What Does Magnesium Deficiency Look Like?

Having trouble sleeping? Experiencing leg cramps? Have migraines? What about feeling like your brain is foggy? You could have a magnesium deficiency! Despite the importance of magnesium, the World Health Organization predicts about 75% of the US population doesn’t meet their daily requirement for magnesium.  So you could honestly could be deficient in magnesium. Don’t be too upset, when I’m pregnant I believe I fell below the requirements.  Luckily, with a bit of education, you can turn around your diet and get those levels back to where they need to be!

What Causes a Deficiency?

1. Increased Consumption of Processed Foods: Americans have increased their intake of non-plant based foods.  This means, we no longer are getting our nutrients from the soul and are increasing our consumption of processed foods.  Processed foods are full of fillers and harmful ingredients and lack nutrients.
2. Fluoridated Water: In 2014, it was estimated that 66% of the US population’s water was fluoridated. That doesn’t include the fluoride you get from the dentist’s office or your toothpaste.  Oh, that juice you bought from the store? Most likely made with fluoridated water too.  There are many problems with fluoride and the health problems it causes.  But I’ll be short and tell you that fluoride and magnesium compete for absorption in the body. So it’s no wonder that after breathing it in from the shower and sipping it in our water means we could be magnesium deficient. Although we’re still working on getting a good shower filter, we use a Berkey to filter fluoride out of our drinking and cooking water.
3. Stressed to the Max: Americans are overworked and stressed.  We aren’t taking vacation days, we aren’t sleeping well, and we all are seeing increased job responsibilities with the same pay and poor benefits. Stress decreases our magnesium levels.  We all, myself included, need to get better at being mindful and learning to stop and breath.
4. Depleted Soil: Even if you’re eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, you could still be deficient unfortunately.  This is due to our soil being depleted of nutrients over the years.

Low Magnesium Effects on Vitamin D

Vitamin D is important for bone health and our immune system.  But did you know if you’re supplementing with Vitamin D, it is likely to be ineffective if you’re deficient in magnesium? So by increasing your magnesium intake, you’re not only boosting your immune system, but also decreasing the need for Vitamin D supplementation.

In addition, you may experience:

• Muscle cramps
• Muscle twitches
• Restlessness
• Poor sleep
• High blood pressure
• Low back pain
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Fatigue
• Muscle weakness
• Brain fog
• Stress
• Migraines

With severe deficiency, irregular heartbeat and osteoporosis can occur also.

The Importance of Magnesium

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body.  It is also A vital mineral for heart and muscle function and is involved with over 300 reactions within the body.  These include protein synthesis, bone formation, oral health, temperature regulation, controlling blood sugar, and energy levels.

Like I said earlier, it’s super important for your body!

Foods Rich in Magnesium

Thinking you’re not getting enough magnesium? The required daily amount (RDA) changes as you age and during pregnancy.  For women, the RDA is between 310-360 and for men 410-420. We take this before going to bed. Be careful, if you start taking too much too quickly or take too much, it can cause loose bowel movements as magnesium is a muscle relaxant.

So what foods should you get?

• almonds
• bananas
• beans
• broccoli
• cashews
• flaxseed
• leafy greens
• oatmeal
• popcorn
• pumpkin seeds
• soy beans
• tofu
• other nuts and seeds

Something else to keep in mind is that only 1% of magnesium hangs out in your blood, so you’ll need a special test to look at your levels.

Are you thinking magnesium deficiency could be something you’re struggling with? What do you plan to do or has worked for you in the past? 

 

Always consult with your healthcare provider before taking supplements or changing your health routine. This is meant as an educational post to talk with your provider about and should not be taken as medical advice.