its-me-magnesium

[its-me-magnesium]

My name is magnesium, and I am an essential mineral! I am also known as Mg. the adult human body contains about 25 g of me. About 60% of that is stored in the bones, and the rest is stored in the other tissues of the human body. Some is in muscle, and just 1% is in bodily fluids (Ware, 2020)! I am one of the most common minerals found in the fluid of cells. In cells, I can help regulate the balance of fluids and electrical charges. I can also help produce protein within a cell and transport electrical signals from one cell to another (Kähler, 2023). Another important job I have in the body is helping the over 300 enzymes with chemical reactions that include building proteins and regulating blood sugar, blood pressure, and muscles and nerves. I can help these muscles, such as the heart, with their contractions! I also help the parathyroid hormone to keep calcium levels regular. I also help keep vitamin D at a normal level (The Nutrition Source, 2021). Although I keep calcium levels in check, I also work alongside calcium to relax muscles after calcium contracts them. I will also hold calcium in teeth to help prevent tooth decay (Sizer & Whitney, 2020). Your body can preserve magnesium by not excreting as much of it in urine and by synthesizing more in the intestines, where I am absorbed (The Nutrition Source, 2021). The kidneys will also help your body reserve necessary magnesium. The part of the intestines where my absorption occurs is the small intestine. Absorption starts just one hour after consuming magnesium in the jejunum, but most absorption occurs in the ileum (Enviromedica, 2021).

[its-me-magnesium]

Cant get enough of me?

My RDA is 400 to 420 mg daily for males and a little less for females at 310-320 mg daily. If a female is pregnant, they need just a little extra of me, at 350-360 mg per day (The Nutrition Source, 2021). Furthermore, children and babies need some of me too! The RDA for infants varies from 30 to 75 mg per day, and the RDA for children ranges from 80 to 360 mg per day, depending on their age. There are a lot of delicious foods out there that are high in magnesium! A fantastic source of magnesium is dark leafy vegetables, such as spinach, which has nearly 80 mg in only half a cup! That is about 1/4 of a female's RDA! Some other tasty sources of magnesium include bananas, cashews, beans, tofu, whole-grain bread, and milk. Although vitamins and minerals usually work together in the body to get things done, diets high in protein, calcium, and vitamin D can increase your body's need for more of me! Magnesium deficiency can be unpleasant, and some of the most severe signs and symptoms of deficiency are tingling skin, muscle cramps, seizures, an abnormal heart rate, and a low blood calcium and potassium level (Bridges, 2021). Some less severe symptoms of magnesium deficiency include fatigue, poor appetite, nausea, and vomiting. The most common causes of a deficiency include a low magnesium diet over a long period, conditions relating to malabsorption, alcohol abuse, diabetes, and being older. Some conditions can affect digestion, and these conditions can relate to a magnesium deficiency because magnesium is absorbed in the small intestine. Alcohol abuse is related to a deficiency because alcohol can affect your organs, which help to process magnesium, causing them to flush out too much of it. People with diabetes may urinate more to flush out excess sugar, but this excessive urination may also flush out too much magnesium, causing the deficiency. Older people are prone to not getting enough of me because they do not absorb magnesium as well, urinate more frequently than younger people, and may be taking medications that can affect how much magnesium your body stores. A magnesium supplement is a good idea for those not absorbing enough. However, I am better absorbed in the liquid forms of the supplement, such as magnesium citrate, rather than solid tablet supplements. Magnesium supplements are often given to people who suffer from migraines as they usually are also deficient (The Nutrition Source, 2021). Supplements can also be given to people with diabetes. The supplement can help to improve their insulin sensitivity. Some studies have also found that taking a supplement of mine, along with B-6, may reduce PMS symptoms (Ware, 2020)!!! You're welcome, ladies!

[its-me-magnesium]

Did you get too much of me?

Is it possible to consume too much of me? Yes! You can get too much if you take magnesium supplements or other medication containing me! Although magnesium toxicity is possible, it is tough, if not impossible, to get it from food alone because your kidneys do an outstanding job of helping you excrete any excess magnesium in your urine. Toxicity can be more common in individuals with kidney problems because they cannot flush their bodies of the extra magnesium as well as others. You must take a high dose of magnesium supplements for a long time for toxicity to occur. The tolerable upper limit for magnesium is just for supplements and medication, which is 350 mg (The Nutrition Source, 2021). There is no need to have a tolerable upper limit for magnesium in your food. Some medications that contain magnesium include laxatives and antacids. Toxicity can be more common in the elderly because they are more likely to take supplements, laxatives, and antacids. Toxicity can also be seen more frequently in children if they gain access to medications containing magnesium that are within their reach. Some signs and symptoms you have ingested too much of me include nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and depression. Some more severe signs and symptoms include retention of urine, muscle weakness, heart problems, an acid-to-base imbalance, and even death (Sizer & Whitney, 2020). Check with your doctor before taking a magnesium supplement to ensure you actually need it!