Magnesium is one of the most abundant mineral in the human body. We need it for energy, metabolism, for hormone production, sleep and for the health of our muscles. Unfortunately if we are eating the regular “North American” diet then chances are that we are not consuming enough foods that are high in magnesium. In fact, processed foods and synthetic hormones makes our body excrete even more of it, worsening our deficiency.
This is really concerning because we are causing ourselves so many health problems that could be avoided by addressing this nutritional deficiency. Deficiencies in magnesium can present with overt clinical manifestations such as nausea, vomiting, hypertension, insomnia, lethargy, weakness, personality changes, tetany and tremor, seizures, arrhythmias, and muscle fasciculation, to name a few.
Magnesium and sleep
A double-blind randomized clinical trial composed of 43 elderly participants between 60-75 years of age with diagnosed insomnia was conducted. The experimental group was given 500 mg/day of elemental magnesium for 8 weeks, while the control group received a placebo for the same length of time. A statistically significant increase was seen in sleep time, sleep efficiency, and concentration of melatonin, as well as a significant decrease in insomnia, sleep onset latency, and serum cortisol level.
Food Sources of Magnesium
Foods groups high in magnesium content include green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Specific foods with high magnesium levels include spinach, Swiss chard, beet greens, turnip greens, pumpkin seeds, summer squash, soybeans, sesame seeds, and quinoa.
Supplementation with high-quality, well absorbed magnesium supplement can help. Note that not all magnesium supplements are the same. Wise Magnesium Absorb is made out of a well absorbed and effective magnesium bis-glycinate. Don’t waste your money on other magnesiums, if you want quick results try Wise Magnesium Absorb.