Benefits of Magnesium for the Body, Plus the Best Food Sources

6 Health Benefits of Magnesium (Plus, List of Best Magnesium Sources of Foods)

Maybe you are familiar with the name magnesium. But, do you know what the real benefits of magnesium are, and how many food sources of magnesium do you consume each day?

Various benefits of magnesium for health

Magnesium is one of the essential minerals that the body needs. Magnesium plays a role in more than 300 biological processes that occur in the body, including digestion, communication between nerve cells, and movement of muscles.

Because of the importance of magnesium, the human skeleton is able to store up to 60 percent of magnesium needs while the rest is stored in muscle tissue, soft tissue, to blood cells.

So, what are the benefits of magnesium for body health?

1. Maintain healthy bones

The main function of magnesium is for bone health. Magnesium helps the body absorb calcium and vitamin D. Both vitamins and minerals are nutrients that make your bones strong and dense. Magnesium deficiency has the risk of making bones brittle and even triggering osteoporosis.

2. Maintain heart health

Another function of magnesium is to prevent various heart function disorders. Taking the right amount of magnesium has been shown to prevent you from clogged blood vessels and high blood pressure, which is usually the cause of heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes.

3. Good for people with diabetes

For people who have diabetes, a diet high in magnesium is beneficial digest and process carbohydrates in the body. How well the body processes dietary carbohydrates certainly affects blood sugar levels.

Some studies suggest that consumption of foods high in magnesium can maximize the work of the hormone insulin – a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.

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4. Cure headaches

Although it has only been proven in a small scope of research, magnesium has been shown to treat headache symptoms. Experts believe that people with adequate magnesium intake are less likely to get migraines or headaches than those who are deficient in magnesium.

5. Prevent and help overcome stress

Another benefit of magnesium is that it can help you deal with stress and depression. Magnesium has a role in brain function that regulates mood. In several studies it has been found that people who are deficient in magnesium are more prone to stress and depression than those who have enough magnesium. This substance can make the interactions between your nerve cells more optimal, so that stress management from the body becomes better.

6. Improve body fitness

In fact, magnesium also affects your body’s fitness, thus improving your sports performance. These minerals are proven to make the energy formation process better, which makes energy management when exercising much more effective. Simply put, with adequate magnesium intake, you can exercise at a high energy level without feeling tired easily.

In addition, magnesium also prevents the formation of excess lactic acid, which is usually the cause of cramps during exercise.

What foods contain magnesium?

With so many benefits of magnesium for the body, you must meet their needs every day. There are many food sources of magnesium that you can consume, namely:

Avocado
Banana
Dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, and collards
Nuts
Soybeans
Whole wheat seeds
Several types of fish, such as salmon
Milk and dairy products

How much magnesium should I take in one day?

Magnesium needs of course vary for each person, depending on your body condition and age. If you have an infection, you will likely need more magnesium. However, here are the figures for the average daily need for magnesium as recommended by the Ministry of Health:

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