Are You Low on Magnesium? Know the Signs


Magnesium is an essential mineral with a role in key functions in the body, such as maintaining normal cell function, transfer, storage, and use of energy, metabolism of fat, protein, and carbohydrates, DNA replication, muscle function, and maintenance of cell membrane integrity. 

 These processes are critically important for optimal functioning of virtually all organ systems in our bodies; therefore a low level of magnesium may cause adverse effects affecting all organs of the body, causing potentially life-threatening complications. 


Although less than 2 percent of the general population have significantly low levels of magnesium, a good number of people consume magnesium in amounts less than the daily recommended allowance. This means that this deficiency may not present with signs and symptoms until your magnesium levels have dropped so low, making magnesium deficiency an oft-overlooked and under-diagnosed health problem.


What Causes Magnesium Deficiency?


The body only requires small amounts of magnesium each day and can retain good amounts of it. However, in the presence of certain conditions, magnesium may be persistently depleted as to cause deficiency symptoms. These conditions include:


Reduced Intake of Magnesium


  • Consuming diets deficient in magnesium or starvatio
  •  Alcoholism, which impairs the absorption of magnesium in your gut.

Excess Use of Magnesium by Cells

 


This occurs in:

  • Alcohol withdrawal states
  • Insulin treatment for diabetics
  • Inflammation of the pancreas (Acute pancreatitis) 
  •  Post-surgical states
  • Critical illnesses

Increased excretion of Magnesium

 

This occurs in:

  1.  Genetic disorders of the kidney, such as Bartter syndrome and Gitelman syndrome, that cause increased excretion of magnesium.
  2. Medications, including loop diuretics, such as furosemide for the treatment of congestion in the lungs or heart. Also, medications that damage the kidneys including amphotericin B, cyclosporine, and cisplatin, may cause increased loss of magnesium from the kidneys.
  3.  Hormonal problems: High levels of estrogens and progesterone in the body, as seen in pregnancy may cause magnesium depletion. Also, excess amounts of a hormone called aldosterone, and abnormal amounts of parathyroid hormones could lead to excess excretion of magnesium by the kidneys.

Increased Loss from the Gut

 

Gastrointestinal losses of magnesium occur in the following conditions:

  • Chronic diarrhea
  • Diseases that impair food absorption
  • Inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and
  • Bypass surgery involving the small intestine
  • Medications such as proton pump inhibitors and antibiotics.

Signs and Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency

Early symptoms of low magnesium include non-specific symptoms such as:


  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal pain
  • Weakness
  • Loss of appetite
As the magnesium levels drop further, you may start experiencing the following symptoms:

Muscle Twitches, Cramps, and Tremors

 

Magnesium is crucial for muscle function and plays a key role in how our muscles use calcium. Its deficiency may cause calcium levels in muscles and nerve cells to increase, causing over-stimulation of the muscles and nerves.  This results in muscle cramps and twitching. 

Muscle Weakness and Fatigue

 

Occasional fatigue is not abnormal and happens to everyone at some point, but severe, persistent, and unexplained fatigue may be a sign of low magnesium levels in the body.

As stated earlier, magnesium plays an important role in the use, storage, and transfer of energy in each cell. This means that when magnesium is depleted, your cells - and by extension, your whole body - may lack the energy to carry out the daily function. 

Muscle weakness, also called myasthenia, is also associated with low magnesium levels. When magnesium levels drop significantly, it may lead to a concomitant drop in the amounts of potassium available in the body. A lack of potassium will make your muscles weak.

Anxiety and Depression

 

Magnesium has a huge impact on our mental health, and its deficiency may result in severe mental health problems. Magnesium acts as an inhibitory substance in the brain, preventing overfiring of the nerve cells. If it is deficient, therefore, it may cause the nerve cells to overfire, leading to anxiety symptoms. 

As the deficiency worsens, the nerve cells may die off in numbers, causing other mental health problems including apathy, depression, and even loss of consciousness. 

High Blood Pressure

 

You may not know you have high blood pressure until you check it, and that’s because this condition mostly presents without any symptoms in its early stages. High blood pressure is a well-established sign of low magnesium levels.

