Magnesium is a naturally occurring chemical that has been part of the human diet since the beginning of time. However, poor soil quality has limited the amount of this mineral that is naturally available through diet leading to an industry of supplements that boast of magnesium capsules and supplements to compensate. Should you be taking magnesium supplements? Below are 10 pretty irrefutable reasons why you should.
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1. Magnesium helps keep the heart and other organs healthy
Since magnesium acts as an active transporter of other essential vitamins and nutrients through cell membranes it improves the health of the heart and other major organs by making important nutrients more bio-available to the organs and therefore, the entire body.
2. Magnesium helps prevent diabetes
Magnesium is essential for hundreds of biochemical reactions in the body, one of which is regulating insulin levels. With enough magnesium in the diet, insulin is naturally regulated at a higher level helping to prevent the onset of diabetes.
3. Magnesium is essential for bone health
While it’s commonplace to hear about the importance of calcium for healthier bones, magnesium is rarely mentioned when it comes to bone health. This is troublingly misleading though, seeing as nearly 80% of the body’s magnesium is stored in the bones, and magnesium is needed for calcium to be effective shuttles into the bone. Without the presence of magnesium, calcium is unable to be incorporated into the bone properly.
4. Magnesium aids in digestion and quiets a digestive upset
Since magnesium is naturally occurring in soil, it goes without saying that when we consume fruits and vegetables that come from the ground, we consume magnesium as well. As it turns out this is no coincidence as magnesium is a digestive aid and coenzyme which helps the human body to more effectively break down food and therefore soothes digestive discomfort and indigestion.
5. Magnesium helps to detoxify the body
Some of the strongest detoxifying elements on the body require magnesium, which means that if magnesium is present in high enough levels in the body, detoxification of heavy metals, environmental pollutants, and dietary impurities are all detoxified out of the body at a much more efficient rate.
6. Magnesium can prevent cancer
Although the exact modality is not yet understood, it has been proven that increased levels of magnesium in the body coincide with greatly reduced rates of cancer. This may be because so many biological functions are performed properly and effectively when magnesium is present in the body.
7. Magnesium helps prevent insomnia and depression
Because of improved transport function throughout the body and brain magnesium has been shown to help stop insomnia as well as aid in depression and anxiety disorders like panic attacks.
8. Magnesium helps prevent premature birth and soothes symptoms of PMS
Magnesium balances the hormones in the body which play a role in both childbirth and premenstrual symptoms. For women who take magnesium supplements lower rates of premature birth have been noted, and the painful and agitating symptoms of PMS have been shown to be greatly lessened.
9. Magnesium can reverse the effects of osteoporosis
Because of the benefits to bones and joints that magnesium provides, the effects of degenerative bone disorders can be reversed helping bones to regenerate after density loss from withering old age or lack of proper nutrition. This is particularly beneficial for older women who suffer from osteoporosis at a much higher rate than their male counterparts.
10. Magnesium improves the overall health of the body and brain function
Magnesium taken in proper amounts is a facilitator for nearly all essential biochemical reactions in the body. When the body has access to proper amounts of this essential nutrient, disorders of the blood, bones, and brain are much less likely to occur and overall health will be noticeably improved. Beginning a supplement regiment that includes magnesium is smart for everyone but can especially benefit those people in their late 40’s and early 50’s as it can help reverse bone damage and prevent some of the most common and degenerative bone diseases.
