Hypomagnesemia or magnesium deficiency often remains undiagnosed as you cannot detect the obvious signs unless the levels get severely low. Today we are going to take a look at the biggest signs of magnesium shortage and means of preventing the same.
11 Signs Of Magnesium Shortage
#1 Asthma
Patients having severe asthma usually suffer from magnesium deficiency. According to researchers, lack of magnesium causes calcium build-up in the muscles which line the lung airways. This in turn makes breathing more difficult by constricting airways.
Physicians might in such a scenario prescribe a magnesium sulphate inhaler for relaxingand expanding the airways. However,injections might be prescribed by physicians if the level of magnesium gets dangerously low.
#2 IBS & Constipation
Depleting levels of magnesium in our body leads to the digestive disorder of constipation. It draws water into the bowels by softening our stool and supporting healthy elimination. Hard stools are extremely painful to excrete as they move slowly through the colon.
Magnesium also regulates intestinal muscle contractions and leads to IBS and similar conditions in its shortfall.
#3 Insomnia
Magnesium is required in the production of GABA – our inhibitory neurotransmitter which promotes relaxation. Deficiency in magnesium levels can thus inflict a negative impact on your sleep quality.
#4 Osteoporosis
This disorder is characterised by increased risk of bone fracture and weak bones. This risk is however influenced by an array of factors like old age, poor intake of vitamin D and K, lack of adequate exercise and magnesium deficiency.
Apart from directly weakening bones, this also lowers down calcium level in blood, which is the primary building block of brain.
#5 Irregular Heartbeat
Heart arrhythmia is a popular symptom of magnesium deficiency which in many cases can be followed with chest pain, shortness of breath, light-headedness and even fainting. In severe cases, irregular heartbeat can lead to instances of heart failure or even stroke.
According to scientists, potassium imbalance outside and inside heart muscle cells might be blamed for the same. These patients might either be administered magnesium supplements or injections in extreme cases.
#6 Cramps & Muscle Twitches
Tremors, twitches and muscle cramps are some potent signs of magnesium shortage. This even leads to convulsions and seizures in worst cases. Scientists hold the view that greater flow of calcium into our nerve cells hyper-stimulates or overexcites the muscle nerves causing twitches and cramps.
However, it is imperative to note here that involuntary muscle twitches might be caused by an array of other reasons like excess consumption of caffeine or too much stress. This can also be triggered by a neurological disease, motor neuron disease or side effects of medications.
Occasional twitches are pretty normal. However, you should consult the doctor if the symptoms persist.
#7 Muscle Weakness
Mental or physical exhaustion stands out as the main characteristic of fatigue which is another potent symptom of magnesium deficiency.
However, almost every one of us falls prey to fatigue making it imperative to take some rest. Persistent or severe fatigue however can stand out as a potent sign of health problem.
Being a non-specific symptom, it becomes difficult to make out magnesium deficiency unless it is accompanied by other symptoms. Muscle weakness or myasthenia is another sign of magnesium deficiency which should be reported to your physician immediately.
#8 Chronic Migraines
People who often fall prey to headaches have reported depleting levels of magnesium in their body. Magnesium is very important for regulating our nerve function by acting as a regulator of neurotransmitter production.
The main reason behind this is the ability of magnesium in regulating calcium balance in the neuronal cells. Excess calcium leads to excitotoxicity and overstimulates the brain cells thus leading to migraine formation.
#9 Mental Ailments
Magnesium deficiency can also lead to mental disorders like apathy or lack of emotion. In extreme cases, worsened deficiency leads to coma and delirium. Various observational studies have also linked depleting magnesium levels with heightened risk of depression.
In such a scenario, it is advisable to opt for magnesium supplements to ward off anxiety disorders.
#10 High Blood Pressure
A deficiency in magnesium level can lead to high blood pressure which can inflict negative impact on heart health. Various observational studies have hinted at decrease in blood pressure on consumption of magnesium supplements by adults suffering from high pressure problems.
#11 Diagnosing & Treating Magnesium Deficiency
You can consume magnesium rich foods like avocado, spinach, potato, yogurt, oatmeal, rice, nuts like cashews, almonds and peanuts, black beans, peanut butter, edamame, whole wheat bread, raisins, milk, chicken breast, carrot, broccoli, apples, banana, kidney beans, beef and fish like halibut and salmon.
The magnesium content of your body can also be increased by taking Epsom salt baths every now and then. Epsom salt is a form of magnesium which gets readily absorbed into the skin for relaxing you to the core.
Traditional Epsom salts comprise of magnesium sulphate which is made from magnesium chloride. This versatile chemical gets easily absorbed by the body and takes more time to be excreted which in turn diminishes the magnesium requirement for producing similar results.
Our food supply might not always be sufficient for catering to our magnesium requirement. In such a scenario, medical practitioners suggest magnesium supplements which can either be consumed or applied tropically.
Transdermal magnesium is available in a lotion format and can be applied on areas experiencing acute pain to stimulate quick absorption bypassing the digestive tract. This can be of great use in scenarios when the digestive tract gets compromised or damaged.
Takeaway
Magnesium is imperative for the production of various enzymes which regulate our day-to-day metabolic functions. This influences the manufacture of RNA, DNA and protein by our body.
The energy generated by our body cells from the food consumed is also stimulated to a great extent by the magnesium count. Thus, a deficiency in the same should be immediately reported to the physicians for preventing further escalation of problems.
