Information, effects, deficiency, dosage, side effects
Magnesium is involved in the formation of more than 300 vital enzymes in the body. This shows how important it is for performance and energy. Magnesium relaxes the muscles and prevents muscle cramps. It is a natural anti-stress agent, regulates blood pressure and prevents cardiac arrhythmias. Magnesium is the most valuable mineral of our time.
Magnesium is the power mineral for all ages. It is of great importance for cell metabolism, especially in the bones and muscles, so that even a slight deficiency can have consequences for well-being and health.
Magnesium is therefore particularly important for people with an increased need for this mineral. In addition to pregnant women and nursing mothers, this includes athletes and diabetics.
But even in old age, an adequate supply of magnesium not only protects the bones, but also the cardiovascular system.
Whenever a muscle moves, magnesium becomes necessary. As an important component of over 300 enzymes, it is involved in almost all of the cell's metabolic processes.
In addition to stabilising cell walls and proteins, magnesium is also required for the conversion of high-energy substances such as glucose. Without magnesium, no energy can be provided in the body.
And even in the transmission of stimuli between nerves and muscles, smooth interaction is only guaranteed with magnesium. Magnesium is also vital for strength in teeth and bones.
A lack of this mineral, which is indispensable for the human body, can manifest itself in many different ways.
Symptoms include:
Magnesium is found in all foods in nature, even in water. However, the content in the individual foods varies greatly.
Cooking and processing reduce the magnesium content - even for foods that contain a lot of magnesium. Alcohol, coffee, sugar, and a high-protein diet are also responsible for reduced magnesium levels in the body.
Magnesium is particularly abundant in all wholegrain products, dark chocolate, nuts, seeds, beans, peas, and green leafy vegetables. Meat, fish, and dairy products are also magnesium suppliers.
If you have an increased magnesium requirement and cannot cover it through food intake, you should take magnesium capsules as a dietary supplement.
Actually, covering the daily magnesium requirement with the many different magnesium-rich foods should not be a problem. But who eats 9 bananas in a day?
A sufficient supply with the dose of 300 to 400 mg magnesium daily recommended by the German Nutrition Society sometimes proves difficult.
Especially for athletes, expectant mothers, children, and adolescents in the growth phase and diabetics, the sometimes even higher recommended doses are difficult to ingest through the diet.
Here, taking magnesium via dietary supplements offers a sensible alternative to counteract a magnesium deficiency.
As for magnesium, an exact dose cannot be recommended for a specific person. How much magnesium you should take is determined by your symptoms and your reaction to magnesium.
The officially recommended amount (RDA) for magnesium is around 400 mg of elemental magnesium. However, many people need more. Some people get palpitations, calf cramps, and nervous muscles if they do not take enough magnesium. If you take more than the daily dose, the magnesium can overwhelm the intestine and have a laxative effect.
Do not be surprised if you need a certain amount of the mineral while another person needs to take twice as much. The magnesium requirement increases with stress, heavy sporting activity, or physical work.
The best way to achieve a healthy magnesium level - even during stress or activity - is magnesium capsules, which contain several magnesium compounds.
Some people are so ecstatic about magnesium that they forget to slowly increase the dose and think 'the more, the better'.
Ingesting too much magnesium initially can have an unexpected laxative effect that may make you think you cannot tolerate magnesium.
To prevent this, it is important to start with a lower dose of 150 to 200 mg and increase it to 400 mg once or twice a day when your bowel movements have normalised to a comfortable level.