One of the most important and most underestimated substances is magnesium. Magnesium is a mineral that your body uses for many different purposes. In the Netherlands, many people (especially women) have a magnesium deficiency. If you come to the doctor with complaints, other values are usually tested. For example, vitamin D and B12 are known to be too low quickly. Magnesium is much less known and is therefore tested much less often. Too bad, because a magnesium deficiency can cause a lot of complaints!
The symptoms of magnesium deficiency
A magnesium deficiency is not always easy to recognize. These are typically the 'vague complaints' that GPs often get without a clear cause. These complaints are often related to magnesium deficiency:
– Muscle cramps, especially in the calves
– Fatigue that will not go away (CFS)
– Depression and listlessness
– PMS and other menstrual-related complaints
– Low libido
– Feeling of stress with no apparent cause
– Forgetfulness / memory problems
– Spastic bowel
There are many more features of a magnesium deficiency, because the substance is involved in hundreds of processes in the body. That is why we have only used the abbreviated list of symptoms above. A more extensive list of symptoms of a magnesium deficiency can be a good addition if you recognize one or more of these complaints.
How do you get magnesium? Magnesium is mainly found in grains, nuts and certain vegetables. If you eat healthy, you will not suffer from a deficiency as quickly. However, today many vegetables and grains are depleted. For example, if you eat bread made with wheat flour, you hardly get magnesium. Whole wheat bread contains much more of it and is therefore healthier. This also applies to other grain products, such as pastas. An impoverishment has also occurred in vegetables, the cause of which is not clear. Presumably it has to do with large-scale farming, which impoverishes the soil. In any case, according to recent research, about 20% of the western population has a more or less serious magnesium deficiency.
Take extra magnesium supplements Because the diet in many cases does not provide enough magnesium, it is wise to take it as a supplement. An advantage of magnesium is that it leaves the body through the urine if you ingest too much of it. A surplus is therefore not a problem. Many people who get the above complaints take magnesium supplements for a while. After a few months, the symptoms should have diminished or disappeared. In particular, your energy level should be better and you can also relax better. Magnesium does need some time to be fully absorbed into the body again. It is better absorbed when you exercise, which also promotes your health. A combination of sports and the use of magnesium gives you more energy and relaxation, so that you will soon feel a lot better!
Taking magnesium supplements is recommended for some groups anyway, regardless of whether they have symptoms or not. This is especially true for pregnant women and for people over the age of 50. Magnesium appears to have an inhibitory effect on the development of type 2 diabetes. In combination with exercise, magnesium also has an inhibitory effect on the development of dementia. It is therefore a wise choice for people over 50 to use magnesium supplements in addition to the diet.
