When it comes to nutrition, real, whole foods are always best way to meet your needs. The reality is, however, that the standard American diet is deficient is several crucial nutrients, and that even in the case where an individual prioritizes great nutrition, it will still be lacking in certain vitamins and minerals. Magnesium is one of them.
Magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic processes in the body. It’s required for blood glucose control, blood pressure regulation, protein synthesis, and muscle and nerve function, to name a few. We get magnesium from foods including kale, swiss chard, beet greens, clams, arugula, chives, coconut water (unsweetened!), seeds and other leafy greens. The enormous amount of processed food consumed in the American diet lacks this essential mineral, and actually leaches the body of it as well. Furthermore, stress increases magnesium excretion, as do many medications and even things like carbonated beverages.
There are multiple chronic diseases associated with magnesium deficiency, most notably; diabetes. Insufficient magnesium leads to decreased insulin sensitivity, meaning we end up with more glucose circulating in the blood (elevated blood sugar levels.) Additionally, migraines, asthma, hypertension, pre-eclampsia and osteoporosis are all associated with low levels of magnesium.
If you’re not supplementing with magnesium, here are 8 reasons why you should be.
- Improve exercise performance.
- Combat depression and anxiety.
- Support healthy blood sugar levels.
- Promote heart health.
- Reduce inflammation in the body.
- Improve sleep.
- Promote bone health.
- Prevent migraines.
As always, use a reputable brand when including a supplement in your diet. Here at ResoluteFIT, we use [and carry] THORNE for magnesium supplementation. The dose for magnesium supplementation ranges from 200-600mg per day depending on the individual. While for most people there is no risk with supplementing, anyone with kidney disease would want to follow the specific recommendations of their doctor.
