Magnesium is an important mineral, playing a role in over 300 enzyme reactions in the human body. It helps keep bones strong, nerves and muscles working properly, and blood sugar under control.
The human body contains around 25 g of magnesium, 90% of total body magnesium being contained in the muscles and bones (~27% and ~63%) respectively.
Functions
Magnesium performs numerous crucial functions in the body, including strengthening bones and joints, preventing insulin resistance and lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes, enhancing cardiac muscle activity, averting frequent migraines and reducing the occurrence of depression and anxiety.
It is also essential for decreasing the risk of acquiring severe heart and neurological disorders like arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, Alzheimer's and stroke.
Immunity
The level of magnesium in the blood is an important factor in the immune system’s ability to tackle pathogens and cancer cells. Magnesium deficiency is associated with a variety of diseases, such as infections and cancer. Previous studies have shown that cancerous growths spread faster in the bodies of mice when the animals received a low-magnesium diet – and that their defense against flu viruses was also impaired.
T cells are one of the important white blood cells of the immune system and play a central role in the adaptive immune response. Now, researchers have discovered that T cells can eliminate abnormal or infected cells efficiently only in a magnesium-rich environment.
Bone Health
Magnesium may improve bone health both directly and indirectly, as it helps to regulate calcium and vitamin D levels, which are two other nutrients vital for bone health. Vitamin D is necessary for strong bones and muscles. However, your body can't process Vitamin D on its own – it needs magnesium to activate the enzymes in the liver and kidneys that metabolize Vitamin D. Therefore, if you have low magnesium levels, you could run the risk of experiencing Vitamin D deficiency.
Magnesium deficiency might be a risk factor for osteoporosis. While most research has focused on the role of calcium in bone health, magnesium is also essential for healthy bone formation. Research has linked adequate magnesium intake with higher bone density, improved bone crystal formation, and a lower risk of osteoporosis in females after menopause.
Magnesium deficiency might negatively influence bone health. Magnesium deficiencies are associated with reduced concentrations of both parathyroid hormone and the active form of vitamin D, which are major regulators of bone homeostasis. Magnesium deficiencies are associated with increase of inflammatory proteins (cytokines) that negatively affect bone remodeling.
Magnesium deficiencies are associated with endothelial dysfunction which negatively affects blood flow that is necessary for bone health. A deficiency of magnesium can influence the body’s buffering capacity resulting in a low-grade acidosis. Metabolic acidosis has been shown to lead to calcium loss from bone and to impair bone mineralization.
Diabetes
Research has linked high magnesium diets with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. This may be because magnesium plays an important role in glucose control and insulin metabolism. Most, but not all, people with diabetes have low magnesium.
If you have type 2 diabetes, your body produces insulin, but your cells are unable to effectively respond to it. This is called insulin resistance, which often develops before type 2 diabetes. A magnesium deficiency may worsen insulin resistance. On the other hand, insulin resistance may cause low magnesium levels.
Cardiovascular Health
Research has found that magnesium plays an important role in heart health. The body needs magnesium to maintain the health of muscles, including the heart. Low magnesium promotes endothelial dysfunction by generating a pro-inflammatory, pro-thrombotic and pro-atherogenic environment that could play a role in the pathogenesis cardiovascular disease.
Oral magnesium acts as a natural calcium channel blocker, increases nitric oxide, improves endothelial dysfunction, and induces direct and indirect vasodilation.
Magnesium deficiency can increase a person’s risk of cardiovascular problems. This is partly due to its roles on a cellular level. Magnesium deficiency is common in people with congestive heart failure and can worsen their clinical outcomes. People who receive magnesium soon after a heart attack have a lower risk of mortality.
Magnesium is necessary for maintaining a steady heartbeat and normal blood pressure to maintain heart health. Doctors sometimes use magnesium during treatment for congestive heart failure to reduce the risk of abnormal heart rhythm. Taking magnesium supplements lowers blood pressure to only a small extent. Increasing magnesium intake may lower a person’s risk of stroke.
Migraine Headaches
Magnesium deficiency can affect neurotransmitters and restrict blood vessel constriction, which are factors doctors link to migraine. People who experience migraines may have lower levels of magnesium in their blood and body tissues compared with others. Magnesium levels in a person’s brain may be low during a migraine.
Magnesium Deficiency
While many people do not meet their recommended intake for magnesium, deficiency symptoms are rare in otherwise healthy people. Magnesium inadequacy or deficiency can result from excess consumption of alcohol, a side effect of certain medications, and some health conditions, including gastrointestinal disorder and diabetes.
Deficiency is more common in older adults.
Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include a loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, fatigue or weakness. Symptoms of more advanced magnesium deficiency include muscle cramps, numbness, tingling, seizures, personality changes, heart rhythm changes or spasms.
Sources
Leafy green vegetables, whole grains, beans and nuts are the best ways to keep healthy levels of magnesium in your body. Many types of fish are high in magnesium, including salmon, mackerel and halibut. Dark chocolate is very rich in magnesium.
Legumes are a family of nutrient-dense plants that include lentils, beans, chickpeas, peas and soybeans. They’re very rich in many different nutrients, including magnesium. Many seeds including flax, pumpkin and chia seeds — contain high amounts of magnesium.
Bananas are among the most popular fruits in the world. They’re best known for their high potassium content, which can lower blood pressure and is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease. But they’re also rich in magnesium. The avocado is an incredibly nutritious fruit and a tasty source of magnesium.
Most common fruits, meat, and fish contain low in magnesium. Wheat products lose magnesium when the wheat is refined, so it is best to choose cereals and bread products made with whole grains.
How does Magnesium treat Asthma?
Of interest, asthma exacerbations have been related to magnesium deficiency. Magnesium sulfate has been considered as an adjunct therapy for severe and life-threatening asthma exacerbation. Magnesium sulfate is a bronchodilator. It relaxes the bronchial muscles and expands the airways, allowing more air to flow in and out of the lungs. This can relieve symptoms of asthma, such as shortness of breath.
Doctors mainly use magnesium sulfate to treat people who are having severe asthma flare-ups.They usually administer the medication through an intravenous injection or infusion. In some cases, a person can inhale the drug using a nebulizer. Magnesium sulfate is not a first-line treatment for asthma flare-ups. Doctors typically only administer the drug in the emergency department, when other treatments have not succeeded.
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