Magnesium is one of those minerals that you don’t think about until you start having some symptoms that you aren’t real sure where they came from and you start investigating. Come to find out, magnesium actually plays a huge role in your body’s daily functioning, AND most adults are deficient. Being magnesium deficient can cause everything from sleep problems and anxiety to muscle aches, constipation and heart disease. Read on to find out all of the major health benefits of magnesium and how much and where you can get the amount you need.
Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I recommend these products because they are products that I personally use or companies that I have found trustworthy.
(I am also not a doctor nor do I play one on the internet, so please check with your health care provider before taking any supplements or make a change to your health care plan.)
Key Health Benefits of Magnesium
Helps with Insomnia
I know I struggle with insomnia, so I’ll take all the help I can get. Try a 250mg dose of magnesium 30 minutes to an hour before bed. Check out my post How to Sleep Better | 8 Natural Tricks to Get Better Sleep for more information.
Relieves Muscle Aches and Pains
Magnesium helps regulate your muscle contractions through neuromuscular signals. When you don’t have enough magnesium, your muscles can contract and spasm. Magnesium helps muscles relax to ease the aches and pains.
Helps Ease Anxiety
Magnesium is essential for an inhibitory neurotransmitter called GABA that helps product hormones that make you happy like serotonin. By regulating these hormones, magnesium has a calming effect on the brain.
Eases Constipation and Helps Digestion
As with the relaxation effects from above, magnesium also helps to relax the digestive tract muscles. This helps move stool through your intestines and reduces stomach acid. Just be careful not to have too much or it will have a laxative effect. Exactly what you don’t want.
Heart Attack Preventer
Magnesium and calcium work together to regulate and support blood pressure levels, which can help prevent hypertension that leads to heart attacks.
Increases Energy
I think it’s safe to say that we can all use more energy. Magnesium activates ATP, or adenosine triphosphate that help to regulate your energy levels. (Check out my post Top 10 Ways to Increase Energy Levels Naturally for more.)
How Much Magnesium do you Need and Where to Get it?
So, we can now see all of the benefits of magnesium, but how much do you actually need and is a magnesium supplement right for you. The best answer is yes, you probably need more magnesium in your life, but if you can get it through food, that is probably the best. Supplements should not be counted out though since there are many good brands on the market and can make life a lot easier with little side effect.
To get the maximum benefits of magnesium, try to incorporate as many food sources as you can. Natural foods that are high in fiber like leafy greens and seeds and nuts are your best bet. Think of spinach, kale, broccoli, almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds and legumes.
Another way to get magnesium is to take an Epsom salt bath. Taking a relaxing bath has its own benefits and then when you combine it with the magnesium benefits you are getting a double health whammy.
I like this organic one.
If you don’t want to go the food or bath route, consider an over the counter supplement. I regularly take 250mg at night before I go to bed. A low dose between 100-300mg/day is considered safe for most adults. As always consult a doctor before you start any new supplement.
Two that I like: Nature Made Magnesium or Natural Calm
There are a ton of benefits of magnesium to be aware of and I probably have only scratched the surface in this post. Since most of us have a magnesium deficiency, it really is worth checking out to see if it is right for you to add into your diet or supplement regime.