There have been several studies to confirm this. Some controlled studies reveal that intake of magnesium supplements is associated with lower blood pressure levels in people with high blood pressure. 


Irregular Heartbeat

 

This is one of the most severe symptoms of low levels of magnesium in the body. Irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmias, may present as palpitations lightheadedness, and shortness of breath. In more severe cases, you may even faint when the irregular heartbeat begins.

This symptom of magnesium deficiency results from an imbalance in potassium levels. Potassium is essential for normal heart rhythm, and when its levels are insufficient, it may cause arrhythmias.

Osteoporosis

 

Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones become weak and highly brittle. Magnesium is essential for bone health; it helps vitamin D to stimulate the absorption of calcium in the gut and also stimulates the transfer of calcium from muscles and other tissues into bone, to make it stronger. 

A lack of magnesium, therefore, impairs bone mineralization and strengthening, making bones weak and more easily broken. In younger people, this presents as impaired bone growth.

Sleep Disturbances

 

Magnesium helps the body and mind to relax, improving sleep. Magnesium does this by enhancing the function of GABA receptors in the brain. GABA is a chemical in the nerve cells that lowers excitation and helps the brain to relax. A lack of magnesium, therefore, may cause sleep disturbances.

Complications of Low Magnesium in the Body 

 

Left unchecked, low magnesium levels increases one’s risk of serious health challenges. 

                                                                                                                              

Heart Disease

 


Prolonged deficiency of magnesium may result in serious health problems, one of which is coronary artery disease, which comprises angina and heart attack. 

In coronary artery disease, the artery supplying blood to the heart – the coronary artery – is obstructed by calcified fat plaques, causing symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath and, in severe cases, a heart attack. 

Magnesium deficiency causes excess calcium deposition in fat plaques and the lining of the damaged blood vessel wall, increasing the risk of coronary artery disease.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

 

In type 2 diabetes mellitus, the tissues are not responsive to insulin – the hormone that regulates blood sugar, driving sugar into cells and tissues when it is in excess in the blood. Having a prolonged lack of magnesium causes this tissue insensitivity to insulin, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Magnesium Deficiency: What Can I do to Treat or Prevent it?

 

Have or want to prevent magnesium deficiency? Here are a few things you can do:

Get Enough Magnesium!

 

Increase your dietary intake of magnesium to prevent or treat magnesium deficiency. Common food sources of magnesium may include foods not on the Dr. Sebi Plan and so you must supplement with our favorite Transdermal Magnesium Spray or a high grade supplement.  

But we know that by using the transdermal spray, which takes only 2 minutes to use to be the best source of magnesium possible.  Also Dr. Mark Sircus testifies to this in his popular book Trandermal Magnesium.  

The richest sources of foods for supplementation are seeds and nuts. 

The National Institutes of Health recommends the following daily intake of magnesium:

  • Children 1 -3 years: 80mg
  • Children 4 -8 years: 130mg
  • Children 9 – 13 years: 240mg
  • Teens 14 – 18 years: Boys 410 mg; Girls 360mg
  • Adults 19 – 30 years: Men 400mg; Women 310mg.
  • Adults 31 – 50 years: Men 400mg; Women 320mg.

 

Take Magnesium Supplements 

 


Magnesium supplements are available as pills and solutions that you can take by mouth. There are also topical forms which you can spray on theskin; magnesium in this form is absorbed directly into the blood by blood vessels under the skin. 


Summary

 


Magnesium deficiency is a widespread, yet under-diagnosed problem. It may present without symptoms or with mild symptoms unless it is seriously deficient in the body. Though needed in small amounts in the body; when deficient, magnesium may increase your risk of heart disease, brain disorders, and diabetes. 

Therefore, it is essential to optimize your intake of magnesium by filling your diet with rich sources of the mineral.


Resources

1.      Hruby A et al., Magnesium intake is inversely associated with coronary artery calcification: the Framingham Heart Study. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2014;7(1):59-69.

2.      Sun Ha Jee, et al., The effect of magnesium supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. American Journal of Hypertension 2012;15(8):691–696.

