Magnesium - The Most Beneficial Mineral?

To function correctly, our bodies need vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals are known as "micronutrients," each has a different function inside the body. 

Some micronutrients, for example, act as coenzymes, meaning that they help carry chemicals between enzymes, while others serve as catalysts for specific chemical reactions. Magnesium is one of the most important micronutrients for the body. It helps the body stay healthy by helping with a variety of processes. It helps build body tissue - especially bone tissue, and it relaxes muscles, including the heart. 

More than 300 biochemical reactions require magnesium! For this reason, it is important to derive sufficient magnesium from your food and supplements.

Magnesium Deficiency

Because the modern-day diet is deprived of many vitamins and minerals, magnesium deficiency is common nowadays. And though magnesium deficiency isn't likely to lead to side effects in the short term, it is not something to overlook.

The Symptoms

Some of the first symptoms of magnesium deficiency one can notice are the following:

• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• General exhaustion
• Weakness
• Lack of appetite
• Muscle cramps
• Numbness
• Mood swings

Now, the thing is that there is a multitude of reasons for the occurrence of a magnesium deficiency. However, if you are generally healthy, your diet may be the cause of a deficiency! So let's have a look at the best magnesium-rich foods one can find nearby!

Magnesium Food Sources

Luckily, unless your deficiency is severe, you can solve your problem by picking out suitable food sources. Magnesium can be found in a variety of food sources, with the most abundant ones being plant sources.

Here are the foods that contain the highest amounts of magnesium:

• Walnuts
• Hazelnuts
• Walnuts
• Spinach
• Coriander
• Almonds
• Rice
• Basil

Now, a thing to consider is that thermic preparation of some of these foods may lead to depletion of their magnesium contents, so don't overcook these foods!

Magnesium Supplements

If you find it hard to meet your body's magnesium needs from food alone, supplements can be a viable alternative! Before you rush to buy Magnesium supplements, consider its bioavailability, or, in other words, how much of it is absorbed and the type of magnesium supplement you are getting. Opt for magnesium supplements with organic compounds like salts and amino acids, such as:

• Magnesium citrate
• Magnesium glycinate

These are some of the most bioavailable forms of magnesium that are optimally absorbed. Your nutrition plan is not just about meeting your caloric & macronutrient goals for the day. It is also about understanding that there are micro-elements that your body needs for proper functioning.

Anxiety and Stress

If you suffer from anxiety and stress, magnesium can play a key role in regulating the body's stress response system's HPA axis or hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Magnesium deficiencies are discovered to induce dysregulation of the HPA axis and anxiety. Anxiety is among the physical symptoms of deficiency in magnesium. Studies show that it suppresses the release of adrenaline and cortisol, the stress hormones, and works at the blood-brain barrier that may help prevent stress hormones from reaching the brain. 

Magnesium plays a critical role in hundreds of functions in the body; that's why Magnesium supplements may be beneficial to correct magnesium deficiencies. 

Remember, if you are thinking of starting a new vitamin or supplement routine? Talk with your doctor first.

Shop our Roex Magnesium supplement or all Roex Vitamins & Supplements   

* FDA Disclaimer

The statements made regarding these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any disease or medical condition. Please consult your health care professional before using any product.