12 Benefits Of Magnesium In Daily Diet

Magnesium is an important mineral for our body. Often, a balanced diet recommends regular mineral intake.

Several magnesium-rich foods like bananas, avocados, dark chocolate, spinach, etc. are widely accepted and recommended. 

Magnesium is an extensive part of varied diet plans. It is not difficult to answer why. As it is essential, several functions of the body are hindered in its absence.

A specific condition of magnesium deficiency is called hypomagnesemia. However, it is not just the fear of diseases and problems that encourages magnesium intake. 

Both dietary supplements and foods rich in magnesium have many benefits. These include blood sugar regulation, strong bones, and more.

It even participates in about 300 enzyme reactions in our body. In this article, we will try to find out about these benefits in detail. 

Benefits of magnesium intake

1. Potential Role In Boosting Pre-Workout Energy

   When you work out or even do simple exercises, magnesium might become your booster dose.

   Also, when your body is doing more physical activity, your magnesium requirement^[1] increases. Magnesium helps move blood sugar into muscles.

   Therefore, it prevents lactic acid buildup caused by excessive energy demand. Normally, this acid is formed due to respiration in a lack of oxygen.

   This causes muscle fatigue and cramps. It is said that magnesium increases muscle power in women.

   Older people and other people deficient in this mineral benefit more. It may prevent muscle damage and allow flexible movement.

   This might be due to increased strength and reduced muscle fatigue.

2. Effective In Treating Dementia And Alzheimer’s Disease

   Several brain diseases lead to loss of cognitive function. The function is not as a normal healthy individual. Dementia is a decline of mental ability.

   When its symptoms get worse, it might turn out to be Alzheimer’s disease. It is just one of the types of dementia, just a more serious one.

   The study^[2] suggests that there is a link between magnesium levels and cognitive disorders. Lower levels of magnesium are found in those suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s.

   It also suggests that increasing magnesium intake may help reduce symptoms of these cognitive problems.

3. Role In Biochemical Reactions

   Each organ or more specifically, each cell requires magnesium. Several important reactions need magnesium.

   40% magnesium resides in muscles, fluids like blood, and soft tissues. The remaining proportion^[3] is in the brain.

   Its role is not limited to constituting a part of the organs. It acts as a helper in reactions. It regulates neurotransmitters released by the brain.

   Therefore, it is required to efficiently send and receive messages. This is a day-to-day process of the brain and other body parts.

   The other reaction is energy creation. Magnesium helps when food is converted to energy. It participates in protein synthesis( proteins from amino acids).

   It helps preserve genetic information. It contributes to creating and repairing DNA. Furthermore, it is required for healthy muscle movement.

4. Maintenance Of Healthy Blood Sugar Levels

   Magnesium actively participates in regulating blood sugar levels. Research^[4] depicted that people with type 2 diabetes were mainly deficient in magnesium.

   Hence, it was more difficult for their body to regulate blood sugar levels. It is also said that people with normal magnesium levels are at a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

   The possible reason is the connection between insulin sensitivity and magnesium.

   Normally, magnesium enhances insulin sensitivity. As a result, blood sugar levels are regulated by magnesium intake.

   However, it is important to note that magnesium is only beneficial in diabetes treatment if you have a deficiency. Individuals with normal magnesium levels do not benefit from it.

5. Might Prevent Migraine Headache

   Migraine headaches are severe forms of headaches. The pain itself is not normal. The symptoms get even worse when accompanied by nausea, fatigue, and vomiting.

   Reports usually highlight people suffering from migraine have a magnesium deficiency. Foods rich in magnesium may control the symptoms or help prevent headaches.

   According to the study^[5], 1 gram of mg provides more relief than medications. Therefore, magnesium in a daily diet might benefit in the case of migraine.

6. Preventing Cardiovascular Diseases

   One of the most alarming concerns of the health sector is cardiovascular disease. The good news is magnesium could be the savior. It might promote ^[6]heart health.

   This benefit includes the prevention of heart problems also. To begin with, magnesium lowers high blood pressure. Thus, any extra burden on the heart is relieved.

   It also controls bad cholesterol also called LDL. Therefore, it may turn out to be fruitful in preventing strokes.

   Although it benefits people with deficiency more, it is overall a good mineral for your heart.

7. Might Relieve Constipation

   Constipation might occur due to various reasons. If you suffer from constipation, your feces might be over-dehydrated.

   For treating constipation, the role of fiber is well known. It might come as a shocker that magnesium also aids during constipation.

   It is a laxative. Therefore, it increases the amount of water in the intestine. Hence, bowel movements^[7]might be regulated.

   The stools are no longer dehydrated. It becomes both smooth and bulky. So it becomes easy during the passage.

   Food and supplements both may turn out effective. The medications take between 30 minutes to 3 hours for showing effect.

8. Relieve Depression And Anxiety

   Stress, anxiety, and depression might effectively degrade health. They make the body more susceptible and prone to other health problems.

   Not just medication but dietary minerals like magnesium play a crucial role in brain function.

   Its absence is seen as a big invite to depression. Also, meta-analyses suggest^[8] that increasing magnesium intake combats depression.

   It is equally beneficial for reducing symptoms of stress and anxiety. Old-age people with lower magnesium levels are more likely to be depressed.

   In light of this statement, the role of magnesium is being studied in hope of treatment.

9. Anti Inflammatory Properties

   Inflammation is the key component leading to chronic diseases. This inflammation is induced in the presence of low levels of magnesium.

