Magnesium is one of the important macronutrients in the human body. It is involved in the most important physiological processes. A sufficient amount of this macronutrient ensures good he alth. Lack of magnesium in the body, the symptoms of which we list below, leads to the development of a variety of diseases. According to WHO, about 65% of the world's population is deficient.
Functions
Magnesium is responsible for the transfer of calcium and sodium ions at the cellular level, it independently controls the state of the cell membrane. Due to the movement of its ions, a nerve impulse arises. As soon as there is a lack of magnesium in the body, the symptoms are not long in coming.
Macroelement helps the body cope with stressful situations, reduces the risk of the appearance and development of exciting processes in the central nervous system. Thanks to magnesium, people can not notice sudden changes in the weather. Any reactionsassociated with the formation, accumulation, transfer and consumption of energy occur with his direct participation. Magnesium regulates the removal of free radicals and oxidation products from the body.
Daily requirement
Macroelement content in the body does not exceed 20 g, it is concentrated in bone tissue (mostly). For normal functioning, the body needs from 280 to 320 mg per day. Pregnant women need up to 350-380 mg per day. In athletes, the daily intake of magnesium is 430-450 mg. Basically, it doesn't take much to feel good.
Lack of magnesium in the body: symptoms
The following discomfort can occur from time to time even in a he althy person for a number of reasons. Of course, if this happens rarely, then you should not immediately seek medical help. When the symptoms recur more often and become chronic, it makes sense to visit a doctor who will prescribe the necessary examination.
The main signs of a lack of magnesium in the body may seem insignificant, but do not leave them unattended. This is:
- Feeling constantly tired. Absent-mindedness, difficulty in perceiving information.
- Spasms, tingling in the legs and arms. Often there is a feeling that the limbs are stiff.
- Dizziness and loss of balance for no particular reason.
- Baldness, weak nails and cavities.
- Nervous ticklower eyelids.
- Frequent insomnia, nightmares.
- Feeling tired even after 7-8 hours of sleep.
- Flickering dots before the eyes, fogging.
- Fussy, trying to do everything at once.
- Stomach cramps ending in diarrhea.
- Depressive state.
- Sensitivity to changes in the weather, which is expressed in aching joints, diseases of the gums and teeth.
How to check for magnesium deficiency
Agree that many of these symptoms can be attributed to the characteristics of a person's character (fussy, disorganized, unable to bring things to an end) or to regard them as signs of various diseases. It turns out that the whole point is the lack of a macronutrient. You should pay attention to the signs of magnesium deficiency in the body if you have noted several symptoms at the same time.
CBC can detect a macronutrient deficiency in only 10-12% of patients. In most cases, when there is not enough magnesium in the blood, it comes from the bones. But at the same time, a macronutrient deficiency is formed in the latter. There is a simple way to diagnose: try stretching or tightening your muscles. If at the same time you feel pain in your ankles, then the symptoms of magnesium deficiency in the body did not appear by chance. You need to see a specialist.
Because of feeling unwell
The body is so arranged that we begin to feel fatigue only after performing physical or mentalwork. Night sleep allows all organs and muscles to relax, metabolic processes are getting better. Early in the morning, at about 6 o'clock, the adrenal glands begin active work on the production of hormones that "charge" the body and allow you to maintain a wonderful state of he alth until evening. If there is not enough magnesium in the body, a failure occurs, and activity appears in the evening, and in the morning you feel overwhelmed.
As for problems with the nervous system (sleep disturbance, spasms, tics and twitches), they arise due to ion exchange disorders. If a macronutrient is missing, this process is broken.
Even the appearance of early wrinkles, scientists are increasingly associated with a lack of magnesium. The macronutrient is directly involved in the synthesis of collagen - the main component of he althy skin, joints and tendons. Premature aging, which modern people are trying to fight with different methods, can be defeated if magnesium deficiency in the body is excluded. Moreover, the macronutrient is merciless to free radicals that appear as a result of metabolic processes in the body. The structure of connective tissue directly depends on the presence of magnesium.
What is the danger of a macronutrient deficiency for pregnant women
Many processes taking place in the uterus are carried out with the direct participation of calcium, the exchange of which is impossible with a lack of magnesium. In the worst cases, the risk of abortion increases, which is especially dangerous in the second and third trimesters. Pregnant women are also deficient in magnesium.body. Symptoms can be expressed in the appearance of edema or in excessive nervous excitability, tearfulness. If, as a result of a lack of magnesium, muscle tone occurs, then this can become a threat to the full bearing of the baby. Additionally, vomiting, dizziness, and caviar cramps appear.
