When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, having a balanced diet and plenty of exercise is at the top of your list. But there’s an often-forgotten mineral that’s just as vital to your brain and body’s functioning.
One that you might even be lacking.
This super mineral is magnesium, and however essential it is, it often goes overlooked.
That’s why it’s vital that we supplement it to make sure we function properly.
The importance of magnesium
Magnesium is actually the 4th most abundant mineral in your body.
It’s found in all your cells, and it vital for their function. Magnesium is responsible for over 600 biochemical reactions in your body(!) affecting your bones, nerves and brain cells.
But studies from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) show that many older adults in the US aren’t getting the proper amount of magnesium from their diet. Around 50% of people in the US and Europe are getting less than their Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 420mg/day for men and 320mg/day for women over the ages of 50.
And this can cause a lot of problems.
Because of modern farming practices and food procedures, our foods and soils are left depleted of this vital mineral. So even if you’re eating a healthy diet packed with seeds and greens, you’re probably not be getting enough magnesium.
Read on for the top 5 reasons why your brain NEEDS magnesium:
1. Magnesium may help prevent migraines
If you’ve ever had a migraine headache, you’ll know how painful and debilitating they can be.
Research shows that the lack of magnesium in your bloodstream can be a key reason why people suffer from migraine headaches.
When you have low magnesium levels in your body – often caused by stress, diet, medical problems or genetics – it contributes to inflammation and the spread of pain signals, leading to intense, chronic migraines.
People who frequently suffer from migraines have significantly lower levels of magnesium in their body than migraine-free individuals. Research shows that up to 50 percent of sufferers are deficient during a migraine attack.
Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol also reduces the magnesium in your body. Unsurprisingly, drinking in excess can could be the cause of those early morning migraines!
Studies show that supplementing 1 gram of magnesium or eating lots of magnesium-rich foods can relieve symptoms of migraines fast; a natural painkiller.
2. Magnesium may lower your risk of stroke
Having proper amounts of magnesium in your bloodstream can help lower your risk of stroke by up to 10 percent, says interim director of the UK-Norton Stroke Care Network, Dr Goldstein.
Magnesium can modestly reduce the risk of stroke by controlling your blood pressure. This is because magnesium plays a key role in helping blood vessels to relax. When blood vessels are relaxed and less constricted, blood flow increases, and the formation of blood clots decreases.
However, the benefits of magnesium here mainly apply to people with high blood pressure. There is no evidence to prove that it has a significant effect on people with regular levels – but this still doesn’t mean you should skimp on the mineral!
3. Magnesium helps fight against depression
As magnesium is so vital when it comes to brain function and mood, it’s not surprising that decreased levels can lead to mood imbalances and depression.
A study conducted by PubMed Central shows that in an analysis of over 8,800 individuals, those under the age of 65 with low magnesium had a 22% greater risk of suffering from depression than those with regular levels.
In fact, high stress levels actually increase the loss of magnesium in the body, creating a vicious circle if not supplemented.
Following a study in Psychology Today, participants given 248mg of elemental magnesium daily over 6 wees lowered depression scores from moderate down to mild or minimally depressed. Their anxiety scores also improved drastically.
4. Magnesium helps improve symptoms of PMS
Magnesium is especially effective in improving PMS (premenstrual syndrome) symptoms in women, which includes stomach cramps, bloating, tiredness and irritability.
When taken during PMS, magnesium, coupled with vitamin B6, has been shown to significantly improve mood, reduce water retention and breast tenderness.
In a study involving 192 women who took 400mg of magnesium daily when experiencing PMS, 95 percent reported less breast pain and weight gain. 89 percent of women in the study experienced less nervous tension, and 43 percent suffered from fewer headaches.
What’s more, as magnesium is a natural muscle relaxer, it can aid with painful period cramps and constipation.
Magnesium can be extremely helpful in relieving PMS symptoms, but you shouldn’t rely solely on supplements. It’s important to keep a healthy diet, exercise regularly and limit your exposure to unnecessary stress. When it comes to improving your mood, magnesium even has an effect on serotonin, your natural mood regulator.
According to Dr Carolyn Dean, magnesium expert and Medical Advisory Board member of the Nutritional Magnesium Association;
“Magnesium relieves the depression of premenstrual syndrome by positively influencing serotonin activity naturally.”
5. Magnesium for better memory and sleep
Because magnesium is responsible for over 600 enzyme reactions in the body, it is only natural that it has an effect on your memory and sleep patterns.
Magnesium helps stimulate the electrical activity in your brain and helps the brain to process complex information. This in turn leads to a better memory and deeper, higher-quality sleep.
As well as its effect on calming your nerves and relieving stress and depression, magnesium is a raw material for the hormone melatonin. The hormone that helps bring your sleep into the deep sleep phase.
Supplementation with magnesium is shown to improve learning and memory, combating the memory lapses associated with aging.
Conclusion
All in all, it sounds like magnesium is the super mineral that your body has been missing. That can provide all the answers to your problems.
While supplementing magnesium is essential to promote excellent brain and body health, taking supplements isn’t the only thing you should be doing.
Combine the essential supplementation of magnesium with meditation, exercise, a balanced diet and a healthy.
This is what will make all the difference.
If you're looking for an excellent supplement that contains 75% of your daily recommended amount of magnesium, Calm has you taken care of!
Take Calm every day to receive 300mg of brain-strengthening magnesium.