   There is an inverse relationship between inflammation and magnesium. Thus, in case of deficiency, several inflammatory agents flourish. Leukocytes and macrophages are activated.

   This inflammatory response cytokine and free radicals. They are harmful to humans. Magnesium intake lowers C-reactive protein by inhibiting inflammation pathways.

   It also suppresses other inflammatory markers like interleukin. Hence it might be an effective^[9] anti-inflammatory agent.

10. Improve Sleep

    Sleep is also an important part of healthy survival. But a lot of people struggle to get those much-needed hours of rest. Insomnia is an even worse scenario.

    It is much more common than we think. Magnesium is known to be a sleep inducer. Not just dietary intake, supplements also make use of magnesium for the same.

    A study^[10] conducted on old-age people suggests that 500 mg of magnesium helped them fall asleep.

    Not only does it reduce the time taken to fall asleep but also the quality. Along with sound sleep, the number of hours also increased.

11. Relief In PMS

    Premenstrual syndrome is a nightmare for many females. A huge proportion of the female population encounters this problem.

    The symptoms of PMS include bloating, excessive water retention, nausea, and even migraine attacks^[11]. These symptoms might be mild for some and severe for others.

    If you or any of your known suffer from the same, magnesium might be the relief. According to some analyses, magnesium might relieve these symptoms.

    The body experiences fluctuations in hormones and minerals during menstruation. The same is the case with magnesium.

    So magnesium intake might benefit during this time. Not only will it balance the fluctuations but also help with other symptoms.

    We already know that magnesium might prevent a migraine attack. Therefore, menstrual migraine could be prevented.

    As it also reduces stress and anxiety, it might be your sigh of relief during a hard time of the month.

12. Crucial For Bone Health

    If you go through the above-provided information carefully, you will notice that 60% of magnesium resides in bones. Just like calcium, magnesium is important for strong bones.

    Magnesium is likely to prevent the chances of fractures. Likewise, in the case of low magnesium levels, you might be prone to osteoporosis.

    In such conditions, your bones become extremely weak and brittle. According to this study^[12], magnesium increased bone mineral density.

    Therefore, it is a safe mineral for bone health. But people with diabetes, kidney problems, and heart and intestinal diseases should ask a doctor before magnesium consumption.

Conclusion

Several reactions taking place in the body require magnesium. Several foods like nuts, fruits, and vegetables have a good amount of magnesium. 

anxiety, promoting better sleep.

It is generally a safe mineral to be consumed. A wide range of food items may provide you with daily magnesium requirements.

Sources/References

Working4Health prefers using primary and verified references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and our primary references include peer-reviewed research, academic, and medical institution studies.

1. Yijia Zhang, Pengcheng Xun, Ru Wang, et al. Can Magnesium Enhance Exercise Performance? Nutrients. 2017 Sep; 9(9): 946. Published online 2017 Aug 28. doi: 10.3390/nu9090946
2. Sara Ben Zaken, Zorian Radomysky, and Gideon Korena. Association Between Serum Magnesium Levels and Alzheimer’s Disease or Mixed Dementia Patients: A Population-Based Retrospective Controlled Study. J Alzheimers Dis Rep. 2020; 4(1): 399–404. Published online 2020 Sep 28. Prepublished online 2020 Sep 8. doi: 10.3233/ADR-200220
3. Magnesium in diet. Medical Encyclopedia. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002423.htm
4. Mario Barbagallo and Ligia J Dominguez. Magnesium and type 2 diabetes. World J Diabetes. 2015 Aug 25; 6(10): 1152–1157. Published online 2015 Aug 25. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v6.i10.1152
5. Alexander von Luckner and Franz Riederer. Magnesium in Migraine Prophylaxis-Is There an Evidence-Based Rationale? A Systematic Review. Headache. 2018 Feb;58(2):199-209. doi: 10.1111/head.13217. Epub 2017 Nov 13.
6. Nuria Rosique-Esteban, Marta Guasch-Ferré, Pablo Hernández-Alonso, et al. Dietary Magnesium and Cardiovascular Disease: A Review with Emphasis in Epidemiological Studies. Nutrients. 2018 Feb; 10(2): 168. Published online 2018 Feb 1. doi: 10.3390/nu10020168.
7. Hideki Mori, Jan Tack, and Hidekazu Suzuki. Magnesium Oxide in Constipation. Nutrients. 2021 Feb; 13(2): 421. Published online 2021 Jan 28. doi: 10.3390/nu13020421.
8. George A. Eby, Karen L. Eby, and Harald Murk.. Magnesium in the Central Nervous System. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507265/
9. Nazanin Moslehi, Mohammadreza Vafa, Abbas Rahimi-Foroushani, et al. Effects of oral magnesium supplementation on inflammatory markers in middle-aged overweight women J Res Med Sci. 2012 Jul; 17(7): 607–614.
10. Behnood Abbasi, Masud Kimiagar, Khosro Sadeghniiat, et al. The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Res Med Sci. 2012 Dec; 17(12): 1161–1169.
11. A F Walker, M C De Souza, M F Vickers, et al. Magnesium supplementation alleviates premenstrual symptoms of fluid retention. J Womens Health. 1998 Nov;7(9):1157-65. doi: 10.1089/jwh.1998.7.1157.
12. Sara Castiglioni, Alessandra Cazzaniga, Walter Albisetti, et al. Magnesium and Osteoporosis: Current State of Knowledge and Future Research Directions. Nutrients. 2013 Aug; 5(8): 3022–3033. Published online 2013 Jul 31. doi: 10.3390/nu5083022.