Magnesium is one of the most important minerals for the body. Its deficiency can be indicated by a number of symptoms, but it is very difficult to detect. It’s worth paying attention to your body’s signals.
This is how you can tell if you have a magnesium deficiency. 5 signs of magnesium deficiency to look out for!
1. Migraine headache
We can be plagued for a number of reasons. But one of them is a magnesium deficiency. Migraine sufferers often experience a drop in blood magnesium levels. Magnesium deficiency leads to excessive irritability of muscle and nerve fibres. The result: the blood vessels in the brain constrict, which can trigger a migraine headache.
2. Muscle cramps
A characteristic symptom of magnesium deficiency is recurrent muscle cramps. This occurs when the body has too much calcium but too little magnesium. This most commonly occurs in the limbs. However, in some cases it can also occur in the eye muscles.
3. Fatigue
Because magnesium is part of the body’s natural energy production system, a lack of it affects our energy levels. Magnesium also affects the hormone system and blood sugar levels, which not only affect our energy levels, but also our mood.
4. Skin problems
Since magnesium also plays a role in reducing inflammation in the body, its deficiency may be an indication of a variety of skin problems. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency can manifest themselves on the skin in the form of eczema, psoriasis, rosacea or acne, for example.
5. Sleep disorder
Several studies have shown that low magnesium levels also affect sleep quality. This is because magnesium contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system, which is essential for restful sleep.
+1 Nervousness, stress
Stress, nervousness and tension increase the amount of adrenaline and other hormones in the blood, raise blood pressure and release magnesium from blood cells. However, the longer this condition lasts, the faster the body’s magnesium stores are depleted, as higher adrenaline levels are also maintained. This causes tension and irritability.
We can make up for the magnesium deficiency with supplements, but if the situation is not serious, it may be enough to watch what we eat.
We can choose from a variety of foods and ingredients to suit our taste. Magnesium is mainly found in dark green vegetables, citrus fruits, oilseeds and pulses.
The ten foods with the highest magnesium content are spinach, Swiss chard, pumpkin seeds, yoghurt or kefir, almonds, beans, avocados, figs, dark chocolate and bananas.
