Magnesium, the 4th most abundant mineral in our body, is an essential mineral that acts as a cofactor in over 300 enzymatic reactions. It is known to have essential functions in the body, such as not only a sedative action to calm the mind and excitement, but also various metabolic actions such as protein and fat, contraction and relaxation of muscles, and control of blood sugar. When magnesium, which performs these important functions, is deficient, problems in regulating blood pressure and body temperature occur, and at the same time, a decrease in muscle strength, muscle cramps, elevated blood sugar, tremor under the eyes, sleep disturbance, and various symptoms such as anxiety and depression occur. It’s easy to follow.
In addition, if this magnesium deficiency is prolonged, it increases the risk of various diseases such as high blood pressure, arrhythmia, angina, and diabetes, and at the same time can lead to the development of mental disorders such as depression. Therefore, it can be said that it is very important to consistently consume the amount based on the recommended daily intake to prevent the side effects caused by magnesium deficiency. Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the main benefits of magnesium.
Main Benefits of Magnesium
1. Muscle contraction and relaxation
The most representative effect of magnesium is that it helps the muscles contract and relax, and is involved in the smooth operation of the nervous system. This is because it helps the smooth metabolism of various components that have essential functions in the body, such as proteins, fats and nucleic acids, and is involved in the maintenance of cell membranes of muscles and nerves and conduction at the neuromuscular junction.
Magnesium is also known to work closely with calcium, which is the most abundant mineral in the body and regulates muscle and nerve functions, including bones. This close action with calcium performs essential functions for normal muscle contraction and relaxation and nerve conduction. When magnesium is insufficient in the body, symptoms such as muscle paralysis, convulsions, and tremors under the eyes appear because magnesium is closely related to muscles and nerves.
2. Nerve stability
Another representative effect of magnesium along with the contraction and relaxation of muscles is its sedative effect, which stabilizes and calms nerves and excitement. Magnesium, which plays an important role in nerve stabilization to the extent that it is called a natural sedative, has a beneficial effect in relieving stress and reducing anxiety. In addition, it can help improve the symptoms of insomnia, which is easy to cause sensitive and anxious nerves with the effect of stabilizing nerve cells. I say.
3. Blood sugar control
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease in which insulin, a protein hormone that plays an important role in metabolism, does not function normally or its secretion is reduced, leading to an increase in blood glucose. It is said that magnesium plays a role in putting the glucose contained in the blood into the cells, thereby helping to prevent the rapid rise of blood sugar. In a follow-up study conducted at Harvard University, it was published that the group with a high intake of magnesium had a 22% lower risk of diabetes compared to the group with no magnesium intake.
4. Blood circulation
Magnesium also plays an important role in improving blood flow and stabilizing blood pressure by helping normal muscle contraction and relaxation. In particular, when the blood supply to the heart does not work properly, the risk of coronary artery disease such as arrhythmia and angina is increased, and problems such as heart attack and heart attack can occur. Magnesium is involved in helping the blood supply smoothly, so it can be said to be good for improving blood flow and preventing cardiovascular diseases.
Other efficacy and side effects
In addition to the many benefits mentioned above, magnesium is also involved in reducing the over-generated inflammation that is a trigger of various metabolic and chronic diseases in the body. It is also known to play an important role in the generation and maintenance of DNA, which can be said to be the central material for transmitting genetic information, and ATP, which is essential for energy metabolism. In addition to the effects involved in the metabolism of various nutrients, magnesium facilitates digestion as well as the creation and maintenance of teeth and bones by the mechanism of action with calcium.
Magnesium has various essential functions in the body, and when it is deficient, it causes various physical symptoms, but if you consume more than 350 mg, symptoms such as diarrhea may appear. In addition, if there is an abnormality in kidney function or related diseases, it may cause problems such as headache and low blood pressure due to hypermagnesemia. However, these side effects of excessive intake of magnesium do not occur due to the intake of foods that exist in a natural state, and are known to be side effects caused by the intake of supplements. Magnesium-rich foods are found abundantly in nuts such as peanuts, walnuts and almonds, seeds such as pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, and green vegetables such as spinach and beetroot. Also, please note that legumes such as kidney beans and various foods such as shiitake mushrooms, red beans, bananas, and dark chocolate also have high magnesium content.
