Facts About Magnesium

Have you ever examined a label of a multivitamin and wondered what magnesium does for a body? For people who do not know a lot about the effects of vitamins and minerals on the body, magnesium tends to be an ingredient that confuses them. However, magnesium is a very important mineral for the body and should be included in every multivitamin and maybe even supplemented.

Functions
Magnesium is an essential mineral for the human body and has many uses. Virtually every cell in our bodies requires and uses magnesium for efficient functioning! It is needed for healthy bones, to form proteins and fatty acids. Magnesium is necessary for new cell formation, as well as activating the B vitamins in the body. The body uses magnesium for relaxing muscles and clotting blood, and insulin production requires magnesium as well.

Because magnesium acts in a way that is similar to calcium channel blocker drugs, it has been used successfully in improving vision for glaucoma patients. Magnesium deficiencies have been linked to hyperactivity disorder in children as well as attention deficit disorder. Children who suffer from these attention disorders may benefit from an increase in magnesium.

Deficiencies
Deficiencies in this mineral have also been linked to patients who have chronic fatigue syndrome. Injections of magnesium have been shown to improve this condition. Because magnesium is necessary for insulin production, diabetics may have low magnesium levels and treatment with magnesium may help some improvement in glucose tolerance. Magnesium may also help women who experience bladder problems or feelings of urgency with the bladder.

Source of Magnesium & Recommended Intake
The best source of magnesium can be found naturally in nuts and grains, however it can also be found in beans, dark green leafy vegetables, fish and meat. Most people do not consume enough magnesium in their daily diets so it is recommended to supplement with 250 to 350 mcg per day. You should be able to find a multivitamin that contains the recommended amount of magnesium.

It is also advised to take a vitamin B6 supplement with magnesium in order to help with absorption of the mineral. If you decide to supplement with magnesium supplements it is important to not take too much, as high doses of magnesium may lead to stomach upset and diarrhea.

In conclusion, magnesium is an essential mineral to the body and it is very important that you have the recommended amounts of magnesium included in your diet or in a supplement form in order to keep all the cells in your body functioning.