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Like protein, creatine and vitamin D, magnesium is one of the nutrients that achieves escape rates from niche wellness circles and is rounded through wider conversations on a daily basis. “The importance of magnesium cannot be overstated,” says MD J. Rand Baggesen, founder and medical director. Executive Health Group.
While magnesium tends to appear on podcasts in the context of improving sleep and supporting healthy muscle function, minerals actually play a much broader role in all types of physical functions across the nerve, endocrine, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems, Daniel Chavez, RD, CSC, is a registered nutritional nutrition provider, Fae nutrition– Everything from regulating blood glucose to DNA repair. “In fact, magnesium can be broad enough to say it supports all the functions of the body,” says MBA Laura Purdy, founder and CEO. SWELL MEDICAL.
You get the photos: Magnesium is a big deal. But the expert explained GQ Magnesium intake is actually quite below the list of what you probably should be about yourself. This is why.
You’ve probably already got enough magnesium through your diet.
“Most people are not deficient in magnesium,” says Dr. Purdy. For one, most modern diets are relatively rich in nutrients. “Magnesium is found in all kinds of foods, including grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, etc. Anything you can eat in nature has some form of magnesium,” she says.
Moreover, magnesium is not the kind of nutrient you need to bomb your system every day to enjoy its benefits, such as protein. “It’s such a critical substance that your body does a good job of storing it,” says Dr. Purdy. “It’s absorbed into the intestines and stored in the bone marrow. So if there’s a period of time you might not be eating that much, you still have magnesium to pull.”
Magnesium supplements can be useful in certain cases.
Magnesium is definitely a key factor in supporting sleep, muscle function and mood, but the kind of things people tend to seek quick fix solutions aren’t something you want to throw at a particular problem. As mentioned earlier, you may have probably been sufficient through your diet, but going too far can potentially be harmful, says Dr. Purdy, given the broader meaning of magnesium.
“With magnesium, it’s not more than that,” advises anyone using magnesium supplements to stay close to the recommended daily value unless your doctor specifically directs them. (NIH nutritional supplements I recommend it Healthy adult men aim for 400-420 milligrams of magnesium per day. ) “The purpose of the recommended daily value is being tested and studied to ensure that the amount can be taken safely and healthy,” she says.
