Micronutrient Series: Magnesium
Written by Emily Pomfrey Wells, fact checked by Holley Samuel MEd, RD, LD, CPT
Are you getting enough magnesium?
Recent research suggests that people who consume a Western diet are not getting enough macronutrients in general, and on average consuming only 30-50% of the recommended daily amount of magnesium. Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral found in the human body, making it very significant for many body functions including over three hundred different enzyme reactions.
Magnesium is involved in bone structure, building muscle through protein synthesis, muscle and nerve function, and assists in blood glucose and blood pressure regulation. The majority of magnesium in the body is found in bones or inside cells within body tissues, which makes assessing magnesium levels through blood levels challenging. Less than 1% of bodily magnesium is found in blood, and the body works very hard to keep blood levels as stable as possible by pulling extra magnesium from bones and tissues as needed if not enough is coming through the diet.
The gold standard for testing magnesium levels in the body is current through magnesium loading, which is a urinary test where urine is collected several times over the course of 4-24 hours, which can be inconvenient. Testing red blood cell (RBC) magnesium in addition to serum magnesium levels may be more sensitive and accurate than testing serum magnesium alone, but is still not a perfect test.
Symptoms of magnesium deficiency may include loss of appetite, nausea, weakness and fatigue. If the deficiency gets worse, one may experience cramping, tingling in the extremities, and abnormal heart rhythms. It’s important to note that long term magnesium deficiencies may increase the likelihood of developing chronic diseases such as type two diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and osteoporosis.
For people who menstruate or experience menopause ages nineteen and older, the recommended amount of magnesium each day is between 310-320 mg. For people who do not menstruate or go through menopause in the same age bracket, the daily recommendation is between 400-420 mg. Athletes likely need to increase magnesium intake to meet their nutritional needs. There are many plant based and animal based foods that contain magnesium, of which about 30-40% is absorbed by the body. Many foods that are high in fiber also contain magnesium like spinach, beans, legumes, seeds and whole grains.
Here are three easy ways to add magnesium to your plate this week:
Add one ounce of chia seeds to your yogurt, oatmeal or cereal. One ounce of chia seeds provides 111 mg of magnesium. Yogurt, oatmeal, and many fortified cereals also contain magnesium.
Add one ounce of roasted pumpkin seeds to your salad at lunch. Roasted pumpkin seeds contain 156 mg of magnesium.
Grab a banana and peanut butter for your afternoon snack and get 81 mg of magnesium. Two tablespoons of peanut butter gives you 49 mg and a medium banana will give 32 mg of magnesium.
Overall, adding magnesium rich foods may decrease risk of developing a magnesium deficiency. Getting magnesium levels checked and any supplementation should be monitored by your qualified health care professional, as taking too much magnesium through supplementation can cause unwanted side effects like diarrhea, heart rhythm abnormalities, nausea, and vomiting.
References:
Fiorentini D, Cappadone C, Farruggia G, Prata C. Magnesium: Biochemistry, Nutrition, Detection, and Social Impact of Diseases Linked to Its Deficiency. Nutrients. 2021; 13(4):1136. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13041136
Magnesium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. National Institute of Health. Updated on March 1, 2022. Accessed March 27, 2022. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
M. J. Arnaud, “Update on the assessment of magnesium status.,” Br. J. Nutr., vol. 99 Suppl 3, no. S3, pp. S24-36, 2008. doi: 10.1017/S000711450800682X.