Magnesium is an essential mineral that the human body must receive for it to function properly. So that your muscles and nervous system can function normally, they need magnesium. Magnesium in your body is usually found in bones, over 50% of all the magnesium an adult has is stored in his bones, but it can be found in other organs too: liver, heart and muscles. An adult human being has around of 20-30 grams of magnesium in it.
The daily necessary dose of magnesium for an adult is of around 300 to 450 mg. Magnesium plays a key role in the metabolic processing of carbohydrates, lipids, phosphor, calcium and vitamin C. Some of the functions of magnesium are: the relaxation and contraction of muscles, regulating the level of calcium, preventing the forming of calcium deposits randomly in your body, gives you energy and balance, strengthens your teeth and bones, regulates the temperature of your body, prevents heart attacks and infections.
You should know that magnesium is better assimilated in the presence of vitamin B6. That is why you should make sure you eat foods that contain magnesium and vitamin B6 at the same time if possible.
Magnesium based food supplements are good in case you suffer from stress, dental cavities, constipation, insomnia, gout, senility, allergies, irritability, digestive disturbances, lack of appetite, tuberculosis, respiratory diseases, ulcers.
The foods that contain magnesium are:
– green leaf vegetables like spinach, salad, onion are extremely rich in magnesium;
–whole grain cereals, nuts, peas, beans, bananas, apricots, plums, apples, some seafood and some bottled waters.
If you suffer from a severe lack of magnesium you can take it under the form of pills or injections.
May 20, 2009
Diets & Nutrition