According to the National Institute of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements, magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and is essential for good health. It is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body and, among its many functions, has been found to help promote normal blood pressure. However, according to Dr. Mark Hyman, author of "The UltraMind Solution," up to half of all Americans don't get enough of this critical mineral.
Benefits of Magnesium
In "Dr. Perricone's 7 Secrets to Beauty, Health, and Longevity," Dr. Nicholas Perricone refers to magnesium as "magic" and considers it to be a vital nutrient with many critical functions. In addition to regulating blood pressure because of its natural muscle relaxant ability, it may help ease anxiety, stabilize mood, decrease the release of the stress hormone cortisol, prevent metabolic changes that may contribute to heart attacks and strokes, influence the release and activity of insulin, and ease muscle cramps. According to Hyman, magnesium is one of his secret weapons against illness, particularly anxiety, insomnia, ADHD and autism. He considers it to be a stress antidote and the most powerful relaxation mineral that exists. Dr. Michael Roizen and Dr. Mehmet Oz, in their book, "YOU, The Owner's Manual," note that magnesium not only helps lower blood pressure by dilating arteries but is essential for helping to regulate metabolism.
Magnesium Deficiency
In his book, Hyman explains that many people eat diets that consist of highly processed, refined foods, such as white flour, meat and dairy, that contain very little magnesium. The chronic stress often found in the American lifestyle can contribute toward a decrease in magnesium levels that are further depleted by excess alcohol, salt, coffee, sugar, phosphoric acid in colas, profuse sweating, diuretics, antibiotics and other drugs. If the lost magnesium is not replaced, deficiencies can easily develop.
Measuring Magnesium
According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, approximately 50 percent of total body magnesium is found in bone, while the other half is found predominantly inside the cells of body tissues and organs. Only 1 percent of magnesium is found in the blood, so it is understandable, as Hyman points out, that a normal blood test may miss a deficiency in this nutrient.
Sources of Magnesium
The Office of Dietary Supplements suggests eating a wide variety of legumes, nuts, whole grains and vegetables to help meet your daily dietary need for magnesium. Green vegetables, such as spinach, are good sources of magnesium because the center of the chlorophyll molecule, which gives green vegetables their color, contains magnesium. Perricone suggests including sea vegetables, peanuts and green leafy vegetables, such as collards, dandelion greens, peas, parsley, garlic, celery, cauliflower and cabbage. Other good choices are Brussels sprouts, asparagus, avocados, blackberries, green olives, chives, kelp, soybeans, wild rice, oats, almonds, Brazil nuts, and sunflower seeds. Hyman proposes that you simply increase beans, greens and seaweed in your diet, reduce the stress in your life, and get rid of coffee, alcohol and sugar. Additionally, he suggests taking a magnesium supplement.
Magnesium Dosage
The daily value for magnesium established by the Food and Drug Administration is 400 mg, while Roizen and Oz promote a magnesium-rich diet that contains 400 mg for women and 333 mg for men. Hyman recommends supplementing with 400 to 600 mg of magnesium amino acid chelate daily but suggests that, if you have a magnesium deficiency, the details of magnesium supplementation should be discussed with your doctor.
References
- "NIH Office of Dietary Supplements": Magnesium
- FDA U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Food Labeling Guide
- "Dr. Perricone's 7 Secrets to Beauty, Health, and Longevity"; Nicholas Perricone, M.D.; 2006
- "YOU The Owner's Manual"; Michael F. Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet C. Oz, M.D. ; 2005
- "The UltraMind Solution"; Mark Hyman, M.D.; 2009
