Two out of three Americans are magnesium deficient
The Magnesium Rich category was created to raise awareness of magnesium deficiency and to help you enhance your diet with magnesium for a healthier life.
My Story
My facial muscles twitched and I woke up with leg cramps in the middle of the night. My left index finger and two of my toes had been numbed for years, but my family doctor dismissed it as part of aging process every time I asked. I even sought advice from specialists, but none of the expensive tests revealed any underlying problems. Worried about something serious, I anxiously searched for an answer over internet — and that was how I stumbled upon magnesium deficiency, with symptoms similar to mine. I started adding food rich in magnesium