11 Warning Signs of Magnesium Deficiency

Every cell in your body contains it. It plays a major part in over 300 biochemical reactions such as the smooth and pain-free functioning of your musculoskeletal and nervous system. It is also necessary for metabolism and the conversion of food into energy, but how do you know if you are lacking this vital ingredient to a healthy life? Here we discuss the 11 warning signs of magnesium deficiency.

What are the 11 Warning Signs of Magnesium Deficiency?

Magnesium deficiency has become a global problem with research studies showing that a large percentage of the population is failing to meet recommended daily needs. The effects of low levels of magnesium are serious, affecting cardiovascular stability, mental well-being and bone health.

Often, the first early warning signs take the form of frequent cramps or muscular spasms, but the following list highlights eleven medically recognised signals that your magnesium levels may be low:

1. Night time leg cramps

2. Muscle cramps and twitching

3. Nausea or vomiting

4. Numbness and tingling in the hands and legs

5. Prolonged feelings of fatigue

6. Feelings of overall body weakness

7. Raised blood pressure

8. Migraines

9. Constipation

10. Irregular heartbeat

11. Memory lapses and thought-processing difficulties

It’s important to remember that these symptoms could also stem from other causes so you will need to see a doctor to reach an accurate diagnosis.

What are the Most Common Causes of Magnesium Deficiency?

Magnesium is vital to the effectiveness of normal cellular and organ function and under normal circumstances your body maintains the homeostasis of Mg levels. However, sometimes due to certain causes levels may become depleted. The main causes of magnesium deficiency are:

• Diets which lack magnesium-rich foods
• Type-2 diabetes and uncontrolled diabetes
• Crohn’s disease
• Celiac disease
• Ulcerative colitis
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Long-term use of some medications such as diuretics, proton pump inhibitors and certain antibiotics
• Heavy alcohol consumption can affect magnesium absorption and cause the kidneys to increase its excretion
• Kidney disease
• Prolonged bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea

Acute or Chronic Magnesium Deficiency

Serious magnesium deficiency, or hypomagnesemia, is rare and may indicate an underlying condition. When the problem progresses it may cause various symptoms to develop:

Hyperparathyroidism

Research shows that when parathyroid glands produce high amounts of parathyroid hormone this may be due to seriously low magnesium. Symptoms can include bone pain and fractures, kidney stones, increased urination and increased thirst. It may also give rise to anaemia, and osteoporosis.

Hypocalcaemia

Low levels of calcium in the blood. This condition often does not cause any noticeable symptoms but when symptoms do occur, they could cause changes in brain function leading to dementia, psychosis, or depression, and in severe cases seizures.

Hypokalaemia

Low potassium levels in the blood which may cause muscle weakness, cramps, fatigue, constipation, palpitations.

Cardiovascular Symptoms

Low magnesium can cause atrial fibrillation, ventricular arrhythmia and cardiac ischemia.

A medical review entitled Clinical manifestations of magnesium deficiency, states that a chronic and severe lack of magnesium could lead to metabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, bone deformity, heart disease, including cardiac arrhythmias, cognitive processing disorder, and neuromuscular hyperexcitability which is the medical term for cramps, spasms, and twitching.

The paper goes on to say that magnesium deficiency is quite common, with statistics showing that 10% of patients admitted to major hospitals prove to be suffering from hypomagnesemia. Low Magnesium levels are often found to be caused by gastrointestinal tract or kidney issues.

How are Magnesium Levels Tested

Getting a Magnesium check is not included in the standard group of blood tests which are routinely carried out, so you will need to ask for one to be done. Testing for magnesium levels by blood serum is not straightforward as an adult’s body normally has a total of 25g of magnesium with 50-60% of that amount being in the bones and most of the remainder being in soft tissue. Less than 1% of the total magnesium is in blood serum. Magnesium deficiency is diagnosed when the serum magnesium level is less than 0.75 mmol/L.

How Does Magnesium Support Health?