Macronutrient deficiency occurs due to its intermittent entry into the body of a pregnant woman. Doctors must prescribe additional drugs to rule out magnesium deficiency. With hypertension and late toxicosis, the excretion of a macroelement can be provoked. This problem is also solved by prescribing medicines.
What causes magnesium deficiency
Everyone knows the feeling of excitement when the body experiences a strong nervous tension. We can worry about the slightest reason, not knowing that at this moment “stress hormones” are produced in the body, in the synthesis of which magnesium plays an important role. Nervous stress, on the other hand, requires a lot of energy. And here again magnesium “works”, maintaining an optimal energy balance in the body. It is necessary to ensure a constant supply of a macronutrient, otherwise its deficiency will occur. In this case, there are signs of a lack of magnesium in the body.
Such a problem is often faced by children who go to school, are engaged in sports sections.
The load can be overwhelming. Children develop apathy, lose interest in learning, complain of headaches and fatigue,reduced ability to concentrate.
The problem of lack of magnesium is also typical for athletes. With intensive training, a certain amount of a macronutrient comes out with sweat. Magnesium is also consumed during active muscle work. Lack of magnesium in the body also occurs during pregnancy and lactation, with the use of certain drugs and contraceptives, with a passion for mono-diets.
Today there is a lot of talk about the dangers of eating food from fast food. It is impossible not to mention her even now. Rapid saturation, the intake of a large number of calories is the main problem of modern nutrition, when people increasingly prefer food purified from impurities, forgetting that the body does not receive valuable elements. During heat treatment, from 50 to 80% of magnesium is lost. Good nutrition is one way to solve the problem.
Effects of a prolonged lack of magnesium
- There are problems with the cardiovascular system, hypotension and hypertension occur, frequent dizziness bothers.
- Since magnesium closely interacts with calcium, its deficiency leads to the fact that "free" calcium is simply deposited in small vessels.
- Macronutrient deficiencies in childhood can cause growth and developmental delays.
- Neuropsychiatric diseases occur, the risk of depression, nervousness, irritability, seizures and convulsions increases.
- Asthma may occur.
- No normal sexattraction. Cases of diagnosing infertility are not uncommon.
- Soft tissues may develop lumps where cancerous growths later develop.
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
- Type 2 diabetes.
- Frequent respiratory illnesses.
However, you should not allow excess magnesium intake. The body seeks to get rid of excess amounts of a macronutrient. Diarrhea appears, during which not only magnesium is excreted, but also many useful substances. It is best to use it in combination with calcium - this way there will be no overdose, and the state of he alth will quickly improve.
Full nutrition - a source of macronutrients
What we eat affects how we feel. Magnesium is found in green vegetables, salads, dill, parsley, celery and cilantro.
Add foods rich in it to your diet and enjoy delicious and he althy food. The macronutrient is present in nuts and cereals, vegetables and fruits in varying amounts. If there are signs of a lack of magnesium in the body, check out the list of useful products. Include them in your daily menu (numbers in mg/100g are in brackets).
It is useful to eat nuts: sesame (530), almonds (270), cashews (268), hazelnuts (183), peanuts (176), walnuts (125). Add wheat bran (480), buckwheat (224), millet (159), wheat (155) to your diet. Dried fruits are not only rich in potassium, they also contain useful magnesium: dried coconuts (90), dried apricots (65),dates (55), prunes (35), raisins (35). There is a macronutrient in potatoes (33), beets (20), carrots (22), cauliflower and broccoli (24 each). There is it in beef and chicken meat, fruits and greens.
Use of vitamin preparations
As you can see, most of the foods we eat every day contain this macronutrient. So why does a lack of magnesium occur in the body, the symptoms of which cause a lot of discomfort?
The thing is that in recent years, agriculture has been developing at a rapid pace, chemicals have been used in large quantities. All this poisons and impoverishes the soil. According to various sources, over the past decades, the content of nutrients in vegetables and fruits has decreased by 15-20 times. In addition, nutrients from foods are not fully absorbed by the body. Hence, there is a lack of macro- and microelements, even with good nutrition. It turns out that taking additional drugs is mandatory. In the case of magnesium deficiency, choose complexes that also contain calcium, which will ensure the full absorption of both elements. Pharmacists offer preparations where magnesium is combined with calcium, which guarantees good he alth. These are "Calcium Magnesium Chelate", "Calcimax", vitamins containing both of these elements.
