8 Tell Tale Signs of a Magnesium Deficiency

8 Tell Tale Signs of a Magnesium Deficiency - Thomas DeLauer

Muscle Cramps

Magnesium directly interacts with your muscle tissue through a process called ion transportation. 

When magnesium contacts your cell membranes, it bonds with specific receptor sites that open up the cell membrane and allow other mineral ions to enter, such as calcium and potassium

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...

Sleeplessness

Mag binds to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors and activates them. GABA is the neurotransmitter responsible for quieting down nerve activity

A lack of magnesium can result in low GABA levels, and when GABA is low, your brain gets stuck in the “on” position and it becomes impossible to relax 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...

Anxiety/Stress

A 2012 report, published in the Journal of Neuropharmacology, found that magnesium deficiency caused an increase in the production of cortisol in the brains of the mice, specifically by activating the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, a part of the brain that controls responses to stress and anxiety

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...

Osteoporosis

It's not well known that magnesium is necessary to convert vitamin D into its active form so that it can turn on calcium absorption

Magnesium stimulates the hormone calcitonin, which helps to preserve bone structure by drawing calcium out of the blood and soft tissues back into the bones. This action helps lower the likelihood of osteoporosis

https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.co...

Muscle Weakness

A decrease in intracellular magnesium, caused by magnesium deficiency, releases the magnesium-mediated inhibition of ROMK channels and increases potassium secretion.

https://jasn.asnjournals.org/content/...

High Blood Pressure

Magnesium plays a critical role in BP regulation as it’s been shown to stimulate prostacyclin and nitric oxide formation

https://www.jle.com/en/revues/mrh/e-d...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7...

Constipation 

The laxative effect of magnesium appears to come through two different mechanisms

Muscle Relaxation: Magnesium relaxes the muscles in the intestines, which can help to establish a smoother flow as the stool passes through the bowels

Stool Softener: Magnesium draws water into the intestines, working as an osmotic laxative 

This increase in water stimulates bowel motility - it also softens and increases the size of the stool, triggering a bowel movement and helping to make stools easier to pass

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8...

Low Energy 

Gluconeogenesis increases on keto, demanding more ATP 

ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the main source of energy in cells, must be bound to a magnesium ion in order to be biologically active - what is called ATP is often actually Mg-ATP

In other words, magnesium is required in the reactions that create ATP energy in the cells
Without magnesium, you literally won’t have energy on a cellular level - this shows up as fatigue, low energy, lack of drive, and other problems.

https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/miner...