Magnesium Deficiency: Signs, Causes, and How to Overcome It
We cannot emphasize the importance of recognizing a magnesium deficiency in time. Our body is not able to produce the mineral itself, our food contains less magnesium, and our body’s absorption capacity decreases with age. Fortunately, our body gives clear signals when this essential mineral is deficient.
Symptoms of a magnesium deficiency: how do you recognize it?
The first signs of deficiency are fatigue and muscle cramps. When these occur, it is wise to examine your diet first.
If adjusting your diet alone does not help, consider supplementing the deficiency with magnesium.
Further on in this blog, you can read about the symptoms and causes of magnesium deficiency.
What is magnesium?
Magnesium is the fourth most common mineral in the human body and is important for normal muscle function, the transmission of nerve impulses, the formation of bones and teeth, and energy production.
Because magnesium is involved in 300 biochemical processes in the body, a magnesium deficiency (also called hypomagnesemia) can cause many symptoms, which you will read all about later.
Function of magnesium
Magnesium has various functions in the body. It supports the build-up of muscle mass and stimulates the biosynthesis of proteins, making muscle-building possible.
Magnesium also helps with fat loss. It stimulates the action of fat-breaking proteins. Therefore, it is recommended to take magnesium after training.
Recent British research showed that volunteers taking magnesium supplements for a year could build muscle mass after training.
Magnesium and food: where is magnesium found?
We get magnesium from our food. It is found in bread, (whole grain) cereals and dairy products, vegetables, nuts, legumes, meat, bananas, avocado and oily fish.
What effect does magnesium have on the body?
The mineral is good for cell and muscle functions, enzyme activity, the nervous system, and mood regulation. Without magnesium, the body cannot produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
ATP functions as (the most important) transporter of energy with which all conversion processes (metabolism) in the body occur. With the help of magnesium, muscles can tense or relax. Magnesium also plays an essential role with calcium in forming bones and teeth. The most crucial role of magnesium is in the heart: the mineral ensures a regular heartbeat.
Magnesium also influences the regulation of our mood via various neurotransmission pathways, which means that a deficiency can contribute to feelings of depression.
Magnesium is mainly stored in the bones in the body (approx. 60 percent of the total). The muscles contain 25 to 30 percent.
Who needs more magnesium?
Athletes, pregnant and breastfeeding women, people with chronic diseases and the elderly have a greater need for magnesium. Excessive consumption of alcohol or nicotine also leads to a greater need for magnesium.
What does a magnesium deficiency do?
Depending on our body weight, we need an average of 350 mg of magnesium per day. Unfortunately, due to the depleted soils caused by intensive agriculture, it has become more difficult to meet our needs with food alone. A bad development, especially because our body is not able to produce the mineral itself and the absorption capacity gradually decreases as we age.
A magnesium deficiency – especially in the elderly – is therefore quickly lurking.
Magnesium deficiency causes
A magnesium deficiency can occur as follows:
- The diet is not sufficiently balanced
- Insufficient absorption due to intestinal disorders
- Increased demand during pregnancy and breastfeeding, after the menopause and by athletes (excessive sweating)
- Diabetes or chronic diseases of the intestines or kidneys
- Loss of magnesium through the intestines, e.g. with prolonged diarrhoea
- Excessive consumption of alcohol leads to loss of magnesium through the kidneys
- Use of medication such as antacids, contraceptive pill and antibiotics
- Severe burns
What are the symptoms of magnesium deficiency?
If you do not get enough magnesium, you will not notice much of this in the first few weeks. This is because your body has a supply of magnesium, mainly in your bones. If magnesium is missing from the diet for a long time, all kinds of signals can appear that indicate a deficiency.
The first signs of a magnesium deficiency
The first signs of a deficiency are noticed by fatigue and muscle cramps (often, a trembling eyelid or cramps in the calves are the first symptoms of a magnesium deficiency). But if the body does not get enough magnesium, it can also express this in other ways:
- Tingling or numbness
- Trembling, convulsions, muscle weakness or cramps
- Fatigue and/or insomnia
- Feeling of malaise
- Regular headaches and migraines
- Increased irritability
- Restlessness, difficulty concentrating, depressive moods
In the long term, a continuous deficiency can lead to calcification of veins or kidneys, cardiac arrhythmias and chest pain. This has to do with the influence of magnesium on the energy-producing metabolism and the so-called electrolyte balance. This balance ensures that the minerals (electrolytes) function properly on bodily functions such as heart, muscles and blood.
