Magnesium, known as “the miracle mineral”, plays an essential role in biochemical reactions spanning from nerve impulse transmission, bone and teeth formation, muscle contraction, as well as activating over 300+ enzymes.

Yet magnesium deficiency remains widespread. Dean provides strategies to address it through diet, supplementation and lifestyle modifications.

1. Relieves Muscle Cramps

Magnesium is nature’s premier muscle relaxant, helping relieve cramps by regulating and stabilizing muscle contractions. Magnesium works closely with calcium as its mineral counterpart to soothe both muscles and nerves – in fact magnesium pushes high calcium levels out of cells into circulation more effectively thereby avoiding cramps or spasms altogether.

Magnesium’s effectiveness at soothing cramps and spasms stems from its ability to stop acetylcholine being released at nerve endings, which causes nerves to contract or tighten. Because magnesium helps stop this release, magnesium is often recommended for leg muscle cramps as well as those suffering from fibromyalgia or restless leg syndrome.

Magnesium also helps ease cramps by maintaining the proper balance of electrolytes in the body. Magnesium plays an essential role in producing energy for production while absorbing potassium for healthy muscle contraction, thus helping prevent cramps from arising.

Magnesium can help alleviate constipation by creating a smoother digestive system. Acting as an osmotic laxative, magnesium draws water out of your intestines to soften stool, making it easier to pass. This treatment may especially prove useful if you suffer from IBS, Crohn’s, Colitis or chronic diarrhoea.

Studies have demonstrated that magnesium supplements can significantly decrease both the frequency and intensity of muscle cramps in legs, while RCTs have yet to explore if magnesium improves cramps experienced by people suffering from neuromuscular conditions, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or motor neuron disease.

2. Strengthens Bones and Teeth

Magnesium deficiency may be one of the causes of weak teeth and brittle bones for many individuals, contributing to tooth decay as well as high blood pressure levels. Magnesium plays an essential role in helping our bodies absorb calcium for bone and teeth health as well as protecting us from taking in too much sodium which could increase blood pressure levels – something magnesium deficiency does not do.

Women and men should consume at least 320 milligrams of magnesium each day, although many fall below this RDA due to eating Western-style processed food which tends to be low in magnesium content, and soil depleted of it.

Magnesium can be found in various foods, such as nuts, seeds, dark green vegetables, cocoa, molasses whole grains and legumes – and even breakfast cereals and other fortified products! Most people obtain about 70% of their RDA for magnesium from food sources alone.

Magnesium deficiency symptoms include constipation, bloating and indigestion. Magnesium supplements are used to treat these symptoms but also to protect heart health and support healthy hormone levels in the body. A double-blind study on insomnia demonstrated how taking 500 milligrams of magnesium daily helped improve sleep significantly – it even proved an ideal replacement for sleep medication with no side effects!

Vitamin C and magnesium both play essential roles in healing, strengthening gums, fighting inflammation and speeding healing. Furthermore, they work hand-in-hand by binding together in your digestive tract for easy absorption by your body – and you can get plenty of Vitamin C from citrus fruits like oranges and kiwis!

3. Boosts Energy Levels

Magnesium deficiency leads to fatigue and weakness even after exercise, as your body cannot properly utilize energy stored within cells. Magnesium helps increase ATP production within cells to power metabolism, other vital processes and relaxation of muscles and nerves for improved night’s rest. Furthermore, magnesium may even help combat migraines by regulating hormone activity which contributes to them.

Diets that contain foods rich in magnesium can provide your body with adequate amounts of this mineral, but if that isn’t enough you may benefit from taking magnesium supplements such as citrate, glycinate or oxide. In particular magnesium oxide supplements have been proven to promote muscle relaxation; thus leading many people to consider them relaxing (Nutraceuticals World n.d). Magnesium glycinate may also have this calming effect but more research must be conducted.

Additionally, increasing magnesium consumption doesn’t just involve taking supplements – drinking more water provides 31% of your recommended daily allowance! Foods rich in magnesium such as green leafy vegetables and nuts and seeds should also help. It would also be wise to limit sugar consumption since metabolizing each molecule of sucrose requires 28 molecules of magnesium; your body therefore loses this essential mineral constantly!

Carolyn Dean offers advice in her best-selling book The Magnesium Miracle on lifestyle changes that can complement increasing magnesium consumption to maximize health benefits. These changes could include diet changes and supplementation regimens to maximize effectiveness of magnesium consumption.

4. Combats Depression and Anxiety

Magnesium is an essential mineral in our bodies that ensures optimal nerve transmission and plays a significant role in membrane phospholipid formation. Magnesium also assists with blood sugar and blood pressure regulation as well as detoxification processes and supporting immunity systems, making it a popular supplement that may help fight anxiety.

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental health conditions, and if left untreated it can have serious repercussions. Traditional treatments for depression typically focus on psychotherapy or medication; however these methods can often be expensive or have side effects. A recent study demonstrated how magnesium supplementation could help alleviate some symptoms associated with depression.

Undernutrition of magnesium may contribute to depression, as this nutrient is integral for proper brain functioning. Magnesium regulates excitatory neurotransmitters like glutamate that stimulate cells, leading to overexcitation that could potentially lead to mental disorders; on the other hand, magnesium inhibits glutamate from reaching NMDA receptors in the brain thus preventing overexcitation.

Magnesium helps combat depression and anxiety by decreasing production of cytokines, which cause inflammation. Cytokines have been linked with psychological and neurological conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease and others. Magnesium also limits cortisol release to help alleviate feelings of tension and anxiety.

While more research needs to be conducted into the link between magnesium and psychiatric illnesses, several studies have demonstrated how dietary and supplement magnesium may enhance antidepressant therapy outcomes and lower serum magnesium levels have been linked with depressive disorders.

5. Helps You Lose Weight

Magnesium boosts cellular energy and is essential to producing ATP, the energy currency that powers all your body processes. Adequate magnesium levels also support normal blood sugar and insulin balance which are vital in weight loss, while chronic inflammation disrupts hormonal signalling associated with fat storage and metabolism, so getting plenty of magnesium may eventually make weight loss easier over time.

Magnesium not only boosts energy and supports muscle function, it can also relax muscles to promote deep restful sleep. Lack of restful slumber has been linked with obesity; magnesium plays an essential role in producing the hormone melatonin which induces relaxation and sleepiness as well as helping with insomnia and anxiety symptoms.

Magnesium plays an integral part in maintaining normal glucose and insulin levels while supporting healthy blood pressure and heart rhythms. Furthermore, magnesium has been demonstrated to bind with fat molecules and eliminate them from the body, providing weight loss support by eliminating excess fatty tissue.

Dr Dean describes the many health benefits associated with magnesium, including how it can alleviate various conditions, symptoms and diseases. Drawing upon her years of medical and nutritional expertise she offers advice about lifestyle, dietary and supplement changes that can be made along with increasing magnesium consumption.