What do you know about magnesium deficiency?
Hypomagnesemia, commonly known as magnesium deficiency, is typically an overlooked health problem many people suffer from. According to experts, around 2–25% of Americans suffer from magnesium deficiency, and symptoms can affect both their physical and mental health.
Unfortunately, many patients don’t even know about it because a lack of this nutrient might be underdiagnosed until levels become extremely low. This problem can lead to different health issues, such as chronic diarrhea, diabetes, celiac disease, and poor absorption. Doctors say that people with alcohol use disorders are more likely to experience symptoms.
But until we talk about all the signs you suffer from magnesium deficiency, we must discuss why this nutrient is so important for your mind and body. Magnesium is a mineral that improves bone health and blood sugar regulation, keeps anxiety and depression under control, regulates muscle contraction and migraines, helps you sleep better and have more energy, can improve your cardiovascular system, boosts exercise performance, and supports mental health.
Now that you know that this mineral improves your life daily, let’s talk about all the signs you might have magnesium deficiency:
1. Mental health
According to experts, people who suffer from severe magnesium deficiency are more likely to experience mental health issues. As sources say, these people can have apathy, which is characterized by a lack of emotion or mental numbness.
If your body doesn’t get the right levels of this mineral, it can trigger depression, stress, and anxiety. It’s believed that taking the right magnesium supplements daily can help manage these symptoms, but researchers need to run additional tests to know more about this.
However, suppose you want to treat your body well and keep stress and anxiety at bay. In that case, you can consume healthy foods that are rich in magnesium, such as spinach, bananas, avocado, dark chocolate, nuts, tofu, cashews, black bananas, almonds, oily fish, brown rice, chia seeds, and chickpeas.
2. Muscle cramps and twitches
Did you know that tremors, muscle cramps, and twitches are signs of magnesium deficiency? But that’s not all. Patients who suffer from a severe lack of this mineral can even experience convulsions and seizures.
Doctors believe that these side effects are caused by increased calcium entry into nerve cells, which causes the muscle nerves to become overexcited or hyperstimulated. Don’t forget that there are several other possible reasons for involuntary muscular twitches. For instance, high caffeine intake or stress might potentially be the cause of involuntary muscular spasms.
Moreover, they could also be a sign of a neuromuscular condition such as muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, or myasthenia gravis, or they could be a side effect of some drugs. Even though researchers need more time to run a couple of other tests and better understand how magnesium deficiency is linked to these symptoms, it won’t hurt to include more foods rich in this mineral in your diet.
Don’t forget to check in with your doctor and ask for a test to see whether you have enough magnesium in your body or not. If you need some supplements, check out these!
3. Muscle weakness and fatigue
When you’re fatigued, you might feel mentally exhausted and weak. This usually means that you need a longer period to rest, recharge your batteries, and refresh your mind and body. However, severe fatigue can indicate a health problem, so you’d better talk to your doctor in case you constantly feel fatigued.
A magnesium deficiency can lead to weariness and weakness because it interferes with several bodily functions, such as nerve communication and potassium levels in muscle cells.
4. Osteoporosis
As you probably know, osteoporosis is a disorder that is characterized by a higher risk of bone fractures. Magnesium deficiency is a risk factor for this health issue. While it might cause direct bone weakening, it also reduces blood levels of calcium, which is the primary component of bones.
Moreover, osteoporosis risk is influenced by many factors, such as:
- lack of exercise;
- aging;
- poor dietary intake of vitamins K and D.
5. High blood pressure
If you suffer from high blood pressure, you know how important vitamins and minerals are for your body, especially magnesium! Sources say that a lack of this mineral can raise your blood pressure and encourage hypertension, a major risk factor for heart disease.
Moreover, research indicates that poor food consumption or low magnesium levels can put you more at risk. According to sources, magnesium supplements can help lower blood pressure, so ask your doctor if you can take any.
6. Irregular heartbeat
An irregular heartbeat, also known as heart arrhythmia, is a potentially serious consequence of magnesium deficiency. Arrhythmias can manifest as anything from mild symptoms to extremely dangerous ones. Certain people might experience heart palpitations, which are pauses between heartbeats.
In the most extreme cases, arrhythmia might raise the risk of heart failure or stroke, so take care of your body and your health. One health issue can quickly lead to another, so it’s always good to eat healthily, move your body, and go to regular checkups.
7. Asthma
Did you know that magnesium deficiency is a common issue in patients with severe asthma? According to doctors, people with this health condition typically have lower levels of this mineral compared to those who are healthy.
Magnesium sulfate inhalers are frequently helpful in reducing minor symptoms of asthma, while intravenous magnesium sulfate is a useful treatment for severe issues. Even though there’s not enough research to be certain that supplements can help treat magnesium deficits, you can talk to your doctor about this issue and find a solution together.
Who should take magnesium supplements? Can you take too much of them?
Even though taking magnesium supplements in small doses is usually safe, taking too much of them can be dangerous. Don’t forget that it’s always great to talk to your doctor before taking any kind of supplements, because everything needs to be tailored to your lifestyle and dietary needs.
Speaking of that, too many magnesium supplements can result in fatigue, flushing of the face, nausea, diarrhea, and cramping in the abdomen. Moreover, several antibiotics and medicines, such as diuretics and cardiac drugs, might harm your body when combined with magnesium supplements, so be careful.
A routine blood draw doesn’t usually contain your magnesium level. Your doctor will need to order an additional test to evaluate your levels and learn more about it.
Generally speaking, a nutritious and balanced diet should provide you with all the minerals you need, but if the tests show that you have a magnesium deficit, you could always take some supplements to improve them. Experts say that people more likely to need dietary supplements are those who suffer from type 2 diabetes, have had bariatric surgery, have atrial fibrillation, and take acid-reducing medications such as proton pump inhibitors.
Don’t forget that a balanced and healthy diet is more effective than any supplements, so be mindful of the things you put on your plate and make sure you move your body regularly. Have you ever suffered from a magnesium deficiency? What did you do to improve your mineral levels? Let us know in the comments below! Did you find this article helpful? If you enjoyed reading this post, here’s another one for you: Did You Know These 7 Foods Can Affect Your Body Odor?
