Minerals for your Body: Ionic Magnesium and its Benefits

Medical News Today

A healthy body and mind require trace amounts of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and iron. Our body uses these elements for a variety of functions from supporting bone and heart health to enhancing cognition and energy production.

Magnesium is one of the minerals that our bodies cannot live without. Did you know that every cell in our body contains magnesium? Furthermore, those cells are heavily dependent on our magnesium levels to function properly. Having low magnesium in our bodies can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, bone weakness, and loss of appetite.

The fact is, over 70% of people are magnesium deficient in the U.S. because of a variety of reasons ranging from poor health & diet, lack of sleep, and stress. The need for magnesium support in this day and age has been higher than ever before. Let us get in-depth about what magnesium is, its functions, and the benefits of taking ionic magnesium supplements.

What is Magnesium?

In chemistry, magnesium is the chemical element of atomic number 12, a silver-white metal of the alkaline earth series (Oxford Dictionary).

In human biology, it is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, 50% of which is in the bones and the other half in the cells.

Functions of Magnesium in the Human Body

Source: Life Extention

Magnesium is necessary to initiate upto 300 biochemical reactions within the human body such as neurotransmitter and hormone production, muscle & nerve function, blood pressure regulation, and blood glucose control. It also fuels digestive enzymes that help effectively utilize carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, and produce ATP (energy).

Among all these aspects of magnesium, one of the common ones that most people can relate to has to do with sleep. Sleep is a huge indicator of magnesium deficiency. A magnesium-deficient body can hinder our sleep patterns and even cause insomnia according to a study done by the University of Geneva in 2001.

Similarly, another study was conducted among older adults (>52 years old) who experienced disturbed sleep and sleep deprivation to examine associations between sleep and magnesium intake. The findings of this study showed a significant decrease in inflammatory stress as well as a possible increase in sleep quality in subjects who were provided with magnesium supplementation. While they were unable to find out if magnesium deficiency in their body is a cause or an effect of poor sleep quality, they were able to reassure that magnesium supplementation intake did in fact improve their sleep quality. 

What is Ionic Magnesium?

A quick recap of chemistry: magnesium, just like every element in the periodic table, is made up of atoms. Each atom is composed of a specific combination of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

For example, the most common and stable type of magnesium has 12 protons, 12 protons, and 12 neutrons. When this ratio of protons, neutrons, and electrons changes, they become isotopes. Mg-24, the most common isotope of magnesium, is different from Mg-25 because it has one less electron.

The atoms that are out of balance have ‘ions’, ready to attach to something in order to level out their electron count. Ionic Magnesium is one of those out-of-balance atoms.

 

What makes an ionic mineral special is that it is highly absorbable. While non-ionic minerals simply pass through and out our bodies, ionic minerals get absorbed during digestion, hence, providing our bodies with increased effects.

Magnesium Intake

Source: EAStewart

The average recommended daily allowance (RDA) for magnesium is around 400 mg per day for men and 300 mg for women. While this might be true, studies show that these doses “may only prevent frank magnesium deficiency and are unlikely to provide optimal risk reduction from coronary artery disease and osteoporosis”.

Furthermore, the studies suggest that most people nowadays might need an extra 300 mg of magnesium per day in order to lower their risk of developing chronic diseases mentioned above.

Based on this fact, it is quite certain that most people in the world aren’t getting their RDA of magnesium with just food, provided that foods with the highest content of magnesium such as spinach only contain about 150 mg (37% of the RDA).

 

Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency

Source: Kindpng

Magnesium deficiency, medically known as hypomagnesemia, is not commonly diagnosed and often gets overlooked during a medical examination. Granted that this condition is secondary to other diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases, it does sneak up on us in the long run if the symptoms are not addressed properly.

Infact, magnesium deficiency is properly diagnosed in only 2% of the Americans. The rest of the deficient population goes undiagnosed until they start experiencing severe symptoms. Magnesium deficiency is mostly associated with health conditions such as diabetes, chronic diarrhea, and celiac’s disease.

