Muscle spasms are brief contractions of a muscle that can trigger longer and more painful, muscle cramps. Muscle spasms can be a sign that you are not getting enough magnesium in your diet. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, muscle spasms can also be triggered by alcoholism, dehydration, hard exercise, tired muscles, pregnancy and a shortage of calcium in your body and diet.
Importance of Magnesium
The mineral magnesium is critical to your heart, muscles and kidneys. It helps produce energy in your body and regulates levels of copper, zinc, potassium, vitamin D and other nutrients. It's found in every cell in your body and is involved in more than 350 enzyme processes. A deficiency of magnesium can not only bring on muscle spasms and cramps, can leave you anxious and panicky and cause insomnia, depression, tooth decay, asthma and host of other ailments.
How Much You Need
It's recommended by the National Academy of Sciences that women get 320 milligrams of magnesium a day and that men get 400 milligrams. But on average, American adults get much less than that--from 143 to 266 mg a day on average. We eat too many prepackaged foods, whose levels of magnesium are depleted by the processing they go through.
Foods with Magnesium
Magnesium is found in a wide variety of foods, including several types of beans, such as kidney, navy and green; grains, including wheat germ, oats, what bran and buckwheat; nuts, such as cashews, almonds, Brazil nuts and hazelnuts; fruits, such as blackberries, dates, dried figs, mangoes, bananas and watermelon; and shrimp and tuna.
Taking Supplements
The best way to supplement your diet is with magnesium is with magnesium citrate, magnesium gluconate and magnesium lactate. Time-release formulas and a vitamin B complex supplement may help you absorb the magnesium better.
Precautions
If you are taking a prescription medicine, check with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure it's OK to take a magnesium supplement; there may be unpleasant side effects or drug interactions. Always check with a doctor before giving a magnesium supplement to a child.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Muscle cramps - All Information
- University of Cincinnati College of Medicine: Muscle Spasm
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Magnesium
- University of Mary Washington: Magnesium
- Case Western Reserve University: What are the Benefits of Taking Magnesium Daily?
