Maximising Your Magnesium: 5 Unique Health Benefits

Magnesium is considered to be one of seven essential macrominerals due to the significant role it plays in improving your overall health, with studies noting magnesium is involved in at least 300 enzyme reactions (1). Overall the adult body contains approximately 25 grams of magnesium, largely present in the bones and soft muscle tissues (1). But you can increase your magnesium naturally by eating certain foods, including almonds, soybeans, bananas and even chocolate (2).

Helps Improve Muscle Health 

One of the key benefits of magnesium is its ability to enhance muscle movement by improving muscle contraction and relieving muscle cramps (3). This makes magnesium the premier mineral in helping boost both exercise performance and recovery, with research indicating that magnesium helps move blood sugar into your muscles and dispose of lactic acid found in muscle and red blood cells, thus helping your body turn food into energy (4). This effect has made magnesium increasingly popular within the sport and exercise field, with athletes reporting a notable improvement in recovery. An example of such comes from a study done on 25 male volleyball players, who were randomly assigned a 350 mg magnesium supplement (active group) or a placebo, with the active group reporting improvements in their jumping and arm movements (5).

Promotes Bone Health 

One of the most researched and discussed benefits of magnesium is within the bone health and development fields. Around 55% of your body's magnesium is believed to be located in your bones (6), playing the critical function of helping to regulate your calcium and vitamin d levels, making it essential for bone formation and density. Scientific studies have taken this a step further by highlighting that magnesium deficiency can be attributed to bone-related problems like osteoporosis (a disease that weakens bones and makes them more brittle). Studies found that increased levels of magnesium can reduce the impact of osteoporosis directly by covering bone cells in a crystal formulation, hence reducing the risk of developing osteoporosis (7).

Helps Improve Cardiovascular System Function

Magnesium also plays a crucial role in maintaining your heart health, with multiple sources reporting that magnesium can help improve the strength and stability of the muscles within your heart. This can help lower your blood pressure and reduce the frequency of heart cramps and abnormal heartbeats. Studies have even linked magnesium deficiency to worsening cardiovascular disease, with the researchers noting that magnesium deficiency is common in people with congestive heart failure and if left untreated, can lead to a higher risk of death due to the increased chance of suffering a heart attack or hypertension (8).

Relieves Symptoms of Stress (Nervous System Relaxant)

A lesser-known effect of magnesium is its ability to help relax your nervous system and lower your overall stress levels. This is done by regulating your neurotransmitters, which are signaling molecules that send messages throughout your brain and nervous system (9). This can help the body respond to mood changes like stress and anxiety. This effect was affirmed in a 2017 scientific review, which found that magnesium helps to regulate and control the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), a set of three glands that regulate a person's reaction to stress. Hence while evidence in this field is still growing, researchers are excited by the role magnesium could play within the mood support field (10).

Acts as an Anti-inflammatory 

A recent revelation into the world of magnesium is its possible application as an anti-inflammatory agent. The rationale behind this is that many believe magnesium could reduce markers of inflammation by possibly improving levels of oxidative stress. Early research has given positive signs as 11 different studies found that for people suffering from chronic inflammation, magnesium supplementation proved effective in decreasing levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation (11) and a key factor in lowering the risk of certain diseases encompassing cardiovascular and chronic kidney disease (11).

Final Thoughts

Magnesium is thought to be a very versatile macromineral, helping maintain good health and support general wellbeing. Based on its critical role in many bodily processes encompassing muscle, bone and heart health, with even more nuance studies extending its reach to include benefits to both stress and anti-inflammatory fields. Hence it's essential to regularly maintain your magnesium levels as magnesium deficiencies are linked to increasing your risk of various diseases, including osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. You can improve your magnesium levels by eating magnesium-rich foods or regularly taking magnesium-specific supplements.


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Reference List

1. National Institutes for Health, n.d. Office of Dietary Supplements - Magnesium. [online] Ods.od.nih.gov. Available at: <https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/#:~:text=Magnesium%2C%20an%20abundant%20mineral%20in,such%20as%20antacids%20and%20laxatives> [Accessed 17 August 2022].

2. Spritzler, F., 2018. 10 Magnesium-Rich Foods That Are Super Healthy. [online] Healthline. Available at: <https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-foods-high-in-magnesium> [Accessed 17 August 2022].

3. Raman, R., 2018. What Does Magnesium Do for Your Body?. [online] Healthline. Available at: <https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-does-magnesium-do> [Accessed 17 August 2022].

4. Andersen, L., Mackenhauer, J., Roberts, J., Berg, K., Cocchi, M. and Donnino, M., 2013. Etiology and Therapeutic Approach to Elevated Lactate Levels. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, [online] 88(10), pp.1127-1140. Available at: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3975915/> [Accessed 17 August 2022].

5. Setaro, L., Santos-Silva, P., Nakano, E., Sales, C., Nunes, N., Greve, J. and Colli, C., 2013. Magnesium status and the physical performance of volleyball players: effects of magnesium supplementation. [online] Pubmed. Available at: <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24015935/> [Accessed 17 August 2022].

6. Link, R. and Spritzler, F., 2022. 12 Magnesium Health Benefits. [online] Healthline. Available at: <https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/magnesium-benefits> [Accessed 17 August 2022].

7. Castiglioni, S., Cazzaniga, A., Albisetti, W. and Maier, J., 2013. Magnesium and Osteoporosis: Current State of Knowledge and Future Research Directions. [online] National Library of Medicine. Available at: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3775240/> [Accessed 17 August 2022].

8. DiNicolantonio, J., Liu, J. and O'Keefe, J., 2018. Magnesium for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Open Heart, [online] 5(2), p.e000775. Available at: <https://openheart.bmj.com/content/5/2/e000775> [Accessed 17 August 2022].

9. The University of Queensland, n.d. What are neurotransmitters?. [online] Qbi.uq.edu.au. Available at: <https://qbi.uq.edu.au/brain/brain-functions/what-are-neurotransmitters> [Accessed 17 August 2022].

10 . Boyle, N., Lawton, C. and Dye, L., 2017. The Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Subjective Anxiety and Stress—A Systematic Review. Nutrients, [online] 9(5), p.429. Available at: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5452159/> [Accessed 17 August 2022].

11. Furman, D., Campisi, J., Verdin, E., Carrera-Bastos, P., Targ, S., Franceschi, C., Ferrucci, L., Gilroy, D., Fasano, A., Miller, G., Miller, A., Mantovani, A., Weyand, C., Barzilai, N., Goronzy, J., Rando, T., Effros, R., Lucia, A., Kleinstreuer, N. and Slavich, G., 2019. Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span. Nature Medicine, [online] 25(12), pp.1822-1832. Available at: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7147972/> [Accessed 17 August 2017].