According to the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, and it assists with more than 300 vital functions. It's important to maintain a normal balance of magnesium in the body, because either too much or too little can make you sick and produce symptoms including heart palpitations and chest tightness. If you are experiencing chest pain, consult your doctor immediately.
Magnesium
Magnesium helps regulate nerve and muscle function. According to the NIH, magnesium may play a role in preventing and managing hypertension, heart disease and diabetes. Good food sources of magnesium include green leafy vegetables, halibut, some beans, nuts and seeds and unrefined grains. The recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, for magnesium is 420mg/day for adult males and 320mg/day for women.
Function
Since magnesium helps regulate muscle and nerve function, a deficiency of this mineral can lead to irregular nerve and muscle activity. One of the most disturbing ways you may experience this irregularity is through heart palpitations or chest tightness. According to MayoClinic.com, heart palpitations are irregular heartbeats. You might feel like your heart is racing or as if it's skipping a beat. Heart palpitations are usually harmless, but they can be very unsettling. Palpitations can also be caused by stress, exercise, medications or underlying medical conditions.
There are many reasons you might feel tightness in your chest. It could be a muscle cramp or a symptom of a heart or breathing problem.
Deficiency
Scientists at the University of Missouri argue that magnesium deficiency is more common and more significant than most people realize. According to MedlinePlus, having low magnesium for a long period of time can produce changes in the heart and irregular heart rhythms. A 2007 study published in "The Journal of the American College of Nutrition" on post-menopausal women showed that a low-magnesium diet produced heart rhythm changes in five out of 14 women in just 78 days.
The symptoms of low magnesium are very similar to several other conditions, so your physician will have to conduct a test to see if your magnesium levels are at an appropriate level.
Solutions
Factors like stress, anxiety, too much caffeine, heart disease and diabetes can cause irregular heartbeat and chest tightness, so talk to your doctor first to rule out a serious medical issue. If you think you aren't getting enough magnesium in your diet, consider eating more whole-food magnesium sources like spinach, broccoli and almonds. Such a diet not only provides magnesium, but it's also low in fat and salt, high in fiber and otherwise heart-healthy.
References
- National Institutes of Health; Magnesium; July 2009
- "Journal of Family Practice"; What Are the Causes of Hypomanesemia?; David Mouw, et al.; 2005
- MedlinePlus; Magnesium in diet; Linda Vorvick, M.D.; March 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Heart arrythmias; February 2011
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition"; Dietary Magnesium Deficiency Induces Heart Rhythm Changes...in Post-Menopausal Women; Forrest H. Nielsen, Ph.D. et al.; April 2007
