Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms, Benefits, What Does It Do?
Everything About Magnesium Mineral! Magnesium is an element that is important for human health, especially in terms of the muscle and nervous system. It helps the body to use its energy in the healthiest way possible. As with its deficiency, some problems are experienced in the body in excess.
In this article, you can find all the details you wonder about what magnesium is, what benefits it has, what its deficiency causes.
What is Magnesium?
It is an element that is expressed with the symbol “Mg” in chemistry, is found in a large amount in the cell and is very important for the human body. While 60% of the magnesium in the human body is located in the bones, a small amount is found in the blood. It acts on more than 300 enzymes in the human body and makes them work.
It is beneficial for muscles and nerves. It contributes to the regulation of blood pressure. It balances the protein and calcium ratio in metabolism. Magnesium is needed for elements such as sodium and potassium to enter the cell. Magnesium deficiency in the body can be the cause of very serious patients.
Magnesium values that will be considered normal in the blood test are as follows:
- Under 5 Years: 1.6 – 2.5 mg/dL
- Ages 5-7: 1.5 – 2.4 mg/dL
- 7-13 Years: 1.7 – 2.2 mg/dL
- Ages 13-21: 1.6 – 2.3 mg/dL
- Over 21: 1.6 – 2.6 mg/dL
If the magnesium is below 0.5 mg/dL and above 3 mg/dL, it is outside the normal values. It creates a risk factor.
Children’s magnesium needs are calculated based on their weight. 5 mg of magnesium per kilogram of weight per day is sufficient. Those who use diuretic drugs and birth control pills and those who consume alcohol regularly have higher magnesium needs.
Magnesium is a mineral that is absorbed in the intestines. Magnesium absorption from the foods consumed is 50%. Therefore, it is normal to consume twice the daily amount of magnesium. If there is no health problem in the kidneys, excess magnesium is excreted from the body through urine.
What Are the Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency?
Magnesium deficiency can make itself felt with some symptoms. A full diagnosis is made by blood tests after the symptoms. Magnesium deficiency can cause serious problems. The most common of these problems are; fatigue, weakness, tingling in the feet and cramps that occur frequently in the legs.
In addition to these, concentration disorders, learning difficulties and poor memory are also problems that can occur with magnesium deficiency. Other symptoms include nausea, loss of appetite, kidney failure, and heart problems. Among the events that cause magnesium deficiency are reasons such as malnutrition, advanced age, excessive alcohol consumption, chronic digestive system problems, use of blood pressure medications and intense sports.
Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include:
- Body numbness and difficulty breathing
- Constipation, regular bowel movement
- Proliferation of migraine headaches and occurrence of heart rhythm disorders
- Sleep problems and depression
- Increased cravings for sweets and sudden rise in blood pressure
- Joint pain and low motivation
- Inability of the kidneys and liver to fully function
What’s In Magnesium? Foods Containing Magnesium
The most correct method is to get the magnesium that the body needs from natural foods. However, when magnesium deficiency is detected in intense proportions, food may not be enough. In these cases, magnesium supplementation is needed. Your doctor will guide you according to the results of the blood tests.
There are many nutrients that contain magnesium. Magnesium is a mineral found in foods. By consuming these food groups regularly, the amount of magnesium that the body needs can be easily met.
Foods high in magnesium can be listed as follows:
- Cocoa: One of the foods with the highest magnesium content is cocoa. 100 grams of dark chocolate contains 100 mg of magnesium.
- Green leafy vegetables: Dark green leafy vegetables such as chard, lettuce, spinach, parsley, dill and kale are rich in magnesium.
Also:
- Banana, apricot, avocado, peach, watermelon, grape, strawberry, grapefruit, fig, raspberry and plum
- Almonds, cashews, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, peanuts, sesame and pumpkin seeds, dried apricots
- Dry beans and lentils from legumes
- Brown Whole Rice, Millet, Oats, Potatoes
- Zucchini, soybeans, peas, eggplant
- Dairy products, yogurt, fish, mussels, shrimp, coconut and asparagus
What Are the Benefits and Functions of Magnesium?
Magnesium is an element that has many functions in the body. It has benefits in fulfilling many functions:
- It contributes to strong and healthy skin, hair and nails.
- It helps to use phosphorus, vitamin C and calcium in the most correct way. It also allows to provide sodium and potassium balance.
- It is effective in the regular functioning of the nervous and muscular system. It has calming properties.
- Balances body temperature. Magnesium properties also include relieving asthma and allergic rhinitis.
- Magnesium helps reduce menstrual pain. It prevents cramps during pregnancy.
- One of the most important causes of depression and anxiety disorders is magnesium deficiency. Regular intake of magnesium can relieve problems.
- It helps to strengthen the brain cells by preventing the calcium from reaching the brain, which causes the death of brain cells.
- It prevents neurological problems by activating hormones.
- It has the feature of reducing the risk of stroke that may occur in smokers.
- It has a very effective role in converting blood sugar into energy.
- If you’re wondering if magnesium can make you lose weight, there are experts who believe it can aid weight loss by reducing stress.
- Magnesium acts as a natural calcium channel blocker, helping to balance blood pressure.
How to Identify Excess Magnesium?
Just like magnesium deficiency, magnesium excess also causes some problems. Magnesium is not a mineral with damage, but the increase in magnesium in the body; It can cause muscle weakness, loss of appetite, fatigue, difficulty in breathing, rhythm disorder, confusion, depressive states, sleep problems and low blood pressure. Renal dysfunction may occur in the elderly.
Magnesium is a mineral that can be taken with the foods consumed. Magnesium supplementation can only be made with the recommendation of a doctor. The presence of 25 – 28 grams of magnesium in the body of a healthy adult is sufficient. Excess magnesium stored in the body is excreted through urine.
Excess magnesium can be a symptom of the following diseases:
- Kidney failure and chronic kidney diseases
- hypothyroidism
- Diabetic Acidosis
- adrenalectomy
- Addison’s Disease
- hemolysis
A blood test is required to detect magnesium excess. As a result of the test and doctor’s control, the diagnosis of magnesium excess disease is made. The test is done from a blood sample taken on an empty stomach.
The storage of magnesium in the body; Consumption of less water than necessary, oliguria (less than 400 ml of urine per day), use of mucilage, use of magnesium supplements and magnesium salts may cause.
Magnesium Drugs Names
Magnesium drugs are not drugs that people can take according to their own wishes. These are the drugs that their doctor can prescribe to patients who need magnesium supplementation with blood tests performed under the control of a doctor. In addition to magnesium oil and tablets, powder sachets prepared in the form of granules are available. There are also lozenges, ampoules and effervescent tablets.
Some magnesium drug names include:
- BIOLECTRA MAGNESIUM FORTE
- MAGNEFIT
- DIMAG
- ELSPAR
- MAGNERAL
- MAGNESIUM DIASPORAL
- MAGNESIUM NUTRIMED
- MAGNESIUM SULFATE
It is not correct to use any medicine without the advice of a doctor. Indiscriminate use of drugs can lead to undesirable results. You can easily meet your magnesium need from daily food products. However, if it is determined by the tests performed under the control of a doctor that you need magnesium supplementation, you can take medication. You can use the medicine recommended by your doctor as recommended by him. Especially those who take drugs regularly and have chronic diseases should not take magnesium supplements without the advice of a doctor.