Health & wellness

Causes Of Magnesium Deficiency In Body

Causes Of Magnesium Deficiency In Body

Magnesium is the main health mineral that can result in a variety of health issues due to its deficiency. Find and learn to monitor signs of low levels of magnesium in the body. It can help avoid deficiency by consuming a diet high in magnesium and taking magnesium supplements. Continue reading to know all about magnesium deficiency in the body.

What is Magnesium Deficiency In Body

When magnesium levels are lower in the body, a person with a magnesium deficiency is said to suffer. To understand this, it is important to know what is expected to be the natural amount of magnesium in the human body. The appropriate amounts are 310 to 320 mg for women and 400 to 420 mg for men according to the recommended daily allowance of USDA. Some experts, however, argue that the amounts could double.

Causes Of Magnesium Deficiency In Body

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Symptoms Of Magnesium Deficiency 

Magnesium deficiency is one of the things that trick doctors. Magnesium is engaged in all sorts of body processes, it looks like several other situations. The consequences vary from slightly irritating to severe when you are deficient and 80% of people are. The most common symptoms of low magnesium are:

  • Mood problems
  • Muscle cramps
  • Migraines
  • PMS
  • Irregular sleep patterns and insomnia
  • Heart irregularities
  • Muscle twitches and spasms
  • Digestive trouble
  • Lack of appetite
  • Constipation
  • Brain fog
  • Memory problems
  • Depression
  • ADHD

The tricky thing is, you may have a magnesium deficiency and show some of these symptoms, but you may not have any obvious symptoms at all. From heart arrhythmias to major depression, ignoring the signs is not worth gambling—especially when magnesium is one of the cheapest, most plentiful supplements you can find.

Here’s how to find out if the symptoms are due to magnesium deficiency.

How To Test For Magnesium Deficiency 

If you tested your magnesium, chances are you did the wrong test. Magnesium blood tests are not the most effective, since the body stores more than half of the magnesium in bones and soft tissues. So, you’re going to need to measure your intracellular magnesium, not your serum magnesium.

The test you want is called an RBC magnesium test. This test measures the amount of magnesium that is contained in your red blood cells, giving you an idea of how much magnesium the body has in your bones and soft tissue reserves.

Causes Of Magnesium Deficiency

A lack of some nutrients causes symptoms that can lead to health problems over time. Low magnesium has a variety of side effects, including repeated headaches, lack of appetite, nausea, insomnia, weakness, depression, and bowel disorder, which may occur in the form of symptoms. The symptoms will take a more drastic turn as the shortage of magnesium in the body progresses. Conditions such as heart disease, renal disease, liver disease, asthma, diabetes, infertility, and musculoskeletal conditions can lead to deficiency.

Diagnosis of Magnesium Deficiency In Body

Based on a physical exam, signs, family records, and a blood examination, the doctor will diagnose hypomagnesemia. The level of blood magnesium does not tell you the amount of magnesium in your bones and muscle tissue that your body has retained. But it also helps to decide whether you have hypomagnesemia. Your doctor will also monitor the calcium and potassium levels in the blood.

The typical magnesium level in the serum (blood) is 1.8 to 2.2 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Less than 1.8 mg/dL of serum magnesium is considered low. Very serious hypomagnesemia is known to have a magnesium level below 1.25 mg/dL.

Complications

Extreme low magnesium levels will evolve if hypomagnesemia and its underlying cause remain untreated. Extreme hypomagnesemia can lead to life-threatening issues, such as:

  • Seizures
  • Heart arrhythmia (abnormal heart patterns)
  • Vasospasm in coronary arteries
  • Sudden Death

How Magnesium Affect The Body

The biochemical and regulatory roles of the body are characterized by magnesium. This essential mineral is used by most organs, the heart, kidneys, bones, and muscles. Magnesium was once thought to be essential for bones and hearts, but research has shown that it encompasses a lot more. It is actually contained in over 300 enzymes, making it a vital part of the detoxification chain. Simply stated, magnesium protects the body from damage caused by environmental pollutants and heavy metals. It is also an energy-giving mineral and stimulates nerves and muscles. Taking a look at the effects of low levels of magnesium in the body will help reduce complications.

Magnesium often plays an important role in DNA and RNA synthesis assists with digestion and activates neurotransmitters of carbohydrates, fats, and protectins. You must look for symptoms of magnesium deficiency and start consuming the necessary daily dose as soon as possible. The importance of magnesium can not be overlooked for good health. You could see those as yet unknown discomforts slowly fading away!

Magnesium Deficiency Treatment

The easiest way to tackle a deficiency is to change your diet and include foods high in magnesium. Leafy green vegetables such as spinach, beans, nuts, and seeds (sesame, sunflower, and pumpkin) as well as dark chocolate, fish, yogurt, and bananas make excellent sources of magnesium. Supplements can also be taken.

Identifying if you are indeed magnesium-deficient is the first step. You need to be careful of signs and symptoms no matter how small they may be since they are sometimes considered ‘invisible.

Also Read: Daily Need of Vitamins & Minerals For Kids

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