Magnesium
Magnesium may be the most commonly deficient mineral in human nutrition. Because it is the calming or anti-stress mineral, it's very important to many human functions.
Key uses of magnesium:
- Relaxes your muscles, including the heart.
- Works in concert with enzymes to carry out metabolic functions, including protein synthesis, energy production, and neuromuscular function.
- Used for poor sleep, anxiety, menstrual cramps, muscle cramps or spasms, high blood pressure, asthma attacks, and abnormal heartbeats.
Where you can find it: You find magnesium mostly in plant foods — grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts, and seeds — although seafood is also high in this mineral. Dark green vegetables are a particularly good source of magnesium. A fascinating parallel exists between plant chlorophyll, the magnesium-rich green pigment that turns sunlight into usable energy that the plant then stores as sugar, and human hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a similar chemical molecule in the red blood cells of animals that contains iron, instead of magnesium. Hemoglobin is essential for carrying oxygen to all the cells and tissues of your body.
How much to take: Take magnesium along with calcium at a minimum of a 1 to 2 ratio of magnesium to calcium. The required daily dosage of magnesium for adults is 350 mg, and you need more for therapeutic use (up to 600 or 700 mg daily).
Too little or too much: Because the body easily eliminates excess magnesium, toxicity is nearly unknown, although excess magnesium can often cause loose stools or diarrhea. Deficiency is quite common and can lead to muscle cramps, calcification problems, fatigue, irritability, and insomnia.
