Symptoms of low magnesium levels include muscle weakness and cramps – potentially putting you at risk of injury. Magnesium also helps move blood sugar into your muscles and dispose of lactic acid, which can build up after exercising, leaving your body sore and uncomfortable.
Magnesium deficiency is diagnosed via a blood test and sometimes a urine test. Your doctor may order the blood test if you have symptoms such as weakness, irritability, abnormal heart rhythm, nausea and/or diarrhoea, or if you have abnormal calcium or potassium levels.
Magnesium glycinate is the most bioavailable form of magnesium and the best for menopause symptoms. Magnesium glycinate is easily absorbed and helps to reduce hot flashes, night sweats, and other menopausal symptoms. Additionally, magnesium helps to improve mood and reduce stress and anxiety.
Magnesium typically decreases along with estrogen in menopause, making symptoms associated with low magnesium levels more noticeable. Magnesium supplements can benefit people in menopause, but be sure to talk to your healthcare provider before taking any new supplements.
How Much Magnesium for Menopause? Magnesium is found in food sources such as spinach, nuts and beans. However, many may not be able to intake enough magnesium for menopause from their diet alone. According to the NHS, women need approximately 270 mg of magnesium per day, from the ages 19 to 64.
It can be particularly effective during the menopause by supporting both both heart and bone health. It can also help with menopausal insomnia and other symptoms such as low mood. Yet, surprisingly, adult women do not get enough magnesium from their diet: we need approx 300mg a day (see food sources below).
High doses of magnesium from supplements or medications can cause nausea, abdominal cramping and diarrhea. In addition, the magnesium in supplements can interact with some types of antibiotics and other medicines.
B Vitamins
Riboflavin – found in milk, eggs, mushrooms, and fortified cereals – daily recommended intake of 1.1mg for women. Niacin – found in meat, fish, eggs, and wheat flour – daily recommended intake of 13.2mg for women. Pantothenic acid – found in chicken, beef, eggs, mushrooms, and avocados.
Every organ in the body, especially the heart, muscles, and kidneys, needs the mineral magnesium. It also contributes to the makeup of teeth and bones. Magnesium is needed for many functions in the body. This includes the physical and chemical processes in the body that convert or use energy (metabolism).
Untreated magnesium deficiency can, over time, increase the risk of: High blood pressure. Type 2 diabetes. Heart disease.
You're most likely to be impacted by low estrogen if: You're experiencing menopause or postmenopause. Your ovaries make the majority of your estrogen in your reproductive years. During menopause and postmenopause, your menstrual cycle stops and your ovaries no longer make estrogen.
As your ovaries age and release fewer hormones, FSH and LH can no longer perform their usual functions to regulate your estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. These inevitable changes in your hormones and natural decline of estrogen levels during menopause can significantly affect your health for years to come.
Magnesium may also reduce the absorption of medications such as blood thinners, anti-diabetes drugs, diuretics, and drugs used to treat the brittle bone disease osteoporosis, Cooperman says. “Check with your doctor if you're considering using magnesium,” he says.
Magnesium is important for many processes in the body, including regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure and making protein, bone, and DNA.
One study. View Source of older adults with insomnia found that magnesium supplementation at a dose of 500 milligrams daily for eight weeks helped them fall asleep fast, stay asleep longer, reduced nighttime awakenings, and increased their levels of naturally circulating melatonin.
In large doses, magnesium could interfere with normal digestion, causing some abdominal discomfort or loose stools. However, these symptoms are only associated with excessive magnesium consumption. Under normal circumstances, magnesium supplements shouldn't cause dramatic symptoms.
Magnesium is paramount to our health and over time, our magnesium intake tends to decline with age because of natural changes to the body. In the elderly, the importance of an adequate magnesium intake is reiterated as research shows it may preserve cognitive function.
While no single nutrient can promise to help with reducing belly fat, magnesium may assist with preventing deficiencies and conditions that hinder weight loss, including inflammation, insulin resistance and poor blood sugar control.
Hormone creation - magnesium actually makes your hormones progesterone, estrogen and testosterone, so if you're getting into perimenopause or are just off the Pill and your levels are low, it can be your best friend.