Here are the most common symptoms of magnesium deficiency:

1. High blood pressure
2. Muscle twitches and cramps
3. Mental health conditions such as anxiety, mood disorders, and depression
4. Osteoporosis (Weak Bones)
5. Heart arrhythmia which causes fatigue, dizziness, and nausea
6. Asthma

Magnesium-rich Foods

Here is the list of foods that have the highest content of Magnesium. Adding these foods to your diet is certainly recommended as it has tons of other benefits, however, it will be realized that food alone isn’t nearly enough to reach our daily magnesium goals for our bodies.

Note: 420 mg of Magnesium (300 mg for women) equals 100% of the daily value.

   
    1. Spinach

• 1 cup per serving
• 157 mg 
• 37% DV 

     2. Squash and Pumpkin Seeds

• 1 oz per serving
• 156 mg 
• 37% DV

     3. Lima

• 1 cup per serving
• 126 mg
• 30% DV

     4. Tunna

• 6 oz per serving
• 109 mg
• 26% DV

     5. Brown Rice

• 1 cup per serving
• 86 mg
• 20% DV

     6. Almonds

• 1 oz per serving
• 77 mg
• 18% DVM

 

Benefits of Ionic Magnesium Supplement

My Vida Origins

My Vida Origins’ Ionic Magnesium is a rich unique blend of trace minerals that provides 95% percent of the Daily Value of Magnesium in a concentrated ionic form which ensures optimum absorption. The following are the clinically proven benefits of taking ionic magnesium for your body.

     1. Helps with sleep and insomnia 

We’ve already established that magnesium is involved in more than 300 biochemical reactions and it is not hard to imagine that hundreds of those reactions can take place when we are sleeping. While some hormones are inhibited during sleep such as adrenaline, cortisol, and norepinephrine, others are activated to help you stay asleep and provide quality sleep. Hormones such as growth hormone, melatonin, and GABA are active during the sleep phase of our body. 

Magnesium has been shown to increase serotonin levels, a hormone that is widely known as the happy hormone. Having low stresslower stress levels when you go to bed can not only help you fall asleep faster but also provide good quality sleep. 

Melatonin, a hormone that is primarily involved in the sleep-wake cycle, is another hormone that is produced during serotonin synthesis.  Fundamentally, if magnesium increases your serotonin levels, it is certainly bound to increase your melatonin levels as well. 

Furthermore, magnesium has also been shown to initiate muscle relaxation, produce anti-inflammation proteins, and decrease restless leg syndrome, all of which are very vital to a good night’s sleep. 

     2. Maintains bone and teeth health

It’s conventionally understood that for strong bones and teeth, we need to consume calcium in food and supplements, and maybe vitamin D. However, calcium alone is not sufficient for bones and teeth health; it needs the aid of magnesium.

Magnesium serves as a means for the body to absorb calcium into the bones and helps activate vitamin D in the kidney. According to a study by Castiglioni, et al, magnesium deficiency partly causes osteoporosis (weak bones) by acting on crystal formation and on bone cells.

     3. Helps with energy production and aids with fatigue

Magnesium plays the key role in activating ATP (adenosine triphosphate), an important molecule found in all forms of life. In humans, ATP is considered the fundamental molecule in energy creation and storage. In other words, magnesium contributes largely to creating energy in the human body through the activation of ATP.

The lack of magnesium in the body can cause the decline in energy production and fall in energy level, leading to fatigue.

     4. Protects your heart and reduces blood pressure

The heart is the source of life in the body, which requires a substantial amount of energy to work properly. As we have learned before, magnesium is fundamental to creating energy in the body, which fuels and protects the heart from overworking.

Also, as mentioned above, magnesium supports the absorption of calcium in the body. Magnesium helps reduce calcium buildup in the arteries, fending off atherosclerosis and cardiovascular death. Moreover, it relaxes the “smooth muscle” cells in your veins, hence regulating blood pressure and preventing the constrict of blood flow.

Furthermore, sufficient ionic magnesium intake helps maintain nerve function, supports muscle function, and improves sleep quality.

Conclusion

We hope this article helps you learn a thing or two about magnesium and its benefits. Adequate magnesium in the body helps you maintain your bones and teeth health, sustain energy level, and enhance energy production.

On the other hand, magnesium deficiency has been scientifically shown to be the cause of several illnesses in humans. It is advisable that you take the right amount of magnesium on a daily basis, through food or supplements, to maintain your health in the long run. If you are thinking of taking magnesium supplements, consult with a medical professional first so you can make sure that it’s safe for you to do so.