Magnesium: all you need to know!

Find out all you need to know about the mineral magnesium right here. We have summarised what foods it can be found in and the important role it plays in our body for you.

Magnesium: an important mineral!

Magnesium is an important mineral for us. Since our body cannot make its own magnesium, we have to get it through food. In total, the human body holds about 25 g of magnesium, of which 60% are in the bones and 30% in the muscles. Let us take a look at what magnesium does and which processes it is involved in.

Why is magnesium important?

Magnesium plays a role in several processes within the body. For example, it is involved in the transmission of stimuli to the nerves and muscles. It also interrupts or activates more than 300 different enzymes, making it indispensable for many reactions and processes. What’s more, it affects the stability of cells and the formation of DNA.

Important for our energy metabolism

Magnesium is essential for our energy, protein, and fat metabolism. It activates the so-called ATP (adenosine tri-phosphate) and therefore plays a major role in breaking down energy-providing nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats – or, in other words, in providing energy. And our muscles need a lot of that.

Indispensable for muscular activity

Our muscles hold a third of all the magnesium in the body. Together with calcium, magnesium enables optimal and balanced muscle function. Put simply, calcium is responsible for tension and magnesium for the relaxation of the muscular system. Where there is an imbalance, i.e. if you suffer from magnesium deficiency, you can suffer with cramps because the muscles aren’t able to relax sufficiently.

Bone and dental health

The majority of magnesium is stored in the bones, which store 60% of the body’s magnesium. It contributes to bone health by promoting the growth and multiplication of the cells responsible for bone formation. In addition, calcium and magnesium are interdependent, meaning that they interact with one another. When you suffer from magnesium deficiency, the concentration of calcium in the body also goes down, which negatively impacts the health of your bones and teeth.

And… relax!

Magnesium makes us more resistant to stress by reducing our sensitivity to it. Or, conversely, when your magnesium levels go down, you become more sensitive to stress. Stress is more likely to affect you! That’s especially true for stress caused by noise.

How much magnesium do you need?

For all the processes that depend on magnesium to work properly, men and women need different amounts of magnesium. Women above 19 years of age as well as pregnant and nursing women need 300 mg a day, while men need 350 mg.

How much magnesium do you need at different stages in your life?

• 0 to 4 months: 24 mg
• 4 to 12 months: 80 mg
• 1 to 4 years: 170 mg
• 4 to 7 years: 190 mg
• 7 to 10 years: 240 mg
• 10 to 13 years: girls 230 mg and boys 260 mg
• 13 to 15 years: girls 240 mg and boys 280 mg
• 15 to 19 years: girls 260 mg and boys 330 mg
• Women: 300 mg
• Men: 350 mg

What happens when you have a deficiency?

On a balanced diet, you are unlikely to suffer from a magnesium deficiency. Since it can be found both in animal- and plant-derived foods, your intake can be sufficient on a plant-based diet. You are more likely to be deficient if you chronically consume too much alcohol, take certain medications, or suffer from kidney or gastro-intestinal diseases. If you are deficient, you can experience a number of unspecific symptoms, i.e. there isn’t one particular symptom associated with magnesium deficiency. That’s because magnesium is involved in many processes and also interacts with other minerals like calcium. Among the symptoms you may experience are muscle cramps, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, numbness, and if you are severely deficient, cardiac arrhythmia.

What foods can magnesium be found in?

Magnesium is a component of the chlorophyll, which is the die that gives leaves and plants their green colour. As such, green, leafy vegetables like spinach and kale naturally contain a lot of magnesium. Generally speaking, nuts, seeds, and grains also contain a lot of magnesium. Therefore, try to frequently incorporate sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and wholegrains into your diet. Since cacao contains a lot of magnesium, dark chocolate can provide a good amount. But be careful! After all, dark chocolate not only contains magnesium, but also a lot of sugar and fat. Other healthier sources of magnesium are legumes, some kinds of fish, and bananas. Drinks like espresso or water are also sources of magnesium.

Magnesium per 100 g in foods:

• sunflower seeds (330 mg)
• pumpkin seeds (520 mg)
• porridge oats (120 mg)
• dark chocolate (120 mg)
• cod (24 mg)
• lentils (31 mg)
• peas (35 mg)
• spinach (58 mg)
• kale (27 mg)
• broccoli (25 mg)
• potatoes (18 mg)
• walnuts (140 mg)

Supplements

As you can see, lots of foods are rich in magnesium and by maintaining a balanced diet, you can prevent deficiencies. But can a supplement improve your magnesium levels? As a general rule, you should not take supplements unless directed to do so by a doctor. Taking just 300 mg of additional magnesium can already cause diarrhoea in adults! Overdosing can also be dangerous in persons whose kidney function is impaired. Since magnesium is available in a host of foods, there is no reason to ingest more in the form of supplements unless prescribed by a doctor.

Does magnesium help prevent illness?

The list of what magnesium is said to achieve is quite impressive. Among other things, there is said to be a link between dietary magnesium intake and a lower risk of certain diseases such as type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, certain types of colon cancer, or stroke, as well as metabolic syndrome. But as promising as these may sound, they need to be interpreted correctly. This is about dietary magnesium! That does not mean you can achieve the same effects with supplements. A dose-response relationship still needs to be investigated. What you can do to benefit from the possible positive effects, however, is to eat a healthy diet.

Does magnesium protect against muscle cramps?

Many people who suffer with muscle cramps tend to think they lack magnesium. Elderly people are more likely to experience muscle cramps at night. As described above, the two may well be linked since magnesium is responsible for relaxing the muscles. Nevertheless, it does not automatically follow that magnesium tablets or powders will prevent cramps. It is as yet unproven that taking magnesium in addition to your dietary intake reduces the frequency or intensity of muscle cramps. Also, keep in mind that if you experience muscle cramps during sport, there may be reasons other than magnesium deficiency such as muscle overload, dehydration or electrolyte deficiencies. Taking a magnesium supplement will not work here either.

Your diet: colourful and varied!

Now you know the most important things about magnesium: where to get it, how much you need, and why it is so important for us. By maintaining a balanced diet, you can optimise your magnesium supply and avoid deficiencies. There is no need to take a supplement since it is easy to get enough magnesium from your diet alone.