9 Signs This Deficiency
Insomnia, depression, cravings and tiredness are the bane of many of our lives. But they could be signs of a simple problem: magnesium deficiency.
The Daily Mail’s Dr Michael Moseley addressed the issue recently when he appeared on BBC Radio Two’s Breakfast Show with Chris Evans – exploring how the humble mineral could treat a range of common ailments including migraines, PMT and constipation.
Yet it doesn’t get a lot of attention. Although magnesium is found in brown rice, green leafy vegetables, beans, avocados, almonds and dark chocolate, most of us don’t get enough of the amount we need.
One study of 8,000 Britons by Mineral Check discovered around 70 per cent had low levels, Healthista reports.
Likewise, the Government’s most recent National Diet and Nutrition Survey revealed that most children and adolescents fail to get the recommended daily allowance with 53 per cent of teenage girls showing levels of gross deficiency.
Yet magnesium is an essential mineral which plays a crucial role in more than 300 different enzymatic reactions in the body each day. Research suggests it can help achieve a restful night’s sleep and reduce the symptoms of restless leg syndrome as well as improve chronic pain, tiredness, mood swings and migraines.
Here are some key signs of magnesium deficiency not to miss.
1. You can’t stay asleep
Studies have shown that when magnesium levels are too low, it’s harder to stay asleep.
‘Magnesium contributes to the normal function of the nervous system thereby offering nervous system support which may then assist with sleep disturbance,’ said Rick Hay, London-based nutritionist and author of The Anti Ageing Food & Fitness Plan.
Magnesium increases a chemical neurotransmitter in the brain called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which encourages relaxation as well as sleep. Low GABA levels in the body can make it difficult to relax.
Magnesium promotes good sleep by helping us unwind, Hay explains, and it’s an important factor in how our body manages its sleep cycle.
Indeed, a 2012 study found that 500mg magnesium taken for eight weeks before bed had a positive improvement on insomnia levels.
2. You’re depressed
‘Magnesium has a role in hormonal regulation and may also help blood sugar balance which can help with mood issues such as depression and anxiety,’ said Mr Hay.
Positive neurotransmitters in the brain such as serotonin are regulated by magnesium, and such neurotransmitters are essential to a stable mood.
Excitingly, researchers last year published a study in the journal PLoS One that found adults who received 248mg of magnesium a day for six weeks saw a significant improvement in their levels of depression and anxiety.
3. You get migraines
If you’re one of the one in seven people who get migraines in the UK, supplementing with magnesium could help.
‘Although evidence for magnesium’s role in migraine treatment is limited it’s very promising,’ said Mr Hay.
In fact, one study published in the European Journal for Neutraceutical Research found that using topical Magnesium Oil Spray from BetterYou across a three-month period helped improve the severity and frequency of symptoms.
‘This effect on reducing the severity of migraines was probably due to magnesium’s hormonal regulating benefits and its muscle relaxation properties,’ explained Mr Hay.
4. You crave chocolate
Cravings for specific foods can indicate nutrient deficiency and if it’s chocolate you’re craving most often, a lack of magnesium could be the reason.
The sweet treat is high in magnesium and because our levels go down during and before our period, some experts suggest what we’re really craving when we reach for chocolate pre-menstrually is magnesium.
The highest levels are found in dark chocolate that is over 60 per cent cocoa.
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