Magnesium is commonly included in multivitamin supplements, but it is not a vitamin. Magnesium is an essential mineral that is important to your body's health because it is used in many body functions. Each day, you must consume magnesium through the foods that you eat because your body is not able to make minerals on its own.
What are Vitamins and Minerals?
Vitamins and minerals are both natural substances found in the foods that you eat. A substance is considered a vitamin if it causes an overt deficiency in your body if it is not consumed, according to Oregon State University. There are 13 vitamins that you must consume each day. They include, vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the B vitamins: thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folate. Minerals are elements that are found in soil, plants and in animal products. There are several minerals that are considered essential for proper body function. These minerals include calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulfur, iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride, selenium and magnesium.
Importance of Magnesium
Magnesium is important to your health because it is used in the production of energy for your cells, in the production of proteins and in the function of your body's enzymes. Magnesium is also key in the contraction and relaxation of your muscles. According to Oregon State University, magnesium is used in more than 300 metabolic functions and is essential to the structure and function of your body. Therefore, magnesium is added to many multivitamin supplements to help your body perform these functions.
Magnesium RDA
Magnesium is found in a variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, whole grains and soy products. The best sources are dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach. The recommended dietary allowance or RDA is the amount that you need to eat each day to ensure proper function. The current RDA is between 310 and 320 mg for females and between 400 and 420 mg for males each day. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding require larger amounts.
Considerations
Magnesium is not a vitamin, but it is essential to your health and should be included in your diet in addition to the essential vitamins. If you do not consume enough magnesium each day, your body will have trouble performing the many functions related to magnesium and you could develop symptoms. A magnesium deficiency is rare, but symptoms can include hyper-excitability of your muscles, muscle weakness and sleepiness.
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