Have You Heard Of The Master Mineral?

Let Me Introduce You To Magnesium

Yes, the “master mineral” is in fact magnesium. It has earned this title as it is used in hundreds of processes in our bodies. It was during the reading for my vitamin D post that I thought magnesium deserved its own and here we are. Vitamin D supplementation is good because most of us aren’t getting enough. But if we are also deficient in magnesium, the vitamin D we take doesn’t get used properly. Unfortunately we’re more than likely deficient in magnesium too.

Magnesium;

• Fights inflammation
• Improves muscle function
• Makes new proteins to build muscle
• Boosts exercise performance
• Promotes healthy blood pressure
• Reduces insulin resistance
• Prevents plaque formation in our blood vessels
• Allows the body to maintain proper calcium levels
• Is helpful in preventing migraine headaches
• Fights depression

You can see why it’s called a master mineral with all of the things it does for us.

How Do I Know If I Need More Magnesium?

Common habits that lead to a magnesium deficiency include drinking carbonated drinks, high alcohol consumption, high coffee consumption, sugary diets, taking prescription medications and even having IBS can lead to it. You may exhibit excessive anxiety, suffer from muscle cramps and eye twitches. A deficiency has also been linked to a difficulty losing fat! It is likely that one or more of these things might relate to your lifestyle.

The recommended intake for magnesium is 400-420mg for men and 310-320mg for women. It is found in foods such as green leafy vegetables, spinach, beans, nuts, avocadoes, bananas and dark chocolate. The issue is that you may not eat or enjoy these foods. Even if you do, you might need to eat some of all of these to hit the recommended daily amounts. As this is a personal training website chances are that you exercise to some degree also. Sweating through exercise can deplete magnesium by up to 20% and so this is where a magnesium supplement can help.

A great benefit of magnesium supplementation has shown to be improving your sleep. It activates parts of our brain to help quiet the mind and calm us down. Added to the effects of improving mood and decreasing anxiety it might just help you get a better and more restful sleep. Most people who use magnesium take it 30 minutes to an hour before going to sleep. I hope it helps you if you decide to try it!