Magnesium

The first time we talked about calcium. Let’s stick with the minerals for now and talk about magnesium this time.

I think many people know that it is important to get enough magnesium, but the reason behind it may not be.

What is magnesium? Why do you even need it? Where do you get it from? How much do you need? And what symptoms do you get when you are deficient?

These include the things we will learn here!

Let’s go!

Magnesium, like calcium, is a mineral. It’s necessary for, among other things, the formation of bones and muscles and plays a role in the transmission of nerve impulses.

Your body absorbs magnesium at the end of the small intestine. The absorption varies between 30 and 80 percent, depending on the amount of magnesium in the diet and other food components.

Magnesium;

• promotes energy metabolism in your body
• plays a role in the transmission of nerve impulses
• contributes to the normal functioning of your muscles
• is good for your skeleton
• supports your energy level
• is good for your memory and your mood

So magnesium is, as most people already knew, very important for you and now you also know HOW important. It plays a role in an enormous number of important processes.

1% of the amount of magnesium is in the blood, half is in your bones and teeth and the rest is in the body cells, muscles, organs and nervous tissue.

Magnesium is found in almost all foods, but the magnesium content differs per food. Below are some examples of plantbased magnesium sources! But remember… it is found in almost all foods!

Magnesium is among others;

Whole grains
Soybeans and lima beans
Green vegetables, e.g. spinach
Seeds, e.g. pumpkin seeds
Nuts, e.g. almonds
Banana
Avocado
Dark chocolate

There’s even magnesium in tap water!

How much of this mineral do you need? Below is a clear table in which you can see exactly how much you need!

A magnesium deficiency is often difficult to recognize, but possible symptoms of magnesium deficiency include:

• general lethargy or fatigue
• muscle cramps
• stomach cramps
• increased irritability, feeling depressed
• cardiac arrhythmias, in extreme cases

It is difficult to determine whether a magnesium deficiency is the cause of these symptoms. A doctor cannot determine this properly because the magnesium in your blood is not a good measure to determine a magnesium deficiency, because as we had read earlier, there is only 1% of the amount of magnesium in your blood.

Extra information:

• An excess of magnesium only occurs when using tablets that contain magnesium, magnesium salts or mineral water that contains a lot of magnesium. With more than 250 milligrams of magnesium per day extra, so in addition to the magnesium in your food, intestinal complaints such as diarrhea can arise.

Sources;

• https://www.voedingscentrum.nl/encyclopedie/magnesium.aspxBijlagenI
• https://www.vitamine-info.nl/alle-vitamines-en-mineralen-op-een-rij/magnesium/
• https://www.gezondheidenwetenschap.be/richtlijnen/magnesiumtekort
• https://www.zorgwijzer.nl/zorgwijzers/magnesium#:~:text=Magnesium%20komt%20voor%20in%20verschillende,pure%20chocola)%20zit%20veel%20magnesium.