Magnesium and how to know when you need more
Do you know if you have enough Magnesium? Or are you lacking?
The answer is likely “Yes” that you are deficient in Magnesium. I know that I need lots of it, for one thing I found out that many medicines suck Magnesium out of you and even our water drains us of Magnesium.
Magnesium is the eighth most abundant mineral on earth, and the third most abundant in sea water. More importantly, it is the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body and it is necessary in over 300 reactions within the body.
Magnesium isn’t just abundant in the body, but vitally important too. As this article explains:
Every single cell in the human body demands adequate magnesium to function, or it will perish. Strong bones and teeth, balanced hormones, a healthy nervous and cardiovascular system, well-functioning detoxification pathways and much more depend upon cellular magnesium sufficiency. Soft tissue containing the highest concentrations of magnesium in the body include the brain and the heart—two organs that produce a large amount of electrical activity, and which can be especially vulnerable to magnesium insufficiency.
Proper magnesium ratios are important for the body to correctly use calcium in the cells. Even a small deficiency can lead to a dangerous calcium imbalance and lead to problems like calcification and cell death. This manifests itself with symptoms like heart trouble, migraine headaches, muscle cramps and premenstrual cramping.
Where Has All The Magnesium Gone?
Unfortunately, most modern farming processes tax the soil, depleting it of its natural magnesium. On top of that, many hybrids are selectively bred to survive low levels of magnesium and most conventional fertilizers use nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, and do nothing to replenish magnesium levels.
Water was once a good source of magnesium, but now:
Fluoride in drinking water binds with magnesium, creating a nearly insoluble mineral compound that ends up deposited in the bones, where its brittleness increases the risk of fractures. Water, in fact, could be an excellent source of magnesium—if it comes from deep wells that have magnesium at their source, or from mineral-rich glacial runoff. Urban sources of drinking water are usually from surface water, such as rivers and streams, which are low in magnesium. Even many bottled mineral waters are quite low in magnesium, or have a very high concentration of calcium, or both.
These additional dietary factors can also deplete magnesium:
Consumption of caffeine
Consumption of sugar (It takes 287 molecules of magnesium to metabolize a single glucose molecule! source)
Consumption of processed food
Consumption of alcohol
Consumption of produce from depleted soil
Consumption of foods high in phytic acid
Additionally, drugs like birth control pills, hypertension medicine, diuretics, insulin, and certain antibiotics (among others) deplete magnesium levels. Sweating often from exercise or other causes can also deplete magnesium.
What Does Magnesium DO?
Magnesium is necessary for hundreds of functions within the body, but is especially important for:
Gives rigidity AND flexibility to your bones (more important than Calcium in many cases)
Increases bioavailability of calcium
Regulates and normalizes blood pressure
Prevents and reverses kidney stone formation
Promotes restful sleep
Helps prevent congestive heart failure
Eases muscle cramps and spasms
Lowers serum cholesterol levels and triglycerides
Decreases insulin resistance
Can prevent artherosclerosis and stroke
End cluster and migraine headaches
Enhances circulation
Relieves fibromyalgia and chronic pain
Treats asthma and emphysema
Helps make proteins
Encourages proper elimination
Prevents osteoporosis
Proper Vitamin D absorption
protection from radiation
To aid weight loss
Lessen or remove ADD or ADHD in children
in proper carbohydrate digestion
emerging evidence is showing a preventative role in many cancers
(source)
Even though magnesium deficiency is rarely addressed in medical settings, the National Institutes of Health website states that:
Some observational surveys have associated higher blood levels of magnesium with lower risk of coronary heart disease In addition, some dietary surveys have suggested that a higher magnesium intake may reduce the risk of having a stroke There is also evidence that low body stores of magnesium increase the risk of abnormal heart rhythms, which may increase the risk of complications after a heart attack These studies suggest that consuming recommended amounts of magnesium may be beneficial to the cardiovascular system.
Are You Deficient?
As I said above, the answer is likely ‘yes’ in today’s world, as over 80% of tested adults are. Unfortunately, blood tests are relatively ineffective in gauging magnesium levels as less than 1% of magnesium is in the blood. So when you get blood work done, ask for a Magnesium test and don't listen to doctor's excuses if they say not to worry, if you take many medications you need more Magnesium and Vitamins.
Low magnesium levels are often diagnosed by symptoms alone, and the following symptoms can point to low magnesium levels:
Inability to sleep or insomnia
Irritability
Sensitivity to noise
Mental disturbances
Anxiety, depression or restlessness
Muscle soreness or spasms
Infertility or PMS
High levels of stress
Headaches
Heart “flutters” or palpitations
Fatigue or unusual tiredness
Coldness in extremities
Fuzzy brain or difficulty concentrating
Allergies and sensitivities
Lack of appetite
Back pain
Body odor
Bad short term memory
Poor coordination
Insulin resistance
Carbohydrate cravings
Constipation
Frequent cavities or poor dental health
Gut disorders
Kidney stones
Thyroid problems
If you have more than one of the above symptoms and especially if you have more than five, it is highly likely that you could benefit from magnesium supplementation.
