We are conscious of the vitamins needed by the body, but it is very seldom that we give notice to what happens when minerals are deficient.
In fact, we might not know exactly what minerals are needed by the body. It seems that people who are not in the medical or nutrition industry, do not know or care much about minerals.
Although minerals are contained in the supplements that we take in, it is very seldom that we look into this nutrient and how it effects our body. The minerals that usually come to mind are potassium and calcium.
It becomes very surprising when we are learn that magnesium deficiency can lead to some aggravated health issues.
Magnesium is a very vital and necessary mineral. It’s major function is to balance the calcium, protein, iron, Vitamin D, copper and manganese that we have in the body.
What is Magnesium Deficiency?
Magnesium deficiency is the condition that is formed when the intake of magnesium falls below the required level. This possible deficiency can result in developing several diseases.
Once there is an identified magnesium deficiency, it is paramount that the diet be increased with foods high in magnesium. Or since there are supplements available on the market, we can take these pills to supply the body with this mineral.
As we said, many of us do not concern ourselves so much with the mineral and we quite often not really know how much of this is needed by our body which is the primary cause for it being deficient in many cases.
Recommended Daily Dose
Recommended daily intake for healthy American and European adults is between 143 to 266 milligrams per day. This is the norm, but under certain conditions, the needed magnesium may deviate from this range. For instance, when the body has high consumption of foods rich in calcium, protein and Vitamin D, there is a need to increase magnesium intake.
Gender also plays a part whereby the males are required to ingest more magnesium than women. To ensure that magnesium is absorbed by the body, you will need high dosages of Vitamin D and lactose.
Since you are not familiar with magnesium, you are not also cognizant of the different foods that will fulfill your magnesium requirement most likely. Let’s run-down the common foods that are magnesium-rich.
Foods High in Magnesium
Very high in magnesium are nuts, soybeans and wheat bran. Some fruits and vegetables that can be a source of magnesium are broccoli, carrots, peas, green leafy vegetables, celery, alfalfa, apples, peaches, avocado, dates, banana and more.
What will happen to you when you suffer magnesium deficiency? Because this mineral is needed in the functioning of different parts of the body, many different symptoms may manifest. Some may be alarming and some might go unnoticed.
Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms
The most alarming symptoms are heart palpitations, high blood pressure, difficulty in breathing due to constricted chest, osteoporosis, and extreme fatigue.
Other symptoms which you may usually ignore are restlessness and anxiety, headaches and back aches, insomnia, muscle spasms and constipation.
The possible ailments due to magnesium deficiency can be serious. These are thyroid disease, arrhythmia which is a heart issue, hypertension and many more diseases.
Home Remedies
There are some home remedies that can be used to reverse the symptoms of magnesium deficiency.
These are eating green vegetables and ingesting probiotics or fermented foods. You have to say goodbye to the processed and refined foods. When home remedies fail, you can resort to magnesium supplements.
Your diet can have a big effect on your magnesium deficiency. This ailment can easily be remedied with diet. You just have to eat the foods that are high in this mineral.
Eating these foods will not only provide magnesium to your body, you will be ingesting different minerals, vitamins and dietary fiber that will be beneficial to your system as a whole which can do wonders for your personal health.
