Age Seamlessly

Do you know if you’re deficient in magnesium? Do you know how important magnesium is to overall health and how we may become magnesium deficient? We all know by now how important diet and exercise is, and other important vitamins such as D, C, and B, but magnesium is talked about very little and is surprisingly important as we age, both men and women. I think its important to discuss this so here Ive compiled 15 symptoms of magnesium deficiency in women.

Why Is Magnesium Important?

Magnesium is a vital mineral which is necessary for over 300 bodily functions. Magnesium is required in our body for making and using energy, as well as sending that energy to the places in our body it needs to be. Magnesium is also important in the making of DNA and proteins, which all of our bodily tissues are made of.

 It also aids in relaxing muscles, how our bodies handle stress, and controlling nerve signals. Over 50% of Americans are magnesium deficient, 70-80% are over 70 years old. Why are we so deficient in this fourth most abundant mineral in our body? A deficiency in magnesium can result in a domino effect of health issues. Our bodies perform best when our magnesium levels are stable.

15 Symptoms Of Magnesium Deficiency

1. Fatigue – Do you feel sluggish or low energy? You may be lacking in magnesium. The primary source of energy for our cells is adenosine triphosphate ( ATP ), and in order for our cells to function efficiently, it must bind to magnesium. Without this, we lack energy down at the cellular level.

2. Trouble Sleeping – Magnesium regulates the chemicals in the brain responsible for helping the body calm down. If you’re having trouble sleeping try soaking in Epsom salt which ( type of magnesium) will soak into your pores for added magnesium for good sleep quality.

3. Stress – When were stressed our bodies actually lose magnesium, the more stress you have the less magnesium, try to beat stress by taking breaks, meditation, a calming massage and magnesium supplements.

4. Depression & Anxiety – Magnesium helps our brains regulate our NMDA receptor which protects it from excitation. When the magnesium is missing, two other agents, calcium and glutamate can activate this receptor which leads to problems of depression and anxiety.

5. ADHD – Studies were conducted giving children who were experiencing symptoms of ADHD, magnesium daily for 6 months. The results showed a dramatic reduction in hyperactivity. For anyone out there that wants to try a natural approach, you can check out the study here.

6. Asthma – Magnesium is a bronchial dialator and it expands the airways and relaxes bronchial muscles which allows for more airflow through our lungs. For folks who do suffer from asthma, doctors will give some of them magnesium sulfate to help with the symptoms.

7. Skin Health – If you suffer from acne or redness, sometimes rashes on the parts of the body other than the face, this may be due to low magnesium levels. Magnesium lowers cortisole levels and stabilizes hormonal imbalances which also improves the skin at the cellular level.

8. PMS ( pregnancy problems ) – PMS symptoms such as irritability, depression, mood swings,and more affect 75% of women each month. 20% of those women have symptoms so severe they need medical treatment. Studies showed that taking magnesium supplemented with B-6 helped women lessen or totally erase these annoying symptoms monthly.Also, cramps are a common symptom women don’t have to deal with monthly if you are getting enough magnesium. In pregnancy research has shown that getting enough magnesium and calcium can help prevent the uterus from premature contractions, also magnesium can help your baby grow strong bones and teeth.

9. High Blood Pressure – If you have high blood pressure you may be low in magnesium. A report by the American Heart Association shows that people who have high blood pressure have reduced that significantly by supplementing magnesium to their diets as well as consuming foods high in magnesium. High magnesium levels were linked to improved blood flow thereby reducing hypertension ( high blood pressure ).

10. Osteoporosis – Osteoporosis is basically low bone density, brittle bones which can cause our bones to break easily. We know how important calcium and vitamin D are for bone health and studies show that magnesium deficiency can contribute to poor bone density and osteoporosis. Vitamin D helps bones to absorb calcium and magnesium helps the body to convert Vitamin D from an inactive form to an active one.

11. Premature Aging – Signs of aging such as wrinkles, fine lines, age spots, and discoloration happen due to oxidative stress in our cells, this is why antioxidants are so important. Magnesium deficiency has also been shown to lead to oxidative stress and DNA damage. Here’s some more info on that.

12. Poor Memory – If you’ve noticed you have a poor memory lately, you should have your doctor check your blood work. Studies show that low or high magnesium has been shown to cause dementia and poor memory. A balanced amount of magnesium in our bodies has also shown to enhance learning and memory issues.

13. Headaches & Migraines – Studies have shown that during a migraine or headache, some people had low magnesium levels. In fact the American Migraine Foundation suggests taking 400-500 mg of magnesium oxide per day to avoid headaches. Taking too much can cause adverse effects so always speak with your doctor first.

14. Hardened Arteries – Atherosclerosis is the medical term for hardened arteries and magnesium deficiency has been linked to the formation of plaque in our arteries and heart disease. Studies show that supplementing your diet with added magnesium will help to unclog arteries and plaque formation.

15. Muscle Cramps – When I was pregnant I had terrible leg cramps that would wake me up in the night. Since researching magnesium and its link to pregnancy problems, that is probably what was happening. Being low in magnesium causes muscle spasms and cramps. Soaking in an Epsom salt bath will help the initial symptoms of muscle cramps also taking a magnesium supplement may help keep muscle cramps and spasms at bay.

Foods To Eat

Heres a list of foods to eat that are high in magnesium. Eat more of these to supplement your diet if you have any of the symptoms above:

• Avacados
• Dark Chocolate
• Nuts
• Tofu
• Legumes
• Whole Grains
• Seeds
• Fatty Fish
• Leafy Greens
• Bananas

When To See The Doctor

If you’re having any of these symptoms ongoing, and they are severe, its best to see your doctor and he may order blood work to see if you’re low in any nutrients. He may suggest supplementing with some magnesium. Always be sure to speak to a medical professional before taking anything new or starting a new diet or exercise program. Magnesium deficiency is not the first thing we think of when were having symptoms but this is a super important mineral for our health. Please don’t hesitate to leave any comments or questions down below.

As an Amazon associate I get paid for qualifying purchases