In addition, stress plays a (double) role in insufficient magnesium levels. For example, a deficiency increases feelings of stress, and stress, in turn, increases the need for minerals.
The most common symptoms of magnesium deficiency
1. Fatigue and magnesium deficiency
As previously described, magnesium is involved in processes related to energy management. This is also the reason that fatigue is one of the first signs of a deficiency.
2. Stress increases magnesium deficiency
Together with fatigue, stress is a sign of insufficient magnesium levels. Researchers have also described the relationship between magnesium and stress as a vicious circle. Your magnesium need increases when you experience feelings of stress, while a magnesium deficiency also makes you more sensitive to stress.
3. Muscle cramps caused by magnesium deficiency
A magnesium deficiency causes an electrolyte imbalance (due to the interaction with other electrolytes). This causes a decrease in potassium levels, while sodium and calcium levels increase.
As we read above, this balance is important because the electrolytes help the muscles transmit nerve signals. The signals cause the muscles to contract (resulting in painful cramps).
4. Depressive feelings and magnesium deficiency
Magnesium influences various neurotransmission routes that are associated with depression.
5. Headaches and migraines due to magnesium deficiency
Magnesium contributes to the metabolism of the brain. Research has shown that sufficient magnesium levels significantly reduce the chance of headaches.
6. Trouble sleeping
Magnesium is known as an anti-stress mineral. Your body uses a lot of magnesium in times of stress, which quickly causes a deficiency. This can cause more adrenaline to be released, which can affect thinking and concentration.
7. Insomnia
Magnesium plays a role in supporting deep and restorative sleep. The mineral ensures healthy GABA levels, the neurotransmitter that promotes sleep. Research has also shown that magnesium supplementation can improve sleep quality, especially in people who sleep poorly.
Of magnesium, a magnesium deficiency can, in turn, result in a vitamin D deficiency.
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How can you supplement a magnesium deficiency?
In the event of an increased need, it is important to first take a critical look at your diet. For example, do you eat enough leafy vegetables? Spinach and kale, for example, contain not only magnesium but also the essential nutrients iron, manganese, vitamins A, C and K.
Pure chocolate is also a magnesium bomb. For example, a portion of 28 grams contains no less than 64 mg of the mineral. Moreover, cocoa is packed with prebiotic fibres. Would you prefer something a little healthier? In addition to potassium, B vitamins and vitamin K, avocados contain an average of 58 mg of magnesium.
In addition to these leafy vegetables and treats, a diet generously containing nuts, seeds and kernels, legumes, bananas and fatty fish will also go a long way towards meeting your magnesium needs.
A magnesium supplement is also an option.
The deficiency can also be supplemented with a magnesium supplement. Nowadays there is a wide range of magnesium supplements. When you are looking for an addition to your diet, it is wise to choose an organically bound form. This form is easily absorbed by our body.
Which form of magnesium supplementation?
We distinguish between magnesium in the organic and inorganic form. Inorganic magnesium is less well absorbed by the body, such as magnesium oxide, magnesium sulphate and magnesium chloride. Organic forms such as magnesium citrate, magnesium taurate and magnesium bisglycinate, on the other hand, have a high biological availability.
We also distinguish between these organic variants. For example, the last two mentioned in the list of organic forms are so-called magnesium chelates. This means that they are bound to amino acids, which makes them even more usable for the body. This binding also ensures fewer gastrointestinal complaints.
Magnesium deficiency can lead to various complaints. It is important to choose the most suitable form of magnesium for each situation. In general, cheaper magnesium for cramps is much less effective, for example, because it concerns inorganic magnesium. A house brand is, therefore, subordinate to, for example, an orthomolecular nutritional supplement brand.