3.      Ryder KM, Shorr RI, Bush AJ, Kritchevsky SB, Harris T, Stone K, et al. Magnesium intake from food and supplements is associated with bone mineral density in healthy older white subjects. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2005 Nov. 53(11):1875-80

4.      Rodríguez-Morán M, Simental Mendía LE, Zambrano Galván G, Guerrero-Romero F. The role of magnesium in type 2 diabetes: a brief based-clinical review. Magnes Res. 2011 Dec. 24(4):156-62.

Avocado Benefits - One of the Top Superfoods Worldwide


Avocados are currently ranked in the top 5 superfoods worldwide. Setting aside the great life improvement guacamole has been for all of this, there are many surprising health benefits which you wouldn't have thought about.

Why should you eat avocados?

Until recent years, we have grown in a culture where all types of fat were considered harmful. Luckily, extensive research has managed to take us out of this nutritional dark ages and enabled us to benefit from more nutrient-dense foods, which were overlooked until now.


Thanks to research, we are now aware that avocados provide multiple trace vitamins and minerals, several antioxidants, the same powerful riboflavin found in red grape seed extract and healthy monounsaturated fats, which enable us to free ourselves from the chains of sugar and carbohydrates [1].

Is avocado a fruit or a vegetable?

This question is one of the first to pop up on anyone's lips. And the answer is: avocado is a fruit. But despite this, people, especially in the western culture, have been using it only in salads, guacamole dip, and sandwiches. To me, this is merely unfortunate, as avocado's mild taste and creamy consistency make it perfect for desserts, my favorite being chocolate mousse.

The fact is that avocado is one of today’s superfoods, which needs to be included in your diet. And if you’re worried about calorie intake, a medium-sized fruit only contains about 215 calories.

This might be concerning, but remember that most of the fats in avocado are monounsaturated ones, making it also the perfect addition to any keto diet.

According to the USDA, the “official” avocado serving size is about 30 grams or a fifth of the fruit. However, statistics have shown that the majority of avocado consumers eat one half at a time, increasing the serving at 68 grams. Taking this into consideration, the USDA has adapted their information, to keep their readers properly informed:



       113 calories

       4.6 g dietary fiber

       10 grams of fat

       6 grams carbohydrates

       only 0.2-gram total sugar

       14 milligrams vitamin K (19 percent DV)

       60 milligrams folate (15 percent DV)

       6 milligrams vitamin C (12 percent DV)

       343 milligrams potassium (10 percent DV)

       2 milligrams pantothenic acid (10 percent DV)

       0.4-milligram vitamin B6 (9 percent DV)

       1.3 milligrams vitamin E (7 percent DV)

       19.5 milligrams magnesium (6 percent DV)


What are the Most Important Avocado Nutrients?

Monounsaturated fats — These have been proven to regulate blood sugar levels and to reverse insulin resistance. Avocados are some of the richest sources, MUFAs being the main dietary fat included in the Mediterranean diet which has been linked for decades to protect many disorders, which include, but are not limited to cognitive decline, cancer, and heart disease [2].

Carotenoids —
The oleic acid contained in avocados improves memory and brain activity. It does so by enabling the body to absorb more carotenoids, whose benefits include immune system boosting, inflammation reducement and healthy growth and development of corneal cells [3].


Fat-soluble vitamins A, E, and K —
These are the main vitamins which our body does not rely on to function properly, but also to impact metabolic factors like thyroid hormones and carbon dioxide by working in an integrative manner with essential minerals like zinc and magnesium [4].


Water-soluble vitamins B and C —
Being bombarded with their importance, most of us don’t know that vitamin C and vitamin B-complex are not stored in our bodies. This is why the daily intake is mandatory, through nutrition or supplements, in order to reach our daily requirements [5].


Important trace minerals  —
With a high level of potassium, your daily requirements could be met by eating only one avocado. By comparison, to reach the same levels eating bananas, you would need two of them [6].


Loads of fiber –
The proper soluble fibers contained in avocado more than in any other superfoods is the primal benefit for digestive and blood issues. By facilitating proper bowel regularity, they eliminate the toxic waste that stays too much into the colon. Through transposition, this contributes to a better blood componence, reducing sugar levels [7].


