Magnesium: Properties and benefits
What is magnesium and what is it for? Discover the most common types of magnesium and the best ways to take it to maximise its benefits.
Magnesium is one of the most essential minerals for the human body, playing a crucial role in maintaining good health. It’s no coincidence that it is involved in over 300 biochemical reactions within our system. Despite being widely available in various foods, magnesium deficiency is surprisingly common, often due to factors such as stress, ageing, and digestive issues. Let’s explore which magnesium-rich foods can easily be incorporated into our diets.
What is magnesium for and what are its benefits?
A common question is: what is magnesium good for? The answer is worth knowing, as this mineral offers a wealth of health benefits. Most of the magnesium in the human body is stored in bones (50-60%), with the rest distributed among muscles, organs and vital systems such as the nervous, immune and endocrine systems.
Magnesium contributes to strong bones and teeth, supports metabolism, helps reduce tiredness and fatigue, relaxes the nervous system, prevents pain and migraines, strengthens the body's natural defences, and improves the gut microbiota as well as the absorption of other essential nutrients and minerals, including vitamin D. For all these reasons, magnesium is considered a fundamental nutrient that should never be overlooked.
Foods rich in magnesium: Include these in your diet
Knowing which foods are rich in magnesium can help us monitor our daily intake. Although magnesium is found in many foods, the body absorbs only 30-40% of the mineral.
Some excellent sources of magnesium include green leafy vegetables (such as spinach, kale and Swiss chard), nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts), legumes, whole grains, fish (salmon, mackerel, trout), fruit (bananas and avocados) and dark chocolate – but only if it contains at least 70% cocoa.
In theory, a balanced and varied diet should provide sufficient magnesium for our needs. However, signs of a possible deficiency include unexplained fatigue, muscle cramps or tremors, irritability or nervousness, headaches or difficulty concentrating. Of course, these symptoms may be related to other conditions, so it is always advisable to consult a healthcare professional before making any decisions about supplementation.
Types of magnesium: Which is right for you?
One way to treat a magnesium deficiency is to take a magnesium supplement. The type of magnesium supplement depends on the organic or inorganic molecule to which it is bound. Magnesium citrate is recommended to improve digestion and relieve constipation, magnesium bisglycinate is used for stress, insomnia and anxiety, magnesium taurate can help reduce migraines, and magnesium malate supports muscle function. However, magnesium supplements should only be taken on the advice of a healthcare professional.
How much magnesium to take depends on factors such as age, gender and individual needs. The upper limit of intake for an adult is considered to be between 300 and 350 mg per day. With a balanced diet that includes magnesium-rich foods, this daily requirement can be easily met and you can enjoy its many health benefits with confidence.
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