One of the most important minerals for your health doesn’t get that much press — though I’ve mentioned it quite a few times here at Easy Health Options. Considering this nutrient is crucial for your cell’s ability to produce energy, for keeping your blood pressure down, improving your cholesterol and keeping your blood sugar from reaching diabetic levels — you’d think it would be front page news across the county.
If it were, maybe more people wouldn’t be deficient and their health would be better. As it stands, half of all Americans don’t get enough. Understanding the key role this miracle mineral plays in the metabolism of sugar, it’s no surprise that magnesium is crucial for enabling insulin to keep blood sugar under control — and still so much more.
An analysis of the benefits of magnesium shows that the mineral can not only lower your risk for diabetes but is also a key nutrient for helping people who already have diabetes maintain better heart health.
But the growing list of health benefits doesn’t stop there. Magnesium also:
- Lowers your risk of fracturing your hip. A study in Norway found that people who drink water richer in magnesium break their hips less often.
- Reduces your risk for the types of stroke called cerebral infarction and ischemic stroke that occur when blood flow is cut off to the brain.
- Supports better brain function. Research at MIT demonstrates that having sufficient magnesium can aid the neurons in the brain in forming connections linked to improved memory.
Supplementation is important
The richest food sources of magnesium are dark, leafy green vegetables, nuts, legumes like peas and beans, soy and dairy products. However, you should probably also take magnesium supplements because, for example, a one-cup serving of spinach only contains 157 mg of magnesium (one cup raw contains only 24 mg). Adult women require 310 to 320 mg of magnesium daily and men need 400.
I have found that magnesium is an inexpensive supplement with invaluable benefits. As an added bonus, I have discovered that when my digestion starts to get a little iffy, a little extra magnesium seems to help it stop misbehaving. So, it’s safe to say I never want to go without my magnesium and you shouldn’t either.
To read more about the importance of magnesium in your health, see these article pages.
