Magnesium is a mineral that can be readily found in our diets through a number of different food sources, or which can be taken separately as a food supplement. It plays a huge number of crucial roles in the body and is very important for your general health. So if you want to ensure that you look, feel and perform your best; you need to look out for this necessary ingredient.
Despite being such an important nutrient though and being found in so many different foods (avocados, dairy, greens, beans…), it is nevertheless something that a lot of people are deficient in. In fact, a whopping 80% of American adults are estimated to be deficient in magnesium! This boils down partly to changes in our diet but also to issues affecting absorption and digestion.
Whatever the case, it’s very important that we start getting more of it. Read on to find why that’s so crucial and ten of the ways that magnesium can improve your health.
1. Bone Strength
One of the benefits that magnesium is best known for, is its ability to strengthen the bones. It does this by altering the way that we absorb calcium. This is a critical feature for the formation of strong, healthy bones and if you aren’t getting enough, it might increase your risk of osteoporosis. In some studies, magnesium supplementation has been shown to effectively reverse osteoporosis in women.
Many of us focus on calcium in order to strengthen our bones but without the magnesium to back it up, this won’t have anywhere near the effect we need it to.