Magnesium 101
We do not hear to much about how important Magnesium is for our body so I thought I would do a post to fill you in on this super element….
A recent analysis showed that for every 100 milligram increase in magnesium intake, type 2 diabetes risk decreases by 15 percent. In addition to diabetes-risk reduction, magnesium is also crucial to controlling blood pressure, maintaining strong bones, keeping a healthy heart, and may even help preserve hearing in people exposed to loud noises. Magnesium may be lost from the body if you take some types of diuretic drugs to lower blood pressure or take birth control pills or estrogen.
Magnesium Requirements:
Women: 320mg
Men: 420mg
Foods that provide over 100 milligrams of magnesium per serving include:
• Halibut
• Cooked spinach
• Roasted pumpkin seeds
• Black beans
• High fiber bran cereals, like All Bran
• Brazil nuts
• Lima beans
What about a supplement?
A typical supplement contains between 50 and 100 milligrams. If you want to take a magnesium supplement keep in mind that there are many forms of this mineral so look at the amount of elemental magnesium. Supplements with magnesium gluconatehave only about 6 percent elemental magnesium, magnesium citrate about 16 percent and the glycinate form has about half of its magnesium in elemental form.
As with all nutrients, more is not better — a high dose of magnesium acts as a laxative (like milk of magnesia) so the upper limit for supplementation is suggested to be 350 milligrams.
Also big warning: If you have Kidney disease Magnesium supplementation can be very dangerous.
