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When and why is it important to assume magnesium?

It is an essential mineral salt for our body, so much so that its deficiency can contribute to the onset of a wide range of disorders, from cardiac to vascular or respiratory.

Therefore, when nutrition does not satisfy its needs, it must be replenished with supplements or nutraceuticals specific to each type of problem.

Doctor Laura Bennett, dietician and nutritionist at Humanitas Medical Care, spoke about this trace element and its fundamental role in our well-being.

Its functions

“Magnesium is a co-factor in over 300 enzymes and is one of the most present mineral salts in the body. Dr Bennett says that our body has approximately 20 to 28 grams, of which 60% is in the bones, 39% is in the soft tissue, and 1% is in the blood.

It is responsible for many factors in your organism, including contributing to the transmission of muscle and nerve impulses, energy production from glucose, construction of your skeleton, synthesis of proteins, metabolism of fats and insulin, and many other situations.

In particular, it is used by women subject to pre-menstrual syndrome (physical suffering close to the period), those who are approaching menopause, athletes who sweat a lot and feel exhausted, workers who often experience headaches after a day particularly stressful, those who have recovered from the flu, etc.

Symptoms of deficiency

When magnesium is present in insufficient quantities, or the body consumes too much, various types of symptoms can occur, the expert points out.

“Mental fatigue, poor clarity, nervousness, drop in mood, cramps. But eyelid tremors, gastritis, constipation, headaches and premenstrual pain are also the most common warning signs.” 

The causes and those most at risk

Scientific data says that around 70% of Westerners are deficient in this fundamental mineral salt. The causes are various: alcohol abuse, chronic drug intake (in particular proton pump inhibitors or diuretics), intestinal pathologies or problems (such as protracted diarrhoea), or, more simply, a poor intake of foods rich in magnesium.

“Digestive disorders, gastrointestinal or chronic inflammatory intestinal diseases, such as Crohn’s disease, can limit the assimilation of magnesium in the body, as can alcohol abuse or the use of drugs, such as diuretics”, the doctor specifies.

“Pregnant women, professional athletes or stressed people can also experience a magnesium deficiency – continues Bennett. The reason is that they consume more or have a greater need for it. Given its multiple functions, one can think of a deficiency even when there are problems with muscle contractures, with the appearance of cramps cervical tension, or lumbago. An anxious-depressive syndrome, with asthenia, nervousness and sleep disturbances, is also a warning sign. They are typical of some particular periods of life, such as menopause.”

Food sources

An adult needs about 200 to 240 mg of magnesium per day.

You can get it from dried fruits, dark chocolate, spinach, broccoli, vegetables, and whole grains, but a small amount can also be found in chicken meat, turkey, and fish. Cereals have the most magnesium, followed by dried fruits and vegetables.

“It is vital to remember that plant sources can interact with the absorption of magnesium and slightly reduce its bioavailability due to their content of oxalates and phytates, two anti-nutrients that limit the assimilation of mineral salts. This does not mean that cereals and legumes should not be preferred as primary sources of magnesium. On the contrary. As mentioned, they contain greater quantities than meat and fish, so even if bioavailability may be reduced, the magnesium intake still remains adequate.”

Water can also be a source; so-called functional waters enriched with mineral salts are available on the market.

Supplements: the right one must be chosen

When the diet is not sufficient to cover the needs of this mineral salt, supplements can be used, which must always be prescribed by the doctor (based on the type of patient and the problem presented), as each preparation contains different quantities and has a different degree of absorption by the body.

There are complex, not pure, supplements on the market: magnesium citrate and lactate are two varieties of organic types that are more assimilable (because they are more soluble) than inorganic ones, such as oxide or chloride.

“Nutraceuticals” for preventive or therapeutic action

Some recent studies have demonstrated that supplements are beneficial in various disorders. It has been proved that if you take magnesium supplements orally for at least six months, you can improve the function of blood vessels and protect your heart. Also, there are positive effects which were found in the treatment of dyspepsia as well as constipation.

You can then resort to so-called nutraceuticals (a cross between supplements and drugs) combined with other substances, such as herbs or vitamins. They are prescribed to particularly treat anxiety and depressive disorders, insomnia, chronic fatigue and for preventive action on cognitive decline.