Bet Your Body Doesn’t Have Enough of this Mineral
Image from Salt Works
From all the clients I have seen over the past 35+ years it is safe to say that many people do not have enough magnesium in their bodies.
Overall, magnesium is important to help nourish our muscles, including the heart and uterine muscles. Athletes are familiar with using Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) to help sore muscles.
This amazing mineral also helps our bodies relax for a good night’s sleep, prevents cramps (menstrual and/or other), is an important mineral/electrolyte to keep your body hydrated, and of course is invaluable in building bone pairing in the correct percentage with calcium for proper absorption.
Magnesium also acts as a laxative, depending on the form taken. Proper levels of magnesium can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of developing diabetes and atherosclerosis. Magnesium also protects from irregular heartbeats and sudden cardiac death.
There are some foods high in magnesium; pumpkin seeds (150mg in 1 oz) and chia seeds (111mg in 1 oz) are 2 that are beneficial. Eating these foods regularly can help to build up your levels. Almonds (80mg in 1 oz), cashews 72mg in 1 oz)) and spinach (78mg in 1oz) are also good sources. However, some people have issues with nuts because of lectins and spinach is high in oxalates which are not good if prone to kidney stones.
Unfortunately there are also a few things that deplete magnesium from our bodies like pharmaceuticals such as diuretics, antibiotics, painkillers and cortisone to name a few.
Taking a magnesium supplement might be a good choice if you or your health professional think you might be deficient. However, not all magnesium supplements are the same. If you decide to take magnesium it is super important to know which type would be best for your body given any issues you are working to address.
Review the different forms below to determine which form might be best for your body now. And be willing to make a change to a different form when the time is right for your body.
· Magnesium oxide is the strongest form available. It is beneficial for constipation. If you have less than 1 bowel movement a day, taking magnesium oxide helps to increase the magnesium in your body while benefiting your bowels. Start with a small amount and increase based on your bowel frequency. For example, if your bowels are already moving daily, this form will probably be too strong for you. If your bowels are only a few times a week, this could be a good choice for you to take daily to help correct constipation. Other forms of magnesium can also help to move bowels gently, but are not as strong as the oxide form.
· Magnesium Malate for energy and muscle soreness. Magnesium malate is best taken in the morning. It contains malic acid, which helps your cells make and use energy. It soothes muscle pain by relaxing tense areas, and fibromyalgia patients can see substantial improvements after supplementing with magnesium malate for a while.
· Magnesium Threonate is beneficial for memory and brain. Your brain quickly absorbs magnesium threonate, making it a favorite to boost your brain and nervous system. This form promotes learning and retaining new information.
· Magnesium Citrate is beneficial for relaxation. Peter Gilham’s popular Calm formula originally contained magnesium citrate. However, the company was sold in 2008. The product no longer contains magnesium citrate, but instead magnesium carbonate, which is not optimal. The citrate form promotes mental and muscle relaxation and reduces muscle cramping. Do your research and read labels to find the magnesium form you prefer.
· Magnesium Chloride is often seen in body oils or lotions or in liquid drops for your drinking water. Topical magnesium oil isn’t actually an oil — it just feels a little slippery because magnesium chloride is slightly more alkaline than water. Just like anything else, magnesium is absorbed well through the skin using oils or lotions. These can be very useful for people who cannot tolerate taking magnesium internally.
Image from the Cleveland Clinic
· Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom salts) is wonderful to relax muscles and it is fairly easy to find at grocery stores or pharmacies. Added to the bathtubs or foot baths, Epsom salts soothe sore muscles and is very absorbable to the body.
· Magnesium Glycinate for very beneficial for sleep. Magnesium glycinate is one of the most absorbable forms of magnesium. It is a good choice if you want to raise your levels quickly, and it is milder than other forms of magnesium. Peter Gilman used to have a formula with magnesium glycinate.
· Magnesium Orotate is touted as being most beneficial for heart health. With its inclusion of Orotic acid (formerly known as B13), it is a favorite among athletes, given that it may naturally support the repair of tissues, as well as enhanced stamina and performance. This is partly reflected in its price tag: it often is more expensive than other forms of magnesium.
· Magnesium Taurate can help to boost magnesium levels and the taurate may also have a role in protecting your cardiovascular system. Taurate, can be converted into taurine, an amino acid. Taurine helps the heart pump blood throughout the body, improves blood flow to the heart and protects the heart from damage due to poor blood flow. As a result, these two compounds, taken in combination as magnesium taurate, could interact to protect against cardiovascular disease. Magnesium taurate also may help prevent migraines. People who experience migraines tend to have lower levels of magnesium in their cerebrospinal fluid, brain, red blood cells and immune cells. Increasing your levels of taurine and magnesium may also help prevent some of the neurological changes associated with migraines.
You may find that some magnesium supplements have more than one type of magnesium in the bottle. This can be helpful if you targeting a few issues in your body. You may find magnesium in your calcium or other supplements, so be sure to look at what else you are taking to get the results you want. Check with your health professional for best results.
And as always be sure to read the label for any “other” ingredients you don’t need more of, like sugar, artificial flavors, or fillers like rice flour, vegetable oil powder, etc. Extra unneeded ingredients in your supplements kinda defeats the purpose of taking them in the first place — it is only more toxins you have to get out of your body at some point.
Please comment below if you have any questions.
About the Author
Kasara is educated as a Mental Health Therapist, Master Herbalist, Traditional Naturopath and Energy Worker with over 35 years of helping thousands of clients find alternative health options that work. She writes articles on Medium, and on her website http://truhealth.com/. You may subscribe to her Medium account or her newsletter to stay connected.