The Importance of Magnesium

Magnesium is a necessary mineral that not many people think about. However, magnesium is an extremely important component of our diet. Deficiencies of magnesium can be quite dangerous to your health. It's essential to eat a healthy and balanced diet, but it is also important to know which vitamins and minerals should be included in our diet.

Magnesium is used by all the cells in your body. It is used to keep bones strong, helps maintain nerve and muscle functioning, and keeps the heart rhythmic and steady. You can see why a deficiency of this mineral can be dangerous. Magnesium is found in green leafy vegetables, nuts, seed, and some whole grains.

Your body only requires a small amount of magnesium, but there is also only a minute amount of magnesium found in most of the foods listed above. This is why it is so critical to eat a balanced diet full of healthy and nutritious foods.

The symptoms of Magnesium deficiency include disorientation, confusion, depression, abnormal heartbeat, loss of appetite, cramps, numbness, and seizures. Magnesium deficiency is fairly uncommon. Magnesium deficiencies has been linked to over-consumption of alcohol. Magnesium is often depleted though the urine and magnesium deficiencies.

The best way to find out the recommended daily amount of magnesium is to consult with your doctor or nutritionist. In addition, you can find many books and websites that can help you determine your daily needs for magnesium consumption. This number is quite different for men, women, different age groups, pregnant women, and lactating women. It's important to how much magnesium you should be taking, and how much is in certain foods, so as to prevent any deficiencies.

If you think it's possible that you aren't getting enough magnesium in your diet, consider taking a magnesium supplement or a multi vitamin. If you have a deficiency in magnesium you may not be getting enough of other vitamins and minerals as well. The best way to get all vitamins and minerals is fresh and healthy foods, but the next best thing may be a multi vitamin.

Drastic changes in your eating habits should be considered if you find yourself relying on multi vitamins for all your dietary needs. There are a number of reasons that could require you to take a magnesium supplement. For example you may need to take a supplement to ensure you have enough magnesium in your diet if you have chronic mal-absorption.

Some studies have shown that high blood pressure or hypertension can be lowered by magnesium. Whether or not this is true it cannot hurt to increase the number of vegetables and fruits you eat each day. Metabolic changes that may cause heart attacks or strokes have been linked to Magnesium deficiencies. As you can see, magnesium is a very important mineral to have in your diet.

There is the danger of too much magnesium though. If you are getting magnesium through your diet there is little risk of any overdose. However if you take too many supplements there is the danger of magnesium toxicity. The symptoms are very similar to those of magnesium deficiencies so be wary of taking too many supplements, laxatives, and antacids.

Magnesium is a very important mineral, and you should be very careful to make sure you are getting the proper amounts of fruits and vegetables each day. If you eat a balanced diet then you probably never need to worry about a magnesium deficiency.

Article Source: http://www.parentingarticlelibrary.com

Frank Landrens is the owner and operator of BHP Magnesium, the #1 source on the internet for information about magnesium. For more articles on magnesium visit: www.bhpmagnesium.com/articles
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