5 Signs You’re Deficient in Magnesium

Dr. Jamie Richards's picture
on November 8, 2021 - 12:47pm
Eat By Design
There's good reason to believe you're deficient in magnesium.

And if it's true...

It's likely having a big impact on your overall health.

Trouble Sleeping?

To really understand the power of a good night's sleep... just think how you feel when the opposite occurs.

It’s like the Walking Dead.

A poor night's sleep is a tell-tale sign magnesium is at an insufficient level.

Without proper levels of magnesium, the resting heart rate and sympathetic nervous system (flight or flight) can shift into overdrive.

This increase in sympathetic activity means that the parasympathetic nervous system (rest & digest) will be downregulated and the signaling for sleep preparation impaired.

Magnesium deficiency can also alter the electrical activity in the brain which can lead to disturbed sleep patterns.

Muscle Cramps?

Magnesium is an electrolyte that plays a key role in nerve signaling, including the contraction and relaxation in the muscles.

Deficiency will result in muscle spasms and even contribute to delayed onset muscle soreness.

In this case study, a soldier was experiencing extreme muscle cramps and was unable to walk after bouts of exercise.

His magnesium levels were far below average, which is commonly misdiagnosed due to only a small percentage of the magnesium in the body is available for measurement in the blood; most is found in connective tissues, muscle, and bone.

Once he was given adequate levels of magnesium, the cramping and soreness quickly resolved.

High Blood Sugar? Pre-Diabetic?

Millions worldwide have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic.

It’s a problem of catastrophic nature and the burden on our health care systems is reaching extreme levels.

Magnesium is a vital component of carbohydrate metabolism and insulin secretion.

Insulin is important for controlling blood sugar levels in the body.

When a person becomes insulin resistant this means there is excess sugar levels remain in the body - which will lead to diabetes.

Of the 136 women who participated in this study, the researchers found that those with lower magnesium levels had a greater prevalence of insulin resistance and obesity.

Magnesium levels are hardly the only factor but one that goes overlooked and unaddressed.

Brain Fog?

Do you have trouble focusing or find yourself to be forgetful?

Magnesium regulates a key receptor in the brain that's used for memory and learning.

Magnesium also plays a very important role in managing the fluid around the brain that supports new neural connections and brain plasticity - this means better memory!

Adequate levels also mean greater attention spans due to its calming effect, and improved brain function.

High Blood Pressure?

We know that a deficiency in magnesium can send our nervous system into overdrive - the same reason that you may not be getting a full restful sleep...

Hypertension and high blood pressure are two more side effects of the same process.

Magnesium helps our blood vessels to relax and dilate, but when you're deficient your blood vessels constrict causing high blood pressure.

In one study, magnesium supplementation reduced blood pressure significantly.

Even more than the group of whom only made lifestyle changes.

The results showed a 4.3 point reduction of systolic blood pressure, and diastolic by 1.8 points in those who supplemented with 600mg of magnesium daily.

Health is complex but some action steps are truly low-hanging fruit; easy to implement, painless and inexpensive.

Getting more magnesium in your diet is one of these steps.

Adding more healthy animal products to your diet is a simple and effective way to get started, with proper supplementation of magnesium as a secondary approach.

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