Magnesium is a co-factor in more than 350 enzymatic reactions in the body, making it a key trace element to have in your diet. For example, it is needed for the transmission of nerve impulses, muscular activity, heart function, temperature regulation, formation of healthy bones, and more. Deficiency symptoms can include muscle cramps, weakness, insomnia, osteoporosis, restlessness, irritability, and quite a few more unpleasant issues. Therefore, there are many reasons that millions of Australians have begun to take magnesium supplements as a part of their daily routines.
Food Is Not Enough
In an ideal world, you could get all the magnesium you need from the food you eat but that is not the case. In fact, more than two-thirds of the Australian population are deficient in magnesium, causing this depletion to be added to a long list of health concerns across the continent. Many countries, such as Finland and France, have discovered similar findings from their research and it was concluded that between 70% and 80% of adults consume less than the recommended daily allowance of magnesium.
In the past, green leafy vegetables were the best way to fight magnesium deficiency, but soil has been found to hold significantly less of the mineral now than it did just a decade ago. This deficiency in the soil makes your food become depleted too and green leafy vegetables are no longer enough. Even foods that still have adequate levels such as nuts, seeds and legumes contain phytic acid, oxalic acid, and enzyme inhibitors that may interfere with magnesium absorption during digestion.
Medication Can Exacerbate the Problem
Common prescription medications such as oral contraceptives, statins, diuretics, and asthma medications cause magnesium nutrient depletion in the body. Even if you choose not to take a magnesium supplement on a daily basis, it is in your best interest to take it in conjunction with these types of medication. The lower your levels get, the more severe your symptoms may become, and it is not easy for a doctor to diagnose a patient with magnesium problems. Taking the supplement can only help your body and it never hurts to be sure you have covered all options.
Exercising
If you exercise regularly, you absolutely need to consider a magnesium supplement. This is due to the fact that magnesium is crucial for energy metabolism in the body, which can be limited by low magnesium levels. Therefore, you need far more when you exercise often, especially if you are an athlete by trade. Aside from being used in the production of energy, magnesium might also assist performance by reducing accumulation of lactic acid and reducing the perception of fatigue. This is due to its action on the nervous system. All of this, plus the fact that magnesium is lost through sweat, makes taking this supplement crucial to your daily routine.
Decreased Risk of Cancer
Keeping magnesium at a proper level inside your body can actually decrease your chance of developing cancer in the future. Cancer rates are at an all-time high and they are only expected to become higher in the next few decades. Recent studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a person’s risk of developing colorectal cancer dropped by 13% for every 100mg increase in magnesium intake. That percentage alone should be enough to persuade anyone into trying the supplement.
