Magnesium - An Important Mineral
by Frank Landrens
http://www.bhpmagnesium.com
Magnesium is a necessary mineral that not many people think
about. However, magnesium is an extremely important
component of our diet. Deficiencies of magnesium can be
quite dangerous to your health. It's essential to eat a
healthy and balanced diet, but it is also important to know
which vitamins and minerals should be included in our diet.
All the cells in your body use Magnesium. It helps maintain
nerve and muscle functioning, keep bones strong, and keeps
the heart rhythmic and steady. Hence, you can see why
deficiency of this mineral can be dangerous. Magnesium is
found in nuts, green leafy vegetables, seed, and some whole
grains.
While your body only needs a small amount of magnesium there
is also only a small amount found in most of the foods
listed above. This is why it is imperative to eat a balanced
diet full of healthy and nutritious foods.
The symptoms of Magnesium deficiency include disorientation,
confusion, depression, abnormal heartbeat, loss of appetite,
cramps, numbness, and seizures. Magnesium deficiency is
fairly uncommon. Magnesium deficiencies has been linked to
over-consumption of alcohol. Magnesium is often depleted
though the urine and magnesium deficiencies.
To find out what the recommended daily amount of magnesium
is you can ask your doctor or nutritionist. There are also
many books and websites that can help you determine how much
magnesium you should be consuming each day. This number
differs for men, women, different age groups, pregnant
women, and lactating women. Knowing how much magnesium you
should be taking, and how much is in certain foods, is a
great way to prevent any deficiencies.
If you think it's possible that you aren't getting enough
magnesium in your diet, consider taking a magnesium
supplement or a multi vitamin. If you have a deficiency in
magnesium you may not be getting enough of other vitamins
and minerals as well. The best way to get all vitamins and
minerals is fresh and healthy foods, but the next best thing
may be a multi vitamin.
If you find yourself relying solely on multi vitamins for
your dietary needs, perhaps you should consider making some
changes in your eating habits. There are some conditions
that may require you to take a magnesium supplement. One
example is if you have chronic malabsorption of magnesium,
you may need to take a supplement to guarantee that you have
enough magnesium in your diet.
Some studies have shown that high blood pressure or
hypertension can be lowered by magnesium. Whether or not
this is true it cannot hurt to increase the number of
vegetables and fruits you eat each day. Metabolic changes
that may cause heart attacks or strokes have been linked to
Magnesium deficiencies. As you can see, magnesium is a very
important mineral to have in your diet.
While magnesium is essential, there is also a danger of
consuming too much magnesium. If you are relying on your
diet to provide magnesium there is little risk of any
overdose. However if you ingest too many supplements there
is the danger of magnesium toxicity. There are a number of
symptoms that are very similar to magnesium deficiencies, be
wary of taking too many supplements, laxatives, and
antacids.
Magnesium is an essential mineral, and you make careful to
get the proper amounts of fruits and vegetables in your diet
daily. If you eat a balanced diet, chances are you will
never need to worry about a magnesium deficiency.
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