Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. Your cardiovascular system, nervous system, muscles, kidneys, hormone-secreting glands, liver, and brain all rely on it for proper functioning.
Magnesium is also necessary for energy production, cell growth, and maintaining blood pressure. In addition, it is essential for the proper metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, and helps genes function properly.
Magnesium also gives bones their structure, and regulates muscle tone and nerve fitness. In many nerve cells, magnesium serves as a chemical gate blocker — as long as there is enough magnesium, calcium can’t rush in and activate nerve cells.
Indeed, the role of magnesium is so diverse that it is difficult to find a part of our body that it does not affect.
Magnesium deficiency is a dangerous condition that occurs when there is not enough to enable the body to carry out its normal functioning.
Unfortunately, most doctors give little thought to magnesium, and don’t check for deficiency. Symptoms of severe magnesium deficiency
include:
- Weakness
- Dizziness
- Irregular heartbeat
- Shaking
- Twitching
- Seizures
A test for magnesium level is not included in routine blood work, even for people who are seriously ill. As a result, magnesium deficiency is under-reported.
Some surveys show that 75 percent of people don’t get enough magnesium — and two-thirds are severely deficient.