The Importance of Magnesium

It is very important to include Magnesium in our diet. Deficiencies of magnesium can be dangerous. However, Magnesium is a mineral that not many of us give any thought to. It is important to know all of the vitamins and minerals we need to get. We should all be eating a healthy and balanced diet.

Magnesium is used by all the cells in your body. It is used to keep bones strong, helps maintain nerve and muscle functioning, and keeps the heart rhythmic and steady. You can see why a deficiency of this mineral can be dangerous. Magnesium is found in green leafy vegetables, nuts, seed, and some whole grains.

It is imperative to eat a balanced diet full of healthy and nutritious foods. Though your body only needs a small amount of magnesium there is also only a small amount found in most of the foods listed above.

It's fairly uncommon to experience a magnesium deficiency, but symptoms include disorientation, confusion, depression, abnormal heart beat, loss of appetite, cramps, numbness, and seizures. Magnesium is often leaves the body though the urination and an over- consumption of alcohol can cause magnesium deficiencies.

To find out what the recommended daily amount of magnesium is you can ask your doctor or nutritionist. There are also many books and websites that can help you determine how much magnesium you should be consuming each day. This number differs for men, women, different age groups, pregnant women, and lactating women. Knowing how much magnesium you should be taking, and how much is in certain foods, is a great way to prevent any deficiencies.

You can take magnesium supplements or multi vitamins in case you do not think you are getting enough magnesium in your diet. You probably are not getting enough of other vitamins and minerals as well in case you are not getting enough magnesium. Fresh and healthy foods is the best source for all vitamins and minerals, the next best thing is a multi vitamin.

If you find yourself relying solely on multi vitamins for your dietary needs, perhaps you should consider making some changes in your eating habits. There are some conditions that may require you to take a magnesium supplement. One example is if you have chronic malabsorption of magnesium, you may need to take a supplement to guarantee that you have enough magnesium in your diet.

Studies indicate that magnesium can be useful in lowering high blood pressure or hypertension. While there is no definitive proof, it certainly cannot hurt to increase the number of vegetables and fruits you eat each day. Magnesium deficiencies are also linked to metabolic changes that can result in heart attacks or strokes. As you can see, magnesium is an essential mineral to have in your diet.

While magnesium is essential, there is also a danger of consuming too much magnesium. If you are relying on your diet to provide magnesium there is little risk of any overdose. However if you ingest too many supplements there is the danger of magnesium toxicity. There are a number of symptoms that are very similar to magnesium deficiencies, be wary of taking too many supplements, laxatives, and antacids.

Magnesium is an essential mineral, and you make careful to get the proper amounts of fruits and vegetables in your diet daily. If you eat a balanced diet, chances are you will never need to worry about a magnesium deficiency.

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Frank Landrens is the owner of BHP Magnesium, the web's premier resource for information about magnesium. For questions or comments about this article visit: www.bhpmagnesium.com/articles
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