Why magnesium deficiency makes you ill – how to spot the signs and what to do

Just look around the room; chances are that almost everyone in your eye-line is suffering from magnesium deficiency in one form or another. But, with symptoms so common that they’re often attributed to other ailments, and a lack of relevant clinical research, most of us don’t ever realise why we’re suffering.

Why magnesium is crucial for your general health

The fourth most common mineral in the body, magnesium is both a mineral and electrolyte that helps pass electrical signals along the nerves in your body. You may have seen sports drinks adverts that claim electrolytes are lost through sweat, resulting in cramp: but this is just the tip of the electrolyte-impact iceberg.

Without magnesium, your heart would stop beating, your muscles would seize up and your brain would stop processing information. A co-factor of an astonishing 300+ bodily reactions, magnesium helps regulate your temperature, maintain energy levels, form bones and teeth, and fight cardiovascular disease. Magnesium levels are reduced by stress factors, which can subsequently initiate or worsen chronic illnesses.

Why the symptoms of deficiency are very common and hard to diagnose

Conventional medicine has struggled to identify magnesium deficiency because of its reliance on blood tests. Magnesium in blood is crucial to ward off heart attacks, so your body will supplement any loss in the bloodstream by robbing reserves in bone or muscle tissue. Therefore, all blood tests typically show similar levels. However, 99% of our magnesium reserves are in muscle and bone tissue, which aren’t usually tested. So a deficiency can go completely under the radar.

Over 3,750 magnesium binding sites have now been found within the human body, meaning that a deficiency of this under-loved electrolyte could trigger or exacerbate a whole host of conditions, including:

[av_table purpose=’tabular’ caption=” responsive_styling=’avia_responsive_table’ av_uid=’av-1wx4h7k’] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-1uohqr4′][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1sypt0w’]Osteoporosis[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1rxt58g’]Asthma[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1qtx3pc’]Anxiety[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-1nzvmc0′][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1mp10qo’]Insomnia[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1ldbrr4′] Blood clots [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1jnirg0′]Depression[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-1hpyou8′][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1gqujkw’] Muscular and back pain [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1enis4g’] Bowel disease [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1cx7zds’]Lethargy[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-4qayog’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-19xrvu8′]Muscle cramps[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-18inlu8′]Cystitis[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-48cqsg’] Impaired cognitive ability [/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-150as4g’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-12ql1cg’]Seizures[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-3r5j4g’]Diabetes[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-106xs74′] Foggy memory [/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-xfbbjk’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-wuo800′]Constipation[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-346mls’] Cardiovascular disease [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-tmzwvk’]Fatigue[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-rguzg0′][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-p4n07k’] Headaches [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-np8v9s’]Hypoglycaemia[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-mvkmhc’]Tendonitis[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-21y64w’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-jgdlzk’]Migraines[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-i0qweo’] Kidney and liver disease [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-5vojk’]Aggression[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-dns6hc’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-16m4kg’] High blood pressure (Hypertension) [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-ajpjkg’] Musculoskeletal conditions (fibromyalgia, cramps, chronic back pain, etc.) [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-9wy540′] Obstetrical/gynaecological problems (PMS, infertility, and pre-eclampsia) [/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-7x5h9s’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-6he1xs’] Nerve problems [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-3wvaj4′] Tooth decay [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-212vlc’]Tension[/av_cell][/av_row] [/av_table]

Any of these sound familiar? Women may be particularly prone, because excess oestrogens, present during the early stages of the menopause (or perimenopause), also create a magnesium deficiency.

Beating magnesium deficiency for improved health and wellbeing

There’s so many simple ways that you can boost your magnesium levels and recover your natural balance. Here’s just a few:

1. Start by supplementing with high quality magnesium: your doctor trained in restorative medicine can prescribe these for you as part of a general health rebalance.
2. Change to an organic diet featuring magnesium-rich food (including dark chocolate!)
3. Slather yourself in magnesium oil
4.  Take a long soak in an Epsom salt bath – it will boost your sulphur levels too
5. Try to avoid prolonged stressful activities
6. Reduce sugar intake – it takes 54 molecules of magnesium to metabolise one sugar molecule
7. Stay away from synthetic oestrogen compounds

The changes might start subtly, but you should definitely notice when your magnesium levels start to fall back in line. When your balance is restored, the stress which can cause magnesium deficiency is reduced, along with the potency of chronic symptoms.

Restoring your natural optimum magnesium levels doesn’t just fight or eliminate the conditions listed above: because many of the remedies are part of a generally healthier lifestyle (such as improved diet and a calmer outlook), you could find your general health and energy is stronger than ever before.