Your body maintains a delicate balance of several minerals that are important for heart health. This includes magnesium, which is one of the most abundant minerals in your body. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that 50 percent of the magnesium is stored in your bones, while the rest is found inside your body's cells, with a very small amount in the blood. An imbalance in the levels of magnesium and other minerals can lead to cardiovascular problems such heart arrhythmia or palpitations. Consult your doctor to determine your magnesium levels; a supplement should not be taken unless prescribed by your doctor.
Magnesium
The National Institutes of Health states that the mineral magnesium is required for more than 300 biochemical processes in the body. These include regulating normal muscle and nerve function, supporting a healthy immune system and maintaining bone and heart health. This mineral also helps to regulate blood glucose levels. Hence, magnesium is thought to be an important mineral in preventing and treating cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Heart Palpitations
Heart palpitations occur when your heart beats abnormally fast and forcefully. This is often described as a sensation that the heart is racing, pounding or fluttering. Heart palpitations can be alarming, however, the Cleveland Clinic notes that they are usually not a sign of heart disease. Palpitations can be caused by panic attacks, severe stress, depression and other psychiatric disorders. They can also be caused by imbalances in the concentration of magnesium and other minerals such as calcium and potassium. Your doctor can determine the cause of your heart palpitations.
Heart Health
Magnesium is vital for healthy heart function. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that this essential nutrient helps to maintain a normal heart rhythm and is often given intravenously to patients experiencing cardiac arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat and congestive heart failure. It also helps to balance hypertension or high blood pressure levels. Magnesium also acts to balance levels of calcium in your blood, another mineral that is also important for heart health.
Sources
Chlorophyll, the molecule that gives plants their green color, is also a source of magnesium. Food sources of this essential mineral include green leafy vegetables and other plant-based foods such as beans, peas, nuts, seeds and whole grains including bran and wheat-germ. The University of Maryland Medical Center advises that refined grains such as that in white bread, white pasta and white flour products are low in magnesium because the mineral-rich germ and bran is removed.
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