The role of the nutrient magnesium

It participates in energy anabolism, regulates neuromuscular excitability, maintains bone and cardiovascular homeostasis, regulates emotions and sleep rhythms, and is an indispensable "basic regulator" for the normal operation of the human body.

Two years ago, when I was adjusting the diet of a regular half-marathon runner, his most troublesome problem was that his calves would ache every time he finished a race. The pain was so painful that he could not get off the podium. He took calcium supplements for more than three months to no avail. After measuring the serum magnesium, I found that the value was just above the lower limit of the reference value, which was nearly 20% lower than the average person. Later, I changed the white rice for his lunch to two rice, added 15 grams of almonds every day, and took an additional 100 mg of magnesium citrate after exercise. In less than two months, he ran a full marathon without any cramps. Many people always equate cramps with calcium deficiency. In fact, nearly 30% of exercise cramps are caused by magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is a natural antagonist of calcium ions, which can quickly relax muscles that continue to contract. When there is a magnesium deficiency, muscles are always in a state of excitement and stress, and they are prone to cramping when stimulated even slightly.

It’s quite interesting to say that most people have been taking calcium supplements for several years, but they don’t know that magnesium is the “golden partner” of calcium. More than 60% of magnesium in the human body is stored in bones. Calcium supplemented under the premise of magnesium deficiency cannot be effectively deposited into the bone matrix. It will either leak out of the body through metabolism, or be randomly deposited in the blood vessel walls and kidneys. On the contrary, it increases the risk of vascular calcification and kidney stones. This is the core reason why the nutrition community has repeatedly mentioned "supplementing calcium first, supplementing magnesium". In addition to bones, magnesium also has a clear regulatory effect on cardiovascular disease: it can maintain the electrolyte balance of cardiomyocytes and stabilize heart rate. People with sufficient long-term magnesium intake have a risk of essential hypertension that is about 15% lower than those with insufficient intake. However, it must be made clear here that magnesium is only a nutrient that assists in blood pressure control and cannot replace antihypertensive drugs.

In the past two years, magnesium tablets have been promoted on social media as a "miracle drug for insomnia", saying that they will fall asleep after taking them. However, it actually depends on the situation. I have met many Internet practitioners who often stayed up late and ate takeaways. The serum magnesium was measured to be low. After supplementing with magnesium glycinate, which is easy to absorb, the time it takes to fall asleep was indeed shortened and the frequency of waking up in the middle of the night was reduced. However, there are also people who have a balanced diet and whose insomnia is due to anxiety or sleep apnea. After taking magnesium tablets for more than half a month, they have no use and still suffer from diarrhea. The current mainstream academic consensus is that magnesium’s sleep-improving effect is only for people who are deficient in magnesium. Extra magnesium supplements for ordinary people have no clear sleep-promoting effect. There is no need to buy supplements in order to get a good night’s sleep.

Regarding the need for additional magnesium supplementation, nutrition scholars in different fields also have different views: The traditional clinical nutrition point of view is that as long as sufficient intake of dark green vegetables, whole grains, and nuts is ensured in the daily diet, the recommended daily intake of 300-350 mg can be fully met, and no additional supplement is required.； However, scholars in the field of sports nutrition believe that people who frequently engage in high-intensity exercise, love to sweat, or people who take proton pump inhibitor gastric drugs or diuretics for a long time have a much higher loss of magnesium than ordinary people, and it is difficult to make up for it with daily diet. It is recommended to regularly monitor serum magnesium levels and supplement when necessary. In fact, both views are correct, they just target different groups of people.

To be honest, magnesium deficiency for many people around me is not a big problem, but they eat too carefully: white rice and white noodles, green leafy vegetables less than twice a week, and only a handful of nuts when I think of it. Calculated, the daily magnesium intake is less than 200mg. Naturally, they are prone to tiredness at every turn, cramps after even the slightest exercise, and emotional irritability. A little girl who was preparing for an exam came to me before and said that she could not calm down. She wanted to touch her mobile phone after sitting for ten minutes, and she had no other discomfort. I asked her to eat a handful of pumpkin seeds every morning, about 20 grams. Two weeks later, she came to me and said that she could sit still now and would not get upset for no reason. In fact, the magnesium in pumpkin seeds helped regulate the release of neurotransmitters and relaxed the sympathetic nerves that had been tense.

In fact, magnesium is such a "low-key" nutrient. When the amount is sufficient, you won't feel its presence. If it is lacking, it is easy to have all kinds of inexplicable minor problems. It is not enough to say that it is omnipotent, and it is really wrong to say that it is not important. You don’t need to worry about whether to buy those extremely expensive imported magnesium supplements. First, take a look at your recent dinner plate. If you can eat a pound of dark green vegetables every day, whole grains account for one-third of the staple food, and occasionally eat nuts, you will basically not be lacking. If you really exercise regularly and eat to make ends meet, then get a serum magnesium test first. If you are deficient, you can replenish it in time. Don’t just follow the trend and pay the IQ tax.