Replenishing Your Magnesium Levels

Our body’s magnesium levels may reach levels of more than 25 mg. These reserves are stored in the bones, tissues, the blood and the intercellular fluid.

You may read about the body’s magnesium requirements in many places. To prevent magnesium deficiency, the recommended amount of daily magnesium intake for women is 310 to 360 mg, while for pregnant women it is 360-450 mg, and for men it is 400-480 mg.

The required amount for children between the ages of 1 to 3 is 80 mg, while it is 130 mg for children from 4 to 8, and 240 mg between the ages of 9 to 13. It is really important that the magnesium supplementation of children is supervised by a trained physician.

The necessary amount of magnesium for the body may be obtained from various sources.

Possible sources of magnesium:

I. Diet

Due to the development in modern agriculture and the use of inorganic fertilizers, our diet has become very different from that of several decades ago. Back then our daily diet was able to make up for much more of our mineral and trace element needs.

Nowadays, appropriate diet will not provide us with our magnesium requirements, which has a lot to do with having to resort to supplementing. In order to be able to supplement part of our magnesium requirements through our diet, it is advisable to implement a balanced and well thought-out diet.

Let us see the nutrients that should definitely be part of this diet:

1. Vegetables

Dark green leafy vegetables rich in chlorophyll are great sources of magnesium. Consume as much spinach, sorrel, kale and leaf beet as possible. These all help replenish your magnesium reserves through low energy intake.

2. Wholemeal grains

Products made from refined flour have already had their day. They have proven time and time again to have less favorable effects on human health. Wholemeal grains on the other hand have innumerable health benefits known to us. Some of them include a great contribution to magnesium supplementation. Consume as much as possible of food made from spelt wheat, wholemeal rye and wheat bran.

3. Oily seeds

Every nut and oily seed is high in magnesium. The best choice is pumpkin seed, but sunflower seed, almonds, walnut and cashew, pine nut or pecan nut are all great choices too if you are looking for a supplement for magnesium deficiency. If you would like to have some snacks, just mix oily seeds with some raisins – your treats rich in magnesium are ready in the blink of an eye.

4. Legumes

Consuming legumes is not only important because of the unsaturated fatty acids and fibers, but also because of their high magnesium content. From this aspect, the best thing to go for is soybeans, but various beans, lentils and split peas are also rich in magnesium.

5. Other types of food rich in magnesium

Avocado's, bananas and high-quality dark chocolate with high cocoa content are all ideal sources of magnesium. It is also important to include various types of fish in your diet. The best choices include mackerel, the ever-so-savory salmon, and tuna fish.

Types of food most rich in magnesium are as follows: Amount of Mg in 100g

• Seaweed –760 mg
• Pumpkin seed – 532 mg
• Wheat bran – 490 mg
• Wheat germ – 336 mg
• Almond – 270 mg
• Cashew – 267 mg
• Molasses – 258 mg
• Marmite – 231 mg
• Buckwheat – 229 mg
• Brazil nut – 225 mg
• Hazelnut: 184 mg
• Millet – 162 mg
• Pecan nut – 142 mg
• English walnut – 131mg
• Rye – 115 mg

What to avoid Food high in fats, fizzy drinks, certain preservatives (e.g. benzoic acid) and alcohol consumption all inhibit magnesium absorption.

II. Pills and other, dietary supplements to supplement with for magnesium deficiency

Magnesium supplement products contain magnesium salts that are absorbed within the body to a various extent. As these products are taken orally, they do not exert their beneficial effects topically – they reach the tissues and cells through the digestive system and the circulatory system.

This results in the magnesium reaching its destination at a slow pace, and as a result, symptoms caused by magnesium deficiency are alleviated at a slower rate. One common side effect of the pills can be diarrhea, which has an effect contrary to the one desired. Despite all this, the pharmaceutical industry and the food industry both utilize a wide range of magnesium compounds.

• Low absorption rate
• Slow absorption of magnesium (12 hours at least)
• Fast peristalsis
• The liver filters out everything, including most of the active agents

Research shows that from the dietary supplements containing magnesium-oxide (most of the products contain this magnesium-complex) a very small portion, about 4% can be absorbed from the intestinal tract, while in the case of magnesium-citrate, this rate is as high as 50%. Thus, required levels of magnesium virtually cannot be attained with 375 mg of orally administered dosage.

If we, however, administer more of it, the risk of diarrhea – the most common side effect of magnesium dosage – increases.

Pills passing quickly through the intestinal tract do not favor the slow absorption-rate processes either. Furthermore, some part of any substance administered orally and absorbed in the intestinal tract will fall victim to the primary filtering mechanism of the liver.

Let us see the most commonly used magnesium types:

Magnesium oxide, or magnesia

This is the chemical compound made up of the combination of magnesium and oxygen. It usually comes in white powdery forms. In the pharmaceutical industry it is commonly applied as laxative or gastric antacid. It is high in magnesium compared to oxygen, but it does not get utilized efficiently in the body. Due to its inefficient absorption rate, it is less suitable for magnesium supplementing.

Magnesium carbonate

A versatile magnesium compound that is found in various forms in nature. Besides being a magnesium supplement, it is also suitable for neutralizing gastric acid. Gymnasts, rock and wall climbers, weightlifters use it to prevent sweating.

Magnesium citrate

A salt attained by mixing magnesium carbonate and citric acid. This is one of the magnesium forms with the fastest and most efficient absorption rate and therefore it is often used in magnesium supplements. It is used as an acidity regulator in the food industry.

Magnesium lactate

A compound made up of magnesium and lactic acid. It is utilized efficiently, so it is often used in dietary supplements

Magnesium orotate

A salt made up of magnesium and orotic acid. It is one of the magnesium salts that are utilized efficiently.

Magnesium sulfate, or saline

A chemical compound made up of magnesium and sulfuric acid used also as a bath salt. It is also known as the Epsom Salt. It is capable of entering the body through the skin, and it is relatively efficient.

Magnesium chloride

A salt made up of magnesium and chlorine that is usually retrieved from seawater. It is added not only to dietary supplements but also to lotions and bath salts due to its transdermal capacities.

III. Transdermal Magnesium/ Topical Application

The most efficient way of absorption for any active agent takes place through the skin. This is also true for magnesium.

This fact has been noted by the pharmaceutical and beauty industry, too. Just go back and see magnesium sulfate and magnesium chloride in the previous part. These are utilized in forms soluble in bathwater and in lotions. Magnesium absorbed through the skin is capable of reaching its destination very quickly, thus alleviating the symptoms evoked by magnesium deficiency.

Another important aspect is that getting absorbed this way will have no side effects, so there is no need to expect problematic symptoms.

Magnesium benefits are profound. Avoid a magnesium deficiency and stay healthy. Start with eating foods high in magnesium. Beware of symptoms of magnesium deficiency. Using magnesium chloride is easy. Learn how to use magnesium lotions, gels, flakes, oils and body butters to maintain healthy levels of magnesium in your body with our discount below.