When it comes to supplements, it may be difficult to decide what is important to take.  While we can get a lot of our nutrients through the foods we eat, some nutrients are just not as readily available from our food these days due to reduced soil health from over farming and we may just not eat those particular foods.  One very important nutrient that pretty much most of us can benefit from taking is magnesium.  I blogged about this a year ago and how much it helped me on my journey, but have a few updates to add to this for you.

As research goes, there is always new information to be found on these topics and I am going to talk about some of the crucial reasons or times in our life that magnesium is of the utmost importance.

This important mineral is used for over 300 processes in the body and is crucial to sustaining life. However, it is estimated that at minimum, over 70% of adults are deficient in this mineral. Do you have any stress in your life? YOU NEED MAGNESIUM. Stress zaps our magnesium levels quick!

Examples of symptoms related to low magnesium include:

• Muscle pain, cramps

• Constipation

• Headache or migraines

• Anxiety

• Heart disease and high blood pressure

• Depression and more

Low Magnesium can lead to:

• Recurrent miscarriages or premature labor

• Infertility caused by spasms in the fallopian tubes

• PMS

• Excruciating menstrual cramps

• Pregnancy leg cramps

• Pre-eclampsia

• Morning sickness

• Chronic constipation

• Heart disease risk increase

Why or when may magnesium may be even more helpful to us:

• Magnesium is a calcium channel blocker which can help reduce the effects of EMF (radiation from devices, wifi, microwaves in our homes and environment) on our body.  There is a growing body of information on the negative effects of EMF and 5G on our bodies.  Some say this will be the cigarettes of our day when we look back at this time and realize how bad it truly was for us.

• Postpartum: During the early postpartum time, our bodies are dumping excess estrogen in high amounts which means we are shedding it and need to metabolize it.  Magnesium is essential for this process to occur.

• Low Vitamin D: there is increasing evidence that having low Vitamin D levels can be related to having low magnesium levels.  We may need to not only supplement D, but magnesium, as well as so many nutrients, work in partnership in our bodies.

• Healing from an injury or illness: our cells need magnesium period.  If we are healing from something, our cells can use all the help they can get.

• Taking birth control pill?  You NEED to be supplementing with magnesium to help your body metabolize this medication.

So now let’s talk about HOW we can get more magnesium!  You may be surprised that it is not limited to a pill!

Foods high in Magnesium:

• Pumpkin seeds

• Spinach

• Sunflower seeds

• Sesame seeds

Supplementing Magnesium: It can be confusing to know which type your body needs when there are several types. Besides constipation issues, the magnesium we are talking about here is for the CELLS.  Here are a few:

• Magnesium Citrate: best for constipation as it helps add water to the stool (drink that water!)

• Magnesium Glycinate: more gentle on the gut

• Magnesium Hydroxide or Oxide: best for constipation, GI issues, and migraine prevention.

• Magnesium Malate: best for getting into the body’s cells

• Magnesium L-Threonate: well absorbed by the digestive tract

My favorite for the cells or cellular health is MagSRT by Jigsaw.  It is an 8 hour time release and this company takes magnesium very seriously in the best way.  They have a ton of information on their website as well as multiple magnesium options.

Magnesium can also be found in bath salt crystals, lotions, and sprays that can be absorbed through the skin. Combined with Epsom salt in the bathtub, the two work together to help improve absorption by the body. The typical ratio for magnesium flakes to Epsom salt would be 1 to 1.

It should also be mentioned that some foods and drinks we consume can make it harder for our bodies to absorb magnesium. These include:

• Soda

• Sugar and refined carbs

• Excess unhealthy fats

• Alcohol

• Caffeine

• Excess Animal protein

• Certain meds: diuretics, steroids, antibiotics, birth control pills.

With all that is known about magnesium, women should be working to optimize their levels when they suffer from excessive cramping with periods, are struggling with infertility or miscarriages, have chronic or occasional constipation, or any other symptom mentioned above.

Magnesium in our clinic…

With how busy life is and how overwhelming it can be to go and find/buy magnesium from the store, we made it simpler for you to get our favorites. We stock my favorite magnesium for help with constipation and drainage (detoxing) as well as magnesium bath flakes and magnesium lotion.  You may be surprised to learn that applying magnesium to the skin is a great way to get this nutrient into your cells.  Just like any medication that is administered via a skin patch, magnesium can also be absorbed. Magnesium lotion can be placed on the abdomen and low back for best absorption. It takes about 20 minutes for maximal absorption to occur. A simple time to use lotion would be to apply 20 minutes before a shower. Once it hits 20 minutes, you can shower as usual.

Have more questions about magnesium? We highly recommend seeking out your local naturopath to discuss essential nutrients such as magnesium among many others for optimal health. Be sure to use any supplement as directed on manufacturer labeling or as a healthcare provider recommends.

Realize that this and all other blog post publications should never replace actual medical diagnosis and treatment by your healthcare team.  Posts like this can actually be a great conversation starter with your healthcare team!