Magnesium: The Underdog of Nutrients

Calcium, probiotics, antioxidants... we are constantly bombarded with what we are missing or what advertisers want us to believe we need. That orange juice has calcium and no pulp. This cereal is enriched with vitamin B. This cheese was hand massaged. We live in an artisan, grass fed, organic, GMO-free, hand reared society, but no one is talking about a key nutrient: magnesium.

Eighty percent of Americans are deficient in this mineral. Researchers have detected 3,751 magnesium binding sites on human proteins, according to GreenMedInfo. According to Epoch Times, magnesium is found in more than 300 enzymes in your body and is responsible for:

Creation of energy molecules in your body
Bones and teeth
Proper bowl functions
Blood sugar regulation
Heart muscle integrity and action
Slackening of blood vessels

And that's just the short list.

Basically every major organ system in your body requires magnesium, according to LiveStrong. Magnesium is recommended for heart attack survivors and those with congestive heart failure. Studies have found that magnesium helps regulate blood pressure and can prevent heart attack and stroke. "For example, one meta-analysis published earlier this year in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at a total of seven studies collectively covering more than 240,000 participants," according to Epoch Times. "The results showed that dietary magnesium intake is inversely associated with risk of ischemic stroke."

Magnesium may also prevent bronchospasm, reverse osteoporosis, treat depression, migraines and insomnia, according to News Max. Fibromyalgia or premenstrual syndrome sufferers and those with type 2 diabetes could benefit from magnesium, according to Epoch Times. It is even used to prevent premature labor.

Magnesium helps the body process chemicals and manages the detoxification process. "Even glutathione, your body's most powerful antioxidant that has even been called 'the master antioxidant,' requires magnesium for its synthesis," according to Epoch Times.

So, how do you know you don't have enough magnesium?

According to Epoch Times, signs and symptoms can vary from the simple to the severe, including:

Loss of appetite
Headache
Nausea and vomiting
Fatigue and weakness
Numbness and tingling
Muscle contractions and cramps
Seizures
Personality changes
Abnormal heart rhythms
Coronary spasms

Only one percent of magnesium is found in the blood, so blood tests aren't very accurate. Your doctor may give you a 24-hour urine test or a sublingual skin test.

How do you get magnesium?

There are supplements that you can take, but they often consist of magnesium plus another substance. The best way to get magnesium, to keep it balanced with calcium, vitamins K and D and to reduce the chance of vitamin toxicity is to eat whole foods. (Organic foods have even more magnesium than foods grown with a nitrogen-based fertilizer).

"Chlorophyll, which enables plants to capture solar energy and convert it into metabolic energy, has a magnesium atom at its center," according to Epoch Times. "Without magnesium, in fact, plants could not utilize the sun's light energy."

Here are some foods that are rich in magnesium, as suggested by GreenMedInfo: