per day, which you should take with food. If you’re mostly looking to use magnesium to pep up your sports performance, get advice on the most suitable supplement from a dietician with specialised knowledge in sports nutrition.

There are different types of magnesium supplements that provide different, targeted health benefits. The most common is magnesium citrate. In pill form, magnesium binds with other molecules (usually salts), called chelations. Chelations stabilise the magnesium and prevent a cross-reaction with other minerals.

If pill popping is not your thing, opt for natural sources of magnesium:

  • Leafy green vegetables (e.g. spinach and artichoke)
  • Sprouted seeds and nuts (e.g. almonds and Brazils)
  • Sprouted legumes and beans (e.g. broad beans and lima beans)
  • Raw cacao
  • Sea vegetable (kelp, nori and dulse)
  • Avocados
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Peanuts
  • Oat bran

Supplementing with magnesium has very few side-effects. Your body only absorbs as much as it needs, so there’s really no point in gulping down a handful of tablets before that fun run. Excessive magnesium can cause diarrhoea and gastrointestinal distress.

Could you have a magnesium deficiency?
Now that you know how important magnesium is, it’s worth checking for symptoms of deficiency. And as an athlete, not having enough magnesium could make you pooped instead of pumped, as it reduces metabolic efficiency, increases oxygen consumption and heart rate.

Most doctors aren’t trained to pick up magnesium deficient, says a study by the Exodus Health Center in Georgia, America. According to their study, “Magnesium deficiency is often misdiagnosed because it does not show up in blood tests as only one percent of the body’s magnesium is stored in the blood.”

Signs of deficiency:

  • Neck and back pain
  • Legs cramps
  • Anxiety
  • General fatigue
  • Insomnia
  • Migraine attacks
  • Muscle weakness and spasms
  • Muscle twitching
  • Loss of appetite
  • Vomiting or nausea
  • Diarrhoea

So, if in doubt, it wouldn’t do harm to add a bit of quality magnesium supplements to your breakfast, and see how that affects your symptoms.

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