The Benefits of Magnesium

Adults who consume less than the recommended amount of magnesium are more likely to have elevated inflammation . Chronic inflammation can lead to developing heart disease, arthritis and diabetes. Maintaining adequate levels of magnesium helps fight and combat such diseases from developing

As mentioned above, Magnesium plays a vital role in transporting calcium as well as potassium within our cell membranes. Magnesium helps our hearts pump blood at a regular heart beat and lowers our change of heart disease and heart attacks. Magnesium relaxes the blood vessel walls and keeps our blood pressure down. It also helps boost good cholesterol (HDL) levels.

For those who suffer from or have experienced migraines and regular headaches know all too well how debilitating it can be. Research has found that sufferers of migraines and regular headaches are linked to people with low magnesium levels. Studies have found that maintaining adequate levels of magnesium helps keep migraines at bay by reducing your blood vessels from tightening.
Migraines can hinder the amount of sleep you get and by relaxing your muscles and nerves with magnesium, will provide a more restful sleep and keep the headaches away.

Low levels of magnesium have been shown with people with Type 2 Diabetes in their blood.
Insulin resistance impairs the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels. Research has also shown that people with low magnesium intake coupled with poor diets have a higher risk of developing diabetes.
Supplements and magnesium intake has shown to lower blood sugar.  In a study with people with type 2 diabetes, it demonstrated that taking higher does of magnesium each day experienced significant improvement in blood sugar and hemoglobin levels.

Because magnesium plays such a pivotal role in our cellular function, regulating brain function, energy levels and mood, a consequence of magnesium deficiency increases the risk of depression.
Various factors can inhibit depression, however some experts have linked low level of magnesium in our food intake that may lower our serotonin levels due, increasing the risk of depression in adults and children. Supplementing with magnesium may reduce symptoms of
depression.

Athletes aren’t the only ones who need to perform at their best. During exercise whilst sweating our bodies lose between 20-30% of magnesium, so magnesium plays an important role when exercising. Magnesium works to help transporting blood sugar into your muscles by disposing of lactic acid which can build up in the muscles whilst exercising.
Magnesium given to athletes in studies has illustrated that they experienced reduction in insulin and cortisol levels. Magnesium and exercise boost exercise performance as well as aiding in recovery time and muscular and joint pain.

Magnesium regulates neurotransmitters, which send signals throughout the nervous system and brain. When we are stressed or suffer from anxiety, our neurotransmitters do not respond and do not allow our body or brain the necessary signals required to relax and calm down. Magnesium deficiency through poor diet or mal absorption have been linked to increased level of anxiety.
Your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) gland is altered which relates to a person’s stress levels. Research has shown that a low-magnesium diet may alter the types of bacteria present in the gut, and this may impact anxiety-based behavior.
Magnesium helps calm the nervous system and prepares our body to unwind by regulating melatonin levels to calm our mind to be able to fall asleep.

Having adequate and restful sleep can be a result of low magnesium levels and even having low levels of magnesium in our bodies can interfere with our sleep patterns and lead to insomnia and broken sleep.
A Harvard study of sleep in adequacy found that getting insufficient amount of sleep impacted learning and memory functions. Sleep helps the brain absorb memory and without it, people who didn’t get enough sleep found it harder to maintain concentration and remember tasks.
Sleep deprivation can slow metabolism and cause weight gain as it alters appetites and store carbs.
Magnesium can help relax the muscles and mind allowing a restful sleep.

Magnesium has proven to improve mood, reduce water retention and relieve cramps that are
present in women of child bearing age. Abdominal cramping, mood swings and energy levels are impacted during menstruation. Magnesium, may help alleviate symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), such as bloating, insomnia, leg swelling, weight gain, and breast tenderness.