The #1 Nutritional Deficiency In Women Right Now - It's Not What You Think
Brain fog… It has lots of causes and one you might not think about is a tiny little mineral called magnesium. This little one gets shoved to the back of people's minds, with the bigger ones getting more attention, but magnesium is involved in over 300 processes throughout the human body.
Your body needs a lot of magnesium, even though this is one of the more challenging minerals to get.
What makes a deficiency in magnesium so dangerous is that when you don't have enough magnesium in your diet, your body will pull it out of your bones to make up the difference. Some doctors believe magnesium is more critical than calcium in making sure you have strong bones. It's not because the magnesium will make your bones stronger, but it stops your body from pulling the nutrient from your bones.
What Magnesium Does For Your Body
It's almost a question of what doesn't magnesium do for you. It's involved in the formation of nerve cells, how your muscles contract, your immune system, a large component of your bones, moderation of glucose metabolism, formation of memory, the ability to recall information, heart health, protein metabolism, moderation of your weight, blood pressure, and so much more.
In particular, if you have polycystic ovarian syndrome, you're more likely to have a magnesium deficiency. It's indicated in nearly every woman who has PCOS, and this combination can greatly increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.
If you don't have enough magnesium, it can also lower your thyroid-stimulating hormone (THS) levels. It's one of the ways magnesium can lower your energy levels, other than suppressing protein and fat metabolism. Plus, not having enough makes your muscles weak, so you don't want to exercise.
One of the things you might find if you take birth control or acid reflux medication is that you are probably low in magnesium. These medications make it difficult for your digestive system to absorb magnesium. You might need a supplement more often just to overcome the obstacle.
How To Get More Magnesium In Your Diet
Fortunately, there's a trace amount of magnesium in all your food, but it's primarily found in green leafy vegetables. It seems like green leafy vegetables provide almost every kind of nutrient we need. Magnesium binds chlorophyll just like iron binds our blood. The greener something is, the more magnesium you'll get.
Fortunately, magnesium is also in nuts, seeds, and certain grains. Getting in lots of healthy and marvelous nuts and seeds in your diet can give you a boost.
But, you might need a little bit more than that. A good quality supplement can take you to the next level.
What Happens When You Need More Magnesium?
When your body needs magnesium, it shows up in a lot of little ways. Your joints may creak, you might get headaches more often, you have a little bit of brain fog or minor depression and low energy. Usually, it's not significant symptoms, but they can be considerable in the long run.
Taking the magnesium supplement can give you that little boost you need. But, you have to do it right.
The most common form of supplement is magnesium oxide. But, magnesium oxide is not well absorbed by our digestive system, meaning you're going to excrete most of it completely unused. Plus, magnesium oxide is a strong laxative, not the most favorable combination. ( And taking Tums for your calcium does not work)
Magnesium citrate is probably the best absorbed and most cost-effective form of magnesium you can get. It's one of the ones better recommended if you have migraines or other pain related to a magnesium deficiency.
But, the best-absorbed magnesium is magnesium glycinate. Magnesium is combined with the amino acid glycine and can provide nutrients for both your metabolism and the neurotransmitter GABA, helping you feel calm and relax. It can give you a double punch of magnesium and a neurotransmitter to help clear the fog in your head.
We hope you get some magnesium in your diet, because it's one of the best nutrients for you. Whether you choose to eat leafy greens, which we highly recommend, or the supplement, this was one nutrient that will help you be healthier.