Magnesium deficiency may cause fatigue, headaches, and memory loss! Nutritionist Li Wanping: 5 must-eat foods rich in magnesium

Do you often feel inexplicably tired, dizzy, have headaches, memory loss, or even sleep disorders? Nutritionists remind you to be careful as it may be caused by a lack of the mineral "magnesium"! Like calcium, magnesium is the most important element in bone structure and has many functions. It is one of the essential macro-minerals for the human body and is involved in about 80% of the body's metabolic functions. What other functions does magnesium have? How to supplement correctly and improve absorption rate? Let’s listen to nutritionist Li Wanping’s detailed explanation.

According to the survey on changes in the national nutritional and health status from 2017 to 2020, the Chinese people generally have insufficient magnesium intake. Among them, the group with the highest average daily magnesium intake below the recommended amount is men and women aged 13 to 44, which only reaches 60% to 70% of the recommended amount.

What is magnesium? What are the effects?

Nutritionist Li Wanping said that magnesium is a mineral among the six major nutrients. Although its content in the human body is not high, it is highly important. In addition to being a major component of bone and tooth tissue, magnesium is also a cofactor that catalyzes the activity of hundreds of enzymes in the body. Whether it is cell manufacturing, growth, energy production, or metabolism, muscle and nerve regulation, hormone secretion and other functions, magnesium ions are needed to function properly. The best way to get magnesium is to eat more natural, fresh, unprocessed foods.

What are the possible symptoms of magnesium deficiency?

Magnesium ions can be said to be one of the most natural sedatives, which can help us relax our mind and body. Therefore, if the human body lacks this nutrient, the body's stress response system and the stability of nerves and muscles will be disturbed, resulting in irritability, fatigue, mild anxiety, tension, cramps, muscle spasms, dizziness, headaches, memory loss, inattention, migraines, sleep disorders, etc. In addition, studies have also shown that most women who are prone to menstrual pain have lower magnesium levels in their bodies.

Because the above symptoms are not specific, they are often ignored or mistaken for other diseases. Therefore, magnesium deficiency is often called an "invisible deficiency." However, long-term magnesium deficiency will not only reduce bone density, but may also increase the risk of developing a variety of chronic diseases, such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc.

Which groups are at high risk of magnesium deficiency?

Many modern people are at risk of magnesium deficiency. Why? One reason is that due to changes in farming techniques and excessive use of fertilizers in the past hundred years, soil acidification has caused a decrease in the magnesium content in food crops. Furthermore, magnesium is lost when foods such as flour, rice, grains or sugar are refined.

If you prefer a Western diet with more meat and less vegetables, high fat and high sugar, or if you often eat foods with added phosphates, such as processed meat and carbonated drinks like cola and soda, it will deplete the body's magnesium or hinder the absorption of magnesium.

In addition, the following groups should pay special attention to the problem of deficiency:

1. The elderly and patients with renal failure and diabetes.

2. Chronic diarrhea or gastrointestinal diseases, such as celiac disease, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis, can affect the body's ability to absorb nutrients.

3. Long-term use of certain medications, such as diuretics, steroids, antibiotics, etc.

4. Frequent excessive drinking.

5. People who engage in strenuous or high-intensity exercise will also lose magnesium due to the excretion of large amounts of sweat and urine.

6. Since magnesium interacts with multiple nutrients and a balance needs to be maintained between them, excessive supplementation of vitamin D or calcium will also increase the loss of magnesium.

Foods rich in magnesium include whole grains such as brown rice, oats, and wheat germ.

What foods can I eat to supplement magnesium?

Nutritionist Li Wanping said that magnesium is not produced by the body itself and diet is the only source of it. However, refined and processed foods, such as refined sugar and refined grains, may deplete 85% of the magnesium content. Therefore, the best way to get magnesium is to eat more natural, fresh, unprocessed foods, such as:

1. Whole grains: brown rice, oats, wheat germ.

2. Nuts and seeds: pumpkin seeds, cocoa powder, chia seeds, cashews, sesame seeds.

3. Beans: red beans, mung beans, black beans, and soybeans.

4. Vegetables: Green leafy vegetables are the richest source, because chlorophyll is one of the important compounds of magnesium. As for the magnesium content in fruits and animal foods, it is generally low.

5. Spices: Cumin powder, allspice, coriander leaves, basil leaves and other spices are also rich in magnesium. You may want to use them to add flavor to your cooking.

What is the recommended daily intake of magnesium?

How much magnesium should each person take per day? Based on the Chinese dietary nutrient intake reference amount, the recommended amount for men over 19 years old is 360 mg/d, and for women it is 315 mg/d. Basically, as long as you add more fiber-rich plant foods to your diet every day, for example, you can change one meal to whole grains or brown rice, and you can also add beans to cook together; have vegetables for all three meals, and at least half of them should be dark green vegetables; replace snacks with nuts and edamame, you generally don't have to worry about magnesium deficiency.

How to supplement magnesium and help magnesium absorption better?

To avoid magnesium deficiency and discomfort, in addition to supplementing it from health foods, you can mainly get it from natural foods every day. Eat at least one dark green vegetable and a tablespoon of nuts every day to help relieve stress and stabilize mood. Meat and fish, common main dishes in buffets, are also rich in magnesium. Since they are small fish, the risk of heavy metal accumulation is lower. Don’t forget to eat more of them when you have the chance.

The generally recommended ratio of calcium and magnesium supplementation is 2:1 to maintain a balance and exert good effects. For example, if you take 500 mg of calcium, you should also supplement 250 mg of magnesium; or if you only take calcium supplements (without magnesium), you must eat two fist-sized portions of dark green vegetables every day to increase your magnesium intake.