Saturday, February 14, 2015

Healthy living 101: What is Magnesium?




Magnesium is a crucial mineral that the body does not produce on its own and therefore, must be obtained by consuming magnesium rich foods. Magnesium is important for a healthy immune system, maintaining normal muscle and nerve function, keeping heart rhythm steady, keeping body temperature, blood sugar, and blood pressure levels regulated, and bones and teeth strong. Magnesium may also play a role in preventing and managing disorders such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Dietary magnesium is absorbed in the small intestines and excreted through the kidneys. Magnesium deficiency symptoms include muscle tension, muscle soreness, muscle spasms, muscle cramps, muscle fatigue, muscle weakness, arrhythmia, and increased heart rate. Other symptoms include softening and weakening of bones, imbalance blood sugar levels, headaches, elevated blood pressure, elevated fats in the bloodstream, depression, seizures, nausea, vomiting, and lack of appetite. Magnesium toxicity symptoms may occur from magnesium supplements. Although there is no toxicity threat to eating magnesium rich foods, excessive supplementation can cause toxicity where symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramping, drowsiness, and weakness. As with many other vitamins and mineral, magnesium works synergistically with other nutrients. For example, magnesium is required in order for calcium and potassium to work effectively in the body and protein is important to help magnesium work properly. Cooking can affect the magnesium content and depending on the food, up to two thirds of the magnesium can be lost from cooking. Additionally, many prescription medications, including antibiotics, oral contraceptives, and diuretics, have been shown to reduce the body’s supply of magnesium. Magnesium rich foods include (measured in milligrams (mg) rounded): • Pumpkin seeds (raw) – ¼ cup, 185 mg • Spinach (cooked) – 1 cup, 157 mg • Soybeans (cooked) – 1 cup, 148 mg • Sunflower seeds (raw) – ¼ cup, 127 mg • Sesame seeds – ¼ cup, 126 mg • Halibut – 4 ounces, 121 mg • Black beans (cooked) – 1 cup, 120 mg • Navy beans (cooked) – 1 cup, 107 mg • Millet (cooked) – 1 cup, 106 mg • Almonds (dry roasted) – ¼ cup, 99 mg • Pinto beans (cooked) – 1 cup, 94 mg • Cashews (raw) – ¼ cup, 89 mg • Brown rice (cooked) – 1 cup, 84 mg • Tuna (yellowfin baked) – 4 ounces, 73 mg The Recommended Dietary Allowances for Magnesium as set in 1997 by the National Academy of Sciences are as follows (measured in milligrams): • infants, 0-6 months: 30 milligrams • infants, 6-12 months: 75 milligrams • children, 1-3 years: 80 milligrams • children, 4-8 years: 130 milligrams • children, 9-13 years: 240 milligrams • males, 14-18 years: 410 milligrams • males, 19-30 years: 400 milligrams • males, 31 years and older: 420 milligrams • females, 14-18 years: 360 milligrams • females, 19-30 years: 310 milligrams • females, 31 years and older: 320 milligrams • pregnant women, 18 years or younger: 400 milligrams • pregnant women, 19-30 years: 350 milligrams • pregnant women, 31-50 years: 360 milligrams • lactating women, 18 years or younger: 360 milligrams • lactating women, 19-30 years: 310 milligrams • lactating women, 31-50 years: 320 milligrams

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