Signs, Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency
It's likely you don't think about magnesium on a daily basis unless it's as the less-than-celebrated partner to calcium. Although the work that calcium and magnesium do together is important magnesium stands alone as one of the most useful nutrients in your body. As the catalyst of over 300 chemical processes that take place in your body every day, magnesium is essential for the health of every organ in the body. Magnesium is also required for healthy teeth and bones, energy production and the proper functioning of calcium, copper, zinc, potassium, Vitamin D, and many other nutrients.According to most experts true magnesium deficiencies are rare and usually only occur due to chronic alcoholism or in the case of health conditions or medications that deplete magnesium. Signs and symptoms of magnesium deficiency include:
• • Loss of appetite
• • Nausea and vomiting
• • Weakness and fatigue
• • Numbness
• • Tingling
• • Muscle cramps
• • Seizures
• • Personality changes
• • Abnormal heart rythms
• • Coronary spasms
Those same experts do recognize significant health issues across the majority of body systems due to magnesium "inadequacy". Magnesium inadequacy occurs when there is a consistent lack of magnesium in the diet and has been associated with a variety of health conditions and concerns that improve when magnesium is added to the treatment regimen. Health issues associated with magnesium inadequacy include:
• • Asthma
• • Depression
• • Diabetes
• • Fibromyalgia
• • Noise related hearing loss
• • Arrhythmia and heart failure
• • High blood pressure
• • Migraine headaches
• • Osteoporosis
• • Preeclampsia and eclampsia
• • Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
• • Restless legs syndrome
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Researchers offer a long list of health conditions that put people at risk for magnesium deficiency or inadequacy including:
• • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• • Ulcerative Colitis
• • Pancreatitis
• • Hyperthyroidism
• • Kidney disease
• • Type II Diabetes
• • Alcohol Dependency
• • Aging
• • Intestinal virus
• • Heavy menstrual periods
If you think you may be experiencing a magnesium deficiency or inadequacy speak to your healthcare provider before starting a nutritional supplement program. A healthy, well-balanced diet and moderate exercise is always a great first step toward better overall health.
