This mineral is one of the most important things that you can supplement with when it comes to relaxation and sleep. But aside from that, it is used in almost 300 different bio-chemical reactions in your body and MOST people are deficient in it due to lifestyle choices and use of prescription drugs.
If you had to pick one mineral to supplement with for the rest of your life, magnesium would be the smartest choice, hands down.
The benefits of this mineral are numerous. They include but are not limited to:
Calms nerves and anxiety
Increases metabolic energy
Helps with digestion by relieving constipation
Relieves muscle aches and spasms
Regulates levels of calcium, potassium and sodium
Important for heart health
Vital for healthy bones and teeth
Helps the body avoid illness
Regulates cholesterol production and helps modulate insulin sensitivity
Maintains the structural health of cell membranes throughout the body
As you can see, that’s quite a list, and that’s not all of it. Magnesium is touted to be one of the most vital enzyme co-factors, regulating more reactions than any other mineral. When magnesium is absorbed by the body it is circulated through our system as ions. It’s used by our cells to perform routine functions such as building hormones, creating energy, maintaining cells and muscle contractions.
Once the magnesium ions are used to perform their many functions, they are filtered by the kidneys and excreted through our waste. It’s for this reason that magnesium has to be CONSTANTLY supplied to our system to maintain adequate levels.
If these levels aren’t maintained, the body will pull magnesium out of the bones and teeth causing problems such as cavities and osteoporosis.
Symptoms of insufficient magnesium levels are:
Sleep disruption
Anxiety
Weakness
Muscle cramps
Tremors
High blood pressure
Again, to name just a few of the most pressing issues.
Even if you’re not experiencing any of these symptoms yet, you’re still most likely deficient. Most people in developed countries are because of diet and lifestyle choices. How do you know if you’re deficient if you’re not having any out right symptoms?
Do you:
Drink carbonated beverages on a regular basis?
Most darker colored sodas contain phosphates which bind to circulating magnesium rendering it useless for the body to use. So, even if you’re taking in a good amount through diet, it’s being flushed out of your system with every soda you drink.
Regularly eat cakes, desserts, pastries, candies or other sweet foods?
These foods are loaded with refined sugar, which facilitates the excretion of magnesium through the kidneys due to elevated insulin levels. These foods are also devoid of any nutrients themselves and when they are digested, they cause the use of magnesium without replacing any.
Experience alot of stress and anxiety in your life on a daily basis?
The fight or flight reaction caused by elevated stress levels causes the body to burn through more magnesium the usual because of it’s use in the production of stress hormones. So not only does stress cause magnesium depletion, but magnesium depletion can, in turn, cause more anxiety and stress creating a very unhealthy feedback loop.
Drink coffee, tea or other caffeinated drinks daily?
Caffeine causes the kidneys to flush magnesium from the body regardless of how healthy you are. If you drink any of these beverages on the daily, you’re most likely deficient.
Take pharmaceutical drugs?
Most pharmaceutical drugs cause loss of magnesium much through the same way as caffeine. The body also uses magnesium to process the chemicals from your system causing further deficiency.
Drink more than 8 alcoholic beverages per week?
Again, just like pharmaceutical drugs, alcohol causes the body to use up it’s magnesium stores by excretion through the kidneys. If you’ve ever experienced muscle twitches during a hangover, it’s directly related to low magnesium levels in the body. Consequently, by supplementing magnesium during a hang over, this symptom is alleviated immediately.
Take calcium supplements?
Calcium supplements, when taken during a magnesium deficiency, causes the bodies absorption of magnesium to fall. If supplementing with calcium, it should always be taken in a 1:1 ratio with magnesium.
Experience sleeping difficulties or anxiety?
These are neurological signs of deficiency as magnesium is necessary for proper nerve conduction and neurotransmitter communication. They are also signs of electrolyte imbalances that effect the nervous system causes these symptoms.
Experience muscle cramps, twitches or spasms?
These are classic signs of magnesium deficiency as this mineral is vital to muscle contraction and subsequent relaxation. Without it the muscle are not able to fully relax causing twitches and spasms along with cramps.
Don’t feel bad. MOST people today are completely deficient in magnesium. As you can see through everyday life magnesium easily get’s flushed from the system. Luckily supplementation is easy, and more importantly, cheap.
But one of the best parts about supplementing with this mineral is of course what it can do for your testosterone levels. You didn’t think I was going to leave that out, did you? This is of course, a site about pushing your testosterone as high as it can naturally go.
Magnesium increases free and total testosterone levels by binding to Sex Hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and by increasing the amount of proteins used in the production of testosterone itself. When adding magnesium supplementation to the testosterone boosting herb rotation, the effects will be remarkable. The extra magnesium will help free up all of that extra testosterone being produced by the herb rotation. This higher level of testosterone will also help you sleep like a baby.
As you can see, if you’re going to supplement with any mineral, magnesium has to be it. Not only will it directly effect your sleep patterns for the better, but with all of the other benefits it provides, your sleep will naturally get better simply because your body will be working more efficiently.
The two best ways to increase your magnesium levels are by topical application and ingestion. I use both depending on how I’m feeling. If you’ve had a hard work out and your muscles are sore and achy, I use the topical oils that not only sooth the muscle tissue but increase your bodies levels simultaneously.
Other times I like to take my magnesium in the form of a soothing drink. This one you can feel pretty much immediately after you drink it. A calm sense of serenity washes over your body and you get nice and relaxed. I typically take this about a half hour before bed. It definitely helps take the edge off and helps you drift off to sleep.
Now that you’ve gotten an education on the importance of magnesium, let’s look at the next bed time supplement…..
“Every known illness is associated with a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is the most critical mineral required for electrical stability of every cell in the body. A magnesium deficiency may be responsible for more diseases than any other nutrient.”
–Dr. Norman Shealy