Magnesium Deficiency

Magnesium is a major mineral that your body needs for biochemical reactions to occur and for your muscles and nerves to function normally. About half of your body's magnesium is stored in your bones the rest is in the cells of your organs and other tissues.

The recommended dietary allowance for magnesium depends upon your age and gender. Adult males need around 400 to 420 milligrams per day and women need 310 to 32 milligrams per day.

Magnesium is found in green vegetables (such as spinach) legumes, nuts, seeds and whole-grains. Halibut, oatmeal, peanuts and yogurt are also good sources of magnesium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms

Symptoms of magnesium deficiency aren't common, but they can mimic other disorders. Not getting enough dietary magnesium may increase your risk of cardiovascular diseases and decreases your immune system function.

When you don't get enough magnesium you may feel weak and tired, lose your appetite and you may become nauseated and start vomiting. As the deficiency progresses problems may include numbness, tingling, muscle cramps, seizures, and abnormal heart rhythms.

 

What Causes Magnesium Deficiency?

Magnesium deficiency can occur when you don't consume enough foods that contain magnesium, or if you suffer from certain health problems or take medications that may result in the loss of magnesium or reduce the amount your body can absorb in your small intestine. Diabetes, alcoholism, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, or intestinal surgery may result in magnesium deficiency.


If you have magnesium deficiency symptoms, you need to see a health care provider who can order blood tests to determine if a magnesium deficiency is the problem or if there are other causes.

 

Can You Get Too Much Magnesium?

Getting too much magnesium from the foods you eat is very unlikely; however taking large amounts of dietary magnesium supplements can cause diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Taking too much magnesium for longer periods of time may result in changes in mental status, nausea, loss of appetite, diarrhea, weakness, low blood pressure, difficulty breathing and irregular heartbeat. Don't take magnesium supplements in large doses (more than 350 mg per day is the tolerable upper intake) without speaking with your health care provider.

Chocolate Linked to Fewer Heart Attacks

A recent huge German study found that chocolate lovers had a 39% lower risk of heart attack and stroke, confirming earlier but smaller research reports. For instance, the flavonoids in chocolate reduce blood pressure, inflammation, and the tendency of blood platelets to stick to each other (part of the clotting mechanism that causes many heart attacks and strokes).

The German study at hand included over 19,000 middle-aged participants followed over the course of 10 years. Researchers studied 1,500 of them in greater detail to clarify the types of chocolate consumed, not just the total amount. Fifty-seven percent ate milk chocolate, 24% dark chocolate, and 2% white chocolate.  Dark chocolate has more of the healthful flavonoids, so that may be the best to eat if optimal health is the goal.  Stroke risk reduction was even greater than heart attack prevention.

But note that it doesn't take much chocolate to reduce cardiovascular risk.  The highest chocolate consumers in the German studies ate an average of 7.5 grams a day.  That's not much at all. The bulk of prior studies suggested that the healthy dose is about 20 grams every three days - right in line with the German research.  Higher amounts of chocolate don't seem to help with risk reduction, and might make you fat.  Twenty grams of the average chocolate has 100 calories.

We can't prove yet that starting a low-grade dark chocolate habit actually prevents heart attacks and strokes going forward.  The prior studies were looking back in time, questioning people about their chocolate habit.  I've read enough suggestive research reports that I'm going to continue eating my chocolate, thinking it may do me some good.