10 Signs of Magnesium Deficiency

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.… Melisa Silver - May 4, 2016

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.

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Blood pressure measuring studio shot — Photo credit: http://doctormurray.com/health-conditions/high-blood-pressure/

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.

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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.

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