Protein —
When it comes to protein foods, avocado is like Superman. With the lowest sugar and highest protein ratio, this fruit is perfect for building mass while burning fat [8].


Antioxidant phytochemicals  —
Oxidative damage, or stress, as it is commonly known, is slowly working its way to becoming one of the leading causes for any condition. The three components have the ability to prevent it, and by doing so, they eliminate the possibility of DNA changes and cell mutations. The two most important conditions which benefit from them are cataracts and macular degeneration, as avocado reduces their incidence and progression rate [9].


Folate —
This is the main supplement any woman receives when she gets pregnant. Folate is crucial in preventing neural tube defects and Spinal Bifida. In adults, it has been proven that individuals with high levels of folate are less prone to strokes [10].


Phytonutrients (polyphenols and flavonoids) —
Reducing the risk of inflammatory and degenerative disorders is the primary concern for people all around the world. They’ve worked hard all their lives; they want to have a happy, pain-free, abled retirement. The phytonutrients found in avocados reduce this risk, preventing any damage to the heart, brain, joints, skin and connective tissues, and internal organ systems [11, 12].


Main Avocado Benefits

Containing more than 20 vitamins and minerals, avocados are nutrient-dense fruits. Their benefits expand into every aspect of our health, but we are just going to mention 2 of the most important ones.

1. Healthy Skin, Eyes, and Hair

Being rich in monounsaturated fats and fat-soluble vitamins, avocado enables you to achieve bright, clear eyes, glowing skin and shiny hair, if you used both digestively or topically. Its benefits probably come from the fact that it is one of the best moisturizers, comes at a low cost and the highlight: they are completely free from any synthetic chemicals.

Being packed with lutein, one of the carotenoids which protect the eyes and promotes a healthy vision, they are also powerful against the damage caused by pollution and UV light. This is using avocado topically to create a face/hair mask once a week, will work better than any store-bought artificial product.

At the same time, carotenoids have been linked to a decrease in the risk of specific diseases, like macular degeneration, cataract, and even specific types of skin cancer. The lutein’s ability to absorb damaging blue light waves reduces their skin and eye damage caused by free radical damage and DNA changing. Also, avocado intake enables more carotenoid absorption from other nutritional sources.

Below is an avocado hair and face mask which can be used once a week to promote and instill proper nutrients topically.

You will need:

  • 1 banana
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 1 tsp olive oil

Instructions:

For your hair - Begin by blending all the ingredients together and massaging into your hair from the roots to the ends. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes. Shampoo thoroughly, then rinse well.

For your face

You will need
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 1/2 banana

Mash the banana and avocado well.  Make a smooth paste without any lumps.  Apply to your face and leave on for 15 to 20 minutes and then rinse with some warm water and pat dry.    
               
2. Avocado’s Role in Anti-Inflammatory Processes

Even though we have recounted the multiple benefits of avocado intake, we have kept away from its seed. The giant pit has been recently the star of a new study, published in Advances in Food Technology and Nutritional Sciences Journal, which proves that avocado seed extract has significant anti-inflammatory properties.


The avocado extract used on the experimental Petri dishes was found to reduce the production of inflammatory compounds and improved immunity response. The authors of this study noted with more testing; avocado seed extract could become a safe replacement for commonly used anti-inflammatory medications, such as NSAIDs and steroids, which have shown negative side effects in some users.

Joshua Lambert Ph.D., one of the lead researchers in the study, said in a press release this discovery could make a huge impact because chronic inflammation is linked to some of the most prevalent diseases in our country. Chronic inflammation is related to cancer, heart disease, and many other severe conditions, which affect more than 60 percent of Americans and are some of the leading causes of death in our country. 

Avocado Nutrient Conclusion

However, even though the research regarding this superfood is just scratching the surface and we have to wait until the sometimes bureaucratic scientific community confirms solid proof, we can focus on replenishing our bodies with natural nutrients available at our fingertips.

Check Out My Avocado Water/Smoothie Recipe - Here