Magnesium Explained: Why You Need to Supplement Daily

If you are experiencing sore and cramped muscles after work orexercising, chances are you are deficient in magnesium. Unfortunately deficiency symptoms are often not this obvious though.

Abnormalities or deficiencies in Magnesium can result in disturbances in nearly every organ system, and can cause potentiallyfatal complications. The best way to avoid Magnesium deficiency? Supplement. And here’s why.

Magnesium is an essential mineral, being the fourth most abundant in the body (after sodium, potassium and calcium). It is required in the biological function of at least 360 enzymes in the human body, and plays a fundamental role in many cell functions, which include:

  • Energy transfer, storage and use
  • Protein, carbohydrate and fat metabolism
  • Maintenance of normal cell membrane function
  • Regulation of parathyroid hormone secretion

Magnesium has the ability to relax muscle tissue, as well as playing a role in the management of absorption of Calcium. It has proven to be a vital tool in the treatment of all musculoskeletal conditions (back pain, neck pain, headaches etc) and other conditions caused by muscle stiffness or muscle spasm.

Magnesium deficiency

Dietary magnesium deficiency is far more prevalent than is generally suspected. A recent CSIRO study of Australian adults found that the daily intake of magnesium was below the RDI for 50% of all males tested, and for 39% of all females

In the United States, deficiencies appear to be even more common with approximately 80 to 85% of the adult females and 50 to 60% of the adult males having intakes below the USA recommended levels.

A Magnesium deficiency can impact on many biochemical processes and be expressed via a diverse range of clinical symptoms and signs:

  • Fatigue
  • Poor athletic performance
  • Stress, anxiety, panic disorder, dementia, epilepsy
  • Pre-menstrual synrome, infertility, osteoporosis
  • Cardiovascular diseases (Hypertension, Arrhythmia, Vasospasm, Angina, Myocardial infarction, Mitral Valve Prolapse, Elevated Blood Lipids, Coronary Heart Disease, Thrombosis)
  • Neuromuscular conditions (Muscle cramping and spasms, athletic performance, tension headaches and migraines)
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • Toxicity

If you are suffering from any of the above conditions, it is imperative that you supplement with Magnesium daily.

So what about the Magnesium in your food? Is it enough? To be blunt, no.

Over farming, poor diets, processed foods, alcohol and medications deplete the level of Magnesium that your body derives, causing your body to express symptoms of deficiency.

In truth, Magnesium is ubiquitous in nature, meaning that it can be found everywhere. Green vegetables, grains, nuts and legumes all contain high levels of Magnesium. Vegetables, fruits, meats and fish have intermediate values. However, take into account the relatively small amounts of green vegetables, raw fruit and vegetables that we eat and your Magnesium levels are taking a hit.

So what about the meat? Well, even IF you eat the equivalent of a cow a day, food processing, marination and cooking often deplete the Magnesium content dramatically, thus accounting for the apparently high percentage of the population whose Magnesium levels leave a lot to be desired.

Why is Magnesium so Important?

In a word: Energy.

Fatigue is one of the most commonly reported complaints today. It is no coincidence that it is estimated that almost everyone is, to some degree, Magnesium deficient.

Every cell in the body needs energy to function. Without sufficient energy, the cell will not only fail to do its job, and it will die. The major form of biological energy that powers cellular metabolism is adenosine triphosphate (ATP). No matter how this energy is produced – whether via the immediate, non-oxidative or oxidative pathway – magnesium is absolutely necessary.

Basically, around 99% of your Magnesium is locked up inside your cells. Effectively this means your day-to-day supply of Magnesium is dependent on your diet and daily supplementation.

How much do I need?

Supplementation with Magnesium can ensure that there is enough in your system to keep your body running in top condition at all times.  But how much is enough?

Well, you need to supplement with Magnesium if you:

  • Drink alcohol
  • Smoke
  • Consume fatty foods
  • Drink soft drinks
  • Have diabetes or blood sugar problems
  • Kidney problems
  • Mercury dental fillings
  • Take diuretics and similar medications
  • Use antibiotics
  • Use Hormone Replacement Therapy
  • Use birth control pills
  • Are involved in strong physical activity
  • Sweat
  • Work outside or in heated conditions
  • Have any type of muscle aches or pains
  • Are an athlete
  • Play sport
  • Are osteoporotic or have bone density loss

Basically, we all should be supplementing with Magnesium, however the cheap chemist brand supplements simply won’t cut it.

Emed has formed a collection of the BEST Magnesium supplements available in Australia. Not only are they a lot stronger than ‘retail’ brands, they also work in hours – not days for fast relief.

Click here to visit Emed’s Best Magnesium Supplements.


Emed’s Comment:

This is a really good article as it explains WHY you should be taking a Magnesium supplement.

Not only is it important for the proper function of muscles (ie. to stop cramping, spasming and soreness), but it also points out the other important processes that Magnesium is involved in.

As it points out, most of us are deficient in Magnesium. And unfortunately, no amount of ‘good eating’ will give us the required amount.

A hint? Don’t waste your time with the brands you find at the supermarket. Not only are they weak by comparison, they will also cost you more in the long run and they aren’t as effective.

For Magnesium to be properly absorbed into the body, it needs to be ‘chelated’, which means that it is properly locked into the molecular structure of an amino acid.

So do yourself (and your family) a favour and quit wasting your money on inferior brands. Invest in a good quality magnesium formula (like Ultra Muscleze) and you will feel the results quickly and effectively.