10 Signs of Magnesium Deficiency

7. Restless Leg Syndrome

Have you ever experienced your legs jumping on the bed when you are trying to get some sleep at night? If the answer is a yes, then you might be facing a condition termed, restless leg syndrome (RLS). It is a disease that is attributed to disturbance of the nervous system working in the body. It exhibits symptoms of variating degrees.

Restless leg syndrome, as it name indicates, makes you feel restless, not just during the night time, but even throughout the day, depending upon the severity of your condition. In this disease, several uneasy sensations arise in the legs, which increases the urge to move them to get some relief. These sensations can be defined as creepy-crawly, and can be anything from feelings of numbness and tingling, to itchy and pins and needle-like feelings.

Some evidence has been revealed by certain studies that indicate the link between restless leg syndrome and magnesium deficiency. Since RLS interferes with one’s sleep, so it is considered to be as a sleep-disorder. Research has found that magnesium improves insomnia in those lacking this mineral. Once the levels are restored, many patients find their RLS is relieved.

If a person develops RLS, they are tested for various neurological functions and psychological symptoms, as well as electrolyte imbalances, among which magnesium is a vital one. Glucose, vitamin B12, folic acid and iron are other things doctors will test for to see if their levels are normal in the blood when investigating RLS.

To avoid developing RLS, make sure you eat healthy and live a healthy lifestyle. If you start to experience any of the symptoms mentioned above, make an appointment to see your doctor for a full checkup. If you catch it early enough, you can find ways to relieve your RLS symptoms. More research is needed to treat RLS, but adding magnesium and other minerals is a smart start.

8. Intense PMS Symptoms

Ask any woman about pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) and they will tell you it is uncomfortable and difficult to deal with each month. Women tend to experience the same annoying symptoms of bloating, headaches, photo phobias, mood swings, cravings and frustration when the time of their PMS arrives.

Did you know, by maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, you can make your PMS experience more tolerable? All of these symptoms are exaggerated in a woman who has certain micro-nutrient deficiencies like magnesium. Rising weakness is also a sign of this syndrome. All of these PMS consequences can be partly associated with magnesium deficiency.

Many women crave chocolate during their monthly PMS phase. If you are one of them, have you ever wondered why that happens? It is because chocolate has high amounts of magnesium, and if your body is deficient in this mineral, you will certainly crave it in different foods.

Still don’t believe it? Try replacing that chocolate during your cravings with other magnesium-rich foods, such as avocados, almonds or oatmeal. If you are magnesium deficient, these healthy food replacements will certainly satisfy your cravings. If you still need your chocolate, choose the dark type and not milk chocolate. You want to look for dark chocolate with at least 60 percent cacao content.

Magnesium generally relaxes the muscles, and so, it will certainly function in relieving your painful menstrual cramps.

To your utmost astonishment, depleting levels of magnesium in your blood may also produce infertility. Since that consequence is a big deal because it can affect your entire life, you need to adjust your food intake so that it provides you with adequate mineral and vitamin components daily.

PMS symptoms may also arise due to vitamin B6 deficiency, and that can be greatly relieved by taking vitamin supplements. You can also eat foods rich in B6, like pistachios, fish, liver, turkey and rice bran.

9. High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure or hypertension is the culprit behind several cardiovascular ailments. However, heart and vessel diseases can also produce high blood pressure conditions. Oftentimes, an increase in the baseline levels of systolic and diastolic pressure is idiopathic. Genetic mutations can be held responsible to some extent, though. However, there are also times when high blood pressure is simply a consequence of a disturbed electrolyte balance of the body, a condition which is possibly reversible.

In one research study, it was found that a magnesium deficiency led to arterial stiffening and an increase in blood pressure in lab rats. Whether or not the researchers found that the arterial stiffening could be attributed to hypertension remains an independent factor. However, the study focused on magnesium for adequate blood pressure levels.

A series of investigations are carried out soon after a person is diagnosed with an increase in blood pressure. Magnesium deficiency is rather an ignored aspect, as many would consider family history and prevalence of cardiovascular ailments in an individual with disturbed systolic and diastolic blood pressure ranges.

Whether or not you need magnesium supplements for your disease depends upon the severity of deficiency of this mineral in your blood, and upon the recommendations provided by your doctor. Self-medication is not at all advised under any circumstances, since it may worsen the condition instead of improving it.

If you suffer from hypertension, do not stop taking your medications while opting to eat magnesium rich foods, instead. High blood pressure requires close monitoring, so talk to your doctor first. Get your magnesium levels checked first, and then work on the best treatment plan for your specific condition.

Your doctor should check all your mineral and vitamin levels, and then advise you on the best changes to make to your diet. They may even have you take a supplement for a while to boost them faster.

10. Heart Problems

Your heart rhythm determines the quality and the longevity of your life. A patient who is severely affected with dysrhythmia or arrhythmia cannot be expected to live long. Most patients with irregular heart rhythms have to rely upon the life-long use of anti-arrhythmia medications. Some patients don’t know they have an arrhythmia problem until they suffer their first heart attack.

This is why is it important to have regular checkups. Your doctor will listen to your heart rhythm carefully to determine if you have a problem. A magnesium deficiency is only one of the many reasons for an abnormal heart rhythm. Other causes include:

• Drug, cigarette and alcohol use
• Diabetes
• Excessive caffeine consumption
• High blood pressure and heart disease
• Hyperthyroidism
• Stress and anxiety
• Certain diet and herbal supplements
• Corticosteroids like prednisone and cortisone
• NSAIDS like ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen
• Decongestants for colds, coughs and allergies
• Some antidepressants like desipramine and amitriptyline
• Migraine medications like zolmitriptan and ergotamine
• Hormones for birth control and to reduce menopausal symptoms

Magnesium is known to influence the normal rhythm of your heart, and so, individuals having a magnesium deficiency are more prone to the risk of developing arrhythmia.

Hypertension can be a consequence of lacking certain vitamins and minerals, like a magnesium deficiency. High blood pressure can create morphological changes in your heart as it tries to work against the negative effects of the added pressure. These compensatory mechanisms can cause major damage to your heart as well as the walls of your arteries. A disturbed heart structure takes no time in developing a disturbed heart rhythm.

Symptoms of this mineral deficiency may range according to the severity, that is, they can be anywhere from tachycardia to fibrillation. To make a long story short, adapt to a healthy diet and lifestyle that leaves you with no mineral or vitamin deficiency, so that you can live a long and healthy life.

The next time you go for a checkup, be sure to ask for a blood test to check the levels of vitamins and minerals in your body. The results may surprise you, but most of all, they could save your life.