How To Get Enough Magnesium
Unfortunately, magnesium is often not well absorbed by the digestive track, and is even more difficult to absorb if you are deficient or are low in vitamin D, have poor gut bacteria or suffer from a number of other conditions. I take both Vitamin D and Magnesium supplements together daily and feel much better, when I forget I can tell immediately when I get busy and start having leg cramps and feel weak.
On top of that, most foods are depleted of their natural magnesium levels and the water supply is lacking also. For this reason, I often recommend magnesium supplementation to clients who struggle with the above symptoms.
There are several ways to supplement, and a mixture of more than one type of magnesium supplementation seems to be most effective. It is important to start slow and work up, as high doses will not be completely absorbed at first and most will be wasted.
Leafy green vegetables, sea vegetables, kelp, and especially nettle (in herb form available here) are good dietary sources of magnesium, though if you have a deficiency, it will be difficult to raise your levels enough through diet alone.
The best ways to supplement with magnesium are:
In powder form with a product like Natural Calm so that you can vary your dose and work up slowly.
In ionic liquid form so that it can be added to food and drinks and dose can be worked up slowly.
In transdermal form by using Magnesium oil applied to skin. This is often the most effective option for those with damaged digestive tract or severe deficiency.
I’d actually advise at least two of the above forms, including transdermal supplementation, especially if you show multiple symptoms. The easiest way to gauge your dose is to start at half of the recommended dose and work up (even above it) until you experience loose stools and then back off slightly. From this dose, you should be able to gradually increase your dose until your symptoms disappear.
Personally, I use all three of the above options and the most noticeable effects I’ve seen since using it (and notice when I forget to take it) are: my body odor has gone away, I have great mental clarity most of the time, and my sleep is greatly improved. I’ve also seen great improvements in my dental health, though this is also in part because of my dental regimen
If you experience any of the symptoms above, or if you are on a no grain diet or consume any processed or conventionally produced food, I’d definitely encourage at least trying magnesium supplementation to see if it can improve your symptoms. If you’d like to learn more about the importance of magnesium and its various actions in the body, I’d suggest the book The Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean.
Magnesium Oil
Many people are deficient in this vital mineral that the body uses for hundreds of reactions. Every cell in the body needs magnesium in some way, and it is vital for bone, tooth, muscle, and joint health as well as for optimal sleep and stress reduction.
Deficiency of magnesium is widespread because many of us have lifestyle factors that actively deplete magnesium such as lack of sleep, excess stress, or alcohol/caffeine/sugar consumption. On top of that, many natural sources of magnesium are becoming depleted (such as the soil due to over-farming and high pesticide use) and water filtration systems remove much of the naturally occurring magnesium in water.
The ocean is still a wonderful source of magnesium and trace minerals, but for those of us who don’t have daily access to a beach, transdermal magnesium oil can be the easiest and most effective way to increase magnesium levels. I’ve recently seen some research that adequate magnesium can do everything from reduce stress to improve sleep and even eliminate morning sickness!
I take magnesium internally and use it on my skin daily in the form of magnesium oil. A brilliant reader recently shared with me how she saved a lot of money by making her own magnesium oil, and I wanted to pass on her recipe to you…
[Note: Ancient Minerals, maker of the Magnesium Oil I use, recently posted about the small differences between homemade magnesium oil made from magnesium flakes and their pre-made magnesium oil. I'd still feel comfortable using a homemade version, especially if the alternative was not taking/using magnesium at all
great for improving sleep, energy, hormones and more
What you need:
1/2 cup Magnesium Chloride Flakes
1/2 cup distilled water
A glass bowl or glass measuring cup
A glass spray bottle (plastic will work too)
What to do:
Boil the distilled water. It is important to use distilled to extend the shelf life of the mixture. Put the Magnesium Chloride Flakes in the glass bowl or measuring cup and the pour the bowling water over it.
Stir well until completely dissolved. Let cool completely and store in the spray bottle. Can be stored at room temperature for at least six months. I keep in my bathroom to use daily.
To Use:
Spray on arms, legs, and stomach daily. I use 10-20 sprays per day. It will tingle on the skin the first few times it is used, and this is normal. It should fade after a few applications, but you can dilute with more water if it bothers you too much.
You can leave on the skin or wash off after 20-30 minutes. I usually apply after a shower and then use coconut oil or a lotion bar to moisturize about 5 minutes later.
