9 Signs of Magnesium Deficiency – Check If you have One of these
In spite of the fact that magnesium doesn’t get quite as much press as some of the other key vitamins and minerals, it’s essential nonetheless. It’s involved in hundreds of biochemical reactions, influencing everything from your heart rate to your muscles and hormones. However, a lack of magnesium is often referred to as the “invisible deficiency” since it’s very difficult to notice and diagnose.
So, do you know if you’re getting enough magnesium? Here are ten warning signs.
1. Hearing loss
Magnesium helps to protect hearing, so a lack of this nutrient may present with diminished hearing. If you think your hearing isn’t as sharp as it used to be, it’s worth having it tested to see if the loss is beyond what’s expected in your age group. Leafy greens, avocados, mushrooms and seeds are very good examples of foods you can add to your diet if you want to boost your magnesium intake and therefore protect your hearing.
2. Unexplained exhaustion
A lack of magnesium can also bring about feelings of exhaustion, as it plays a key role in regulating energy levels. It’s always worth visiting your doctor if you’ve been fatigued for several weeks and don’t understand why. There are many different tests that can help you get to the bottom of your issue, and some conditions (such as magnesium deficiency) are easily reversible with changes to diet or the addition of new medication.
3. Eye twitches and muscle cramps
We’ve all experienced eyelid twitches; this is sometimes due to eye strain, or overuse of nearby muscles. However, in other cases, little twitches and spasms (sometimes along with numbness or tingling) could be caused by a lack of magnesium in your diet, or by a problem that makes it harder for your body to absorb appropriate amounts of magnesium. These symptoms are frequently experienced in the limbs, symptoms after exercise. At its worst, a magnesium deficiency may cause seizures to develop.
4. Migraines
Taking magnesium supplements is something the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society say is “probably effective” in keeping migraines at bay. If you think you’ve experienced a migraine for the first time, however, don’t go straight to the magnesium supplements. Instead, be sure to talk to your doctor to make sure you really did experience a migraine and not some other type of neurological problem.
5. Weak bones
Because most of the magnesium in your body is found in bones (and organs), a lack of magnesium can easily start to compromise your bone strength. This increases your risk of developing osteoporosis (i.e. brittle bones that are prone to fracturing). If you’re a post-menopausal woman, you need to be especially careful about magnesium intake so that you can protect yourself as effectively as possible.
6. A suspicious tumor
Researchers have discovered that people who consume high levels of magnesium in their diet tend to have a reduced risk of developing colorectal tumors. In addition, you need to have a reliably high intake of magnesium if you’re going to be able to pass bowel movements regularly, and preventing constipation is very important in colorectal cancer risk reduction as well.
7. Restless legs syndrome (RLS)
Restless legs syndrome involves an overpowering need to repeatedly and deliberately move the legs or arms, so as to reduce distracting itching, crawling or twitching in the limbs. A small study has recently determined that restless leg syndrome may be linked to a magnesium deficiency, and supplementation helped to reduce symptoms. Consider asking your doctor to test your magnesium levels to see if you need a supplement (and/or a change to your diet)
8. Intense PMS symptoms
As it turns out, breast tenderness, bloating, cramps, mood swings and fatigue before a menstrual period can all become more intense when you don’t have enough magnesium in your system. Consequently, taking magnesium supplements at this time of the month might be a very helpful strategy. Several studies have shown that magnesium can bring considerable relief, as can boosting your intake of magnesium rich-foods.
9. High blood pressure
High blood pressure (i.e. hypertension) is diagnosed when your blood pressure reading is above 140/90. Interestingly, high blood pressure may sometimes indicate a magnesium deficiency. This is suggested by findings that magnesium-rich foods like many fruits and vegetables have played a role in reducing high blood pressure—particularly in women. Be sure to have your blood pressure tested on a regular basis, and to query your magnesium levels if your blood pressure is high in the absence of documented risk factors.
via: http://www.homeremy.com/