There are quite a few ways in which magnesium provides its vital support to help your body function well. Some of these include:

• Regulating heart rate
• Enabling calcium to strengthen your bones
• Assisting in the process of brain function to regulate mood
• Reducing the frequency of headache and migraines
• Helping your body to break down sugars
• Balancing hormones that regulate your circadian rhythm which helps with better sleep patterns
• Supporting your digestive system
• Increasing hydration levels in your skin and improving its appearance

Getting Magnesium from Food

A wide selection of everyday food contains magnesium and when included in your regular diet should help you to keep your levels in a safe range. These are some of the food items you can easily add to your diet:

• Avocados
• Bananas
• Dark chocolate
• Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and halibut
• Leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, kale, spinach
• Legumes such as lentils, beans, chickpeas, peas, and soybeans
• Milk
• Nuts
• Seeds such as flax, pumpkin, chia
• Tofu
• Whole grains
• Yogurt

You may also be reassured to know that in addition to eating a healthy diet which includes plenty of the above foods, taking a wholefood multivitamin each day will help towards compensating for a deficiency in your diet.

When is Extra Magnesium Needed?

Sometimes it’s necessary to take magnesium as a supplement as well as ensuring you are eating the foods recommended. If you are suffering from any of these conditions you will find adding the appropriate kind of magnesium supplement will help greatly:

• If you have been found in a medical test to have low levels of magnesium
• If you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes
• Have atrial fibrillation
• Have alcohol dependence
• If you are taking acid-reducing medications such as proton-pump inhibitors
• After bariatric surgery
• If you have gastrointestinal diseases, Crohn’s disease, are gluten-sensitive or have celiac disease

Magnesium Supplements

Our magnesium supplements contain properties beneficial for:

• Cardiovascular health – healthy heart rhythm and blood pressure
• Muscle and nerve function – reducing cramp and restless leg syndrome
• Reducing stress and promoting relaxation
• Regulating blood glucose levels and insulin sensitivity
• Maintaining bone density in conjunction with Vitamin D and calcium

Magnesium Bisglycinate

This form of magnesium is very well absorbed by the body and has added glycine to make the supplement gentle on the digestive system. It contains 20% elemental magnesium.

The addition of "bisglycinate" (glycine) can provide these additional benefits:

• Improved sleep quality and reduction in daytime tiredness
• Mood stabilisation
• Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Benefits to memory and cognition
• Collagen and elastin formation to improve skin and joint health
• Balance hormones and reduce symptoms of PMS

Magnesium Malate

Containing 15% elemental magnesium and devised to be very gentle on the digestive system, the addition of malate acid brings the following extra advantages to the magnesium supplement:

• Improved energy and endurance and to help activate ATP which is a source of energy for use and storge at cellular level
• Reduced muscle fatigue
• To reduce intensity of pain, increase joint mobility and lessen the frequency and severity of headaches and migraines
• Believed to be beneficial if you suffer with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome

Topical Magnesium Sprays

We offer a range of topical sprays designed to be applied directly to the skin. This can be beneficial as it avoids the digestive system and great for those who struggle taking capsules. Each spray has specific benefits. You can view the full range here.

• Magnesium Oil Spray - Pure and strong, delivering 200mg of magnesium per 10 sprays. Suitable during pregnancy.
• Magnesium Sensitive Spray - Dermatologically tested and a gentle enough for sensitive skin providing 100mg of magnesium per 10 sprays.
• Magnesium Sleep Spray - Magnesium combined with lavender and chamomile oil to soothe, calm and relax before sleep. Delivers 75mg of magnesium per 10 sprays.
• Magnesium Muscle Spray - Magnesium combined with lemon essential oil, arnica and capsicum extract designed specifically for tired, aching muscles. Particularly beneficial for recovery after exercise. Delivery 150mg of magnesium per 10 sprays.
• Magnesium Joint Spray - Delivery 100mg of magnesium and 50mg of glucosamine per 10 sprays to help joints stay supple and flexible.

Safety of Taking Magnesium as a Supplement

It’s important to be sure you are taking the correct amount of magnesium. Once you have established that a magnesium supplement is needed, be sure of the recommended intake and stick to it. Getting too much magnesium in supplement form can lead to toxicity and excesses can cause nausea, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, and lethargy.

Magnesium supplements may interact badly with certain antibiotics, diuretics and heart medications so always check with your doctor before embarking on a course of magnesium supplements.

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When it comes to keeping you informed on health and nutrition, we’re here for you and aim to help where we can. If you would like to discuss any aspect of using natural supplements, or would find advice helpful, please feel free to contact us on 01297 553932