The answer is likely “Yes” that you are deficient in Magnesium. I know that I need lots of it, for one thing I found out that many medicines suck Magnesium out of you and even our water drains us of Magnesium.
Magnesium is the eighth most abundant mineral on earth, and the third most abundant in sea water. More importantly, it is the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body and it is necessary in over 300 reactions within the body.
Magnesium isn’t just abundant in the body, but vitally important too. As this article explains:
Every single cell in the human body demands adequate magnesium to function, or it will perish. Strong bones and teeth, balanced hormones, a healthy nervous and cardiovascular system, well-functioning detoxification pathways and much more depend upon cellular magnesium sufficiency. Soft tissue containing the highest concentrations of magnesium in the body include the brain and the heart—two organs that produce a large amount of electrical activity, and which can be especially vulnerable to magnesium insufficiency.
Proper magnesium ratios are important for the body to correctly use calcium in the cells. Even a small deficiency can lead to a dangerous calcium imbalance and lead to problems like calcification and cell death. This manifests itself with symptoms like heart trouble, migraine headaches, muscle cramps and premenstrual cramping.
Where Has All The Magnesium Gone?
Unfortunately, most modern farming processes tax the soil, depleting it of its natural magnesium. On top of that, many hybrids are selectively bred to survive low levels of magnesium and most conventional fertilizers use nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, and do nothing to replenish magnesium levels.
Water was once a good source of magnesium, but now:
Fluoride in drinking water binds with magnesium, creating a nearly insoluble mineral compound that ends up deposited in the bones, where its brittleness increases the risk of fractures. Water, in fact, could be an excellent source of magnesium—if it comes from deep wells that have magnesium at their source, or from mineral-rich glacial runoff. Urban sources of drinking water are usually from surface water, such as rivers and streams, which are low in magnesium. Even many bottled mineral waters are quite low in magnesium, or have a very high concentration of calcium, or both.
These additional dietary factors can also deplete magnesium:
Consumption of caffeine
Consumption of sugar (It takes 287 molecules of magnesium to metabolize a single glucose molecule! source)
Consumption of processed food
Consumption of alcohol
Consumption of produce from depleted soil
Consumption of foods high in phytic acid
Additionally, drugs like birth control pills, hypertension medicine, diuretics, insulin, and certain antibiotics (among others) deplete magnesium levels. Sweating often from exercise or other causes can also deplete magnesium.
What Does Magnesium DO?
Magnesium is necessary for hundreds of functions within the body, but is especially important for:
Gives rigidity AND flexibility to your bones (more important than Calcium in many cases)
Increases bioavailability of calcium
Regulates and normalizes blood pressure
Prevents and reverses kidney stone formation
Promotes restful sleep
Helps prevent congestive heart failure
Eases muscle cramps and spasms
Lowers serum cholesterol levels and triglycerides
Decreases insulin resistance
Can prevent artherosclerosis and stroke
End cluster and migraine headaches
Enhances circulation
Relieves fibromyalgia and chronic pain
Treats asthma and emphysema
Helps make proteins
Encourages proper elimination
Prevents osteoporosis
Proper Vitamin D absorption
protection from radiation
To aid weight loss
Lessen or remove ADD or ADHD in children
in proper carbohydrate digestion
emerging evidence is showing a preventative role in many cancers
(source)
Even though magnesium deficiency is rarely addressed in medical settings, the National Institutes of Health website states that:
Some observational surveys have associated higher blood levels of magnesium with lower risk of coronary heart disease In addition, some dietary surveys have suggested that a higher magnesium intake may reduce the risk of having a stroke There is also evidence that low body stores of magnesium increase the risk of abnormal heart rhythms, which may increase the risk of complications after a heart attack These studies suggest that consuming recommended amounts of magnesium may be beneficial to the cardiovascular system.
Are You Deficient?
As I said above, the answer is likely ‘yes’ in today’s world, as over 80% of tested adults are. Unfortunately, blood tests are relatively ineffective in gauging magnesium levels as less than 1% of magnesium is in the blood. So when you get blood work done, ask for a Magnesium test and don't listen to doctor's excuses if they say not to worry, if you take many medications you need more Magnesium and Vitamins.
Low magnesium levels are often diagnosed by symptoms alone, and the following symptoms can point to low magnesium levels:
Inability to sleep or insomnia
Irritability
Sensitivity to noise
Mental disturbances
Anxiety, depression or restlessness
Muscle soreness or spasms
Infertility or PMS
High levels of stress
Headaches
Heart “flutters” or palpitations
Fatigue or unusual tiredness
Coldness in extremities
Fuzzy brain or difficulty concentrating
Allergies and sensitivities
Lack of appetite
Back pain
Body odor
Bad short term memory
Poor coordination
Insulin resistance
Carbohydrate cravings
Constipation
Frequent cavities or poor dental health
Gut disorders
Kidney stones
Thyroid problems
If you have more than one of the above symptoms and especially if you have more than five, it is highly likely that you could benefit from magnesium supplementation.
How To Get Enough Magnesium
Unfortunately, magnesium is often not well absorbed by the digestive track, and is even more difficult to absorb if you are deficient or are low in vitamin D, have poor gut bacteria or suffer from a number of other conditions. I take both Vitamin D and Magnesium supplements together daily and feel much better, when I forget I can tell immediately when I get busy and start having leg cramps and feel weak.
On top of that, most foods are depleted of their natural magnesium levels and the water supply is lacking also. For this reason, I often recommend magnesium supplementation to clients who struggle with the above symptoms.
There are several ways to supplement, and a mixture of more than one type of magnesium supplementation seems to be most effective. It is important to start slow and work up, as high doses will not be completely absorbed at first and most will be wasted.
Leafy green vegetables, sea vegetables, kelp, and especially nettle (in herb form available here) are good dietary sources of magnesium, though if you have a deficiency, it will be difficult to raise your levels enough through diet alone.
The best ways to supplement with magnesium are:
In powder form with a product like Natural Calm so that you can vary your dose and work up slowly.
In ionic liquid form so that it can be added to food and drinks and dose can be worked up slowly.
In transdermal form by using Magnesium oil applied to skin. This is often the most effective option for those with damaged digestive tract or severe deficiency.
I’d actually advise at least two of the above forms, including transdermal supplementation, especially if you show multiple symptoms. The easiest way to gauge your dose is to start at half of the recommended dose and work up (even above it) until you experience loose stools and then back off slightly. From this dose, you should be able to gradually increase your dose until your symptoms disappear.
Personally, I use all three of the above options and the most noticeable effects I’ve seen since using it (and notice when I forget to take it) are: my body odor has gone away, I have great mental clarity most of the time, and my sleep is greatly improved. I’ve also seen great improvements in my dental health, though this is also in part because of my dental regimenIf you experience any of the symptoms above, or if you are on a no grain diet or consume any processed or conventionally produced food, I’d definitely encourage at least trying magnesium supplementation to see if it can improve your symptoms. If you’d like to learn more about the importance of magnesium and its various actions in the body, I’d suggest the book The Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean.
Magnesium Oil
Many people are deficient in this vital mineral that the body uses for hundreds of reactions. Every cell in the body needs magnesium in some way, and it is vital for bone, tooth, muscle, and joint health as well as for optimal sleep and stress reduction.
Deficiency of magnesium is widespread because many of us have lifestyle factors that actively deplete magnesium such as lack of sleep, excess stress, or alcohol/caffeine/sugar consumption. On top of that, many natural sources of magnesium are becoming depleted (such as the soil due to over-farming and high pesticide use) and water filtration systems remove much of the naturally occurring magnesium in water.
The ocean is still a wonderful source of magnesium and trace minerals, but for those of us who don’t have daily access to a beach, transdermal magnesium oil can be the easiest and most effective way to increase magnesium levels. I’ve recently seen some research that adequate magnesium can do everything from reduce stress to improve sleep and even eliminate morning sickness!
I take magnesium internally and use it on my skin daily in the form of magnesium oil. A brilliant reader recently shared with me how she saved a lot of money by making her own magnesium oil, and I wanted to pass on her recipe to you…
[Note: Ancient Minerals, maker of the Magnesium Oil I use, recently posted about the small differences between homemade magnesium oil made from magnesium flakes and their pre-made magnesium oil. I'd still feel comfortable using a homemade version, especially if the alternative was not taking/using magnesium at all
great for improving sleep, energy, hormones and more
What you need:
1/2 cup Magnesium Chloride Flakes
1/2 cup distilled water
A glass bowl or glass measuring cup
A glass spray bottle (plastic will work too)
What to do:
Boil the distilled water. It is important to use distilled to extend the shelf life of the mixture. Put the Magnesium Chloride Flakes in the glass bowl or measuring cup and the pour the bowling water over it.
Stir well until completely dissolved. Let cool completely and store in the spray bottle. Can be stored at room temperature for at least six months. I keep in my bathroom to use daily.
To Use:
Spray on arms, legs, and stomach daily. I use 10-20 sprays per day. It will tingle on the skin the first few times it is used, and this is normal. It should fade after a few applications, but you can dilute with more water if it bothers you too much.
You can leave on the skin or wash off after 20-30 minutes. I usually apply after a shower and then use coconut oil or a lotion bar to moisturize about 5 minutes later.
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