Magnesium supplements

Magnesium supplements: power your heart & muscles

Whether it’s your heart beating or your muscles flexing, magnesium plays an indispensable role in your body. The mineral keeps your heart beating healthily, is involved in teeth and bone development and ensures that we can tense and relax our muscles. Between 20 and 30 percent of magnesium is stored in our muscles and 60 per cent in our bones.

Many people know the symptoms of a magnesium deficiency and have experienced it personally – from eye twitching, calf cramps, fatigue and headaches. A magnesium deficiency is, in fact, incredibly common: one in five Europeans consumes only 30 per cent of the recommended requirement every day.

Which foods are rich in magnesium?

Magnesium is found in many foods. Eating whole grain products as well as two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables daily is a good way to prevent a deficiency or to boost your magnesium reserves.

The following foods are rich in magnesium:

• Porridge
  
• Pumpkin seeds
  
• Bananas
  
• Legumes such as peas
  
• Almonds

What causes a lack of magnesium?

An unbalanced diet is only one possible reason for developing a magnesium deficiency. An increased need can also be behind the deficit: athletes, for example, need up to 20 percent more magnesium. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also take more magnesium. Even medicines such as the contraceptive pill and antibiotics often increase the need unnoticed. Certain kidney and intestinal diseases can also cause the body to need more of the important mineral.

Daily requirement:

• Men: 350 milligrammes
• Women: 300 milligrammes (390 milligrammes during pregnancy and breastfeeding)

Tip: You can check your magnesium levels using a cerascreen® Mineral Deficiency Test, a blood test that tests not only your magnesium levels but also your selenium and zinc levels. A low magnesium value can already indicate you have a deficiency, as your body initially compensates for low magnesium with the magnesium stored there. Only when the magnesium reserves of 20 to 25 grammes has been used up is this reflected in your tests result.

Which magnesium supplements dose should I take & for how long?

If you have a magnesium deficiency, you can consciously incorporate magnesium-rich foods into your diet. Food supplements are also a good way to compensate for the deficit. According to expert recommendations, the maximum daily intake of magnesium supplements is 250 milligrammes in addition to your diet. If you have a magnesium deficiency, magnesium supplements should be taken over a period of two to three months to replenish your reserves.

According to studies, magnesium reduces the risk of premature birth because it relaxes the uterine muscles. It is also said to protect unborn babies from brain damage and to ensure a healthy birth weight.

Which magnesium supplements are right for me?

If you want to buy magnesium, you can choose between magnesium powder, capsules or tablets. If you tend to drink too little, you can mix magnesium powder into water and increase the amount you drink at the same time. Powder is also a good choice if you don’t like to take tablets or capsules. If you travel a lot, magnesium tablets or capsules are a good choice because they are easy to take with you.