Magnesium The Calming Mineral

Magnesium the Calming Mineral

Magnesium is perhaps the most important ion in the body. A lot of us are dealing with the after effects of stress right now post COVID 19.  A simple way of describing why we need Magnesium so much during and after stress is to consider that our bodies still have the same stress response as we did in Prehistoric times.  We obviously have much different stressors now though.  In the past if we were stressed it is likely our life was in danger.  Now we might just be sitting in traffic or chronically stressed – daily.  Our body want’s us to survive, so the best way to help us to respond to stress effectively (fight or flight – run for your life) is to dump the most calming mineral – our precious reserves of magnesium!  Couple that with low levels in foods (due to low levels in the soil – you only need to ask Farmers if they are supplementing their cows with Magnesium) and you have a recipe for deficiency.  We also need good gut function to absorb magnesium and adequate stomach acid.

Symptoms of Deficiency

Magnesium deficiency or blockade causes fatigue, unrefreshed sleep, poor concentration, daytime sleepiness, cramps – twitches and shakes as it relaxes the whole nervous system.  As mentioned it is lost rapidly during stress. Magnesium helps with depression and plays so many roles in the body. Here are some of the Neurological effects of low magnesium:

Insomnia, Agitation, Anxiety, Irritability Restlessness, Panic attacks, Vertigo, Lightheadedness, Poor balance, Tinnitus, Convulsions (and the others mentioned above).

Am I low?

You won’t know if you are low in magnesium from standard blood tests as we store 25,000mg of magnesium in our body and only 1% of it is in the blood. The best way to assess if you are low in magnesium is to look at symptoms.  If you are depleted you will need a supplement, food is ok to maintain levels but you will not reverse deficiency with food alone.

Magnesium Supplements

Not all magnesium supplements are the same. Yes magnesium is magnesium, but it is what they bind the mineral to that effects absorption.  Some poor forms will cause gastric upset and is actually used as a laxative (you are not absorbing this!).  Also consider what the capsule is made of and what is added as some additives block absorption   I would avoid the cheapies.  Dose also should be considered of course, we use therapeutic doses for deficiency, these are from practitioner only products.

The best Magneisum Supplement

I give pretty much all my clients magnesium in therapeutic doses while also helping them get more magnesium in their diets. If you are shopping around personally I like magnesium glycinate/bisglycinate/diglycinate (glycine is also calming) and some others depending on the client, and their digestive function. We have some great practitioner forms that can directly cross the blood brain barrier for faster relief of neuro symptoms.

This post may seem comprehensive, but I have barely even scratched the surface, that is how important magnesium is. I’ve talked about how it helps with PMS and perimenopause in the past, but it also helps many more conditions and body systems. I did mention blocks and generally magnesium is blocked by copper and cadmium. It is also low in the soils and as mentioned is depleted by stress.

Magnesium is only one of the minerals that you may need to restore your health.  If magnesium alone is not providing relief with any of the symptoms or conditions listed above then it maybe time for a consultation and full treatment plan.  If stress is a factor that also needs to be addressed that is why it is good to talk to a Holistic Nutritionist like me who will help you address all the underlying causes.  You don’t have to suffer.  Read more about working with me here or book a consultation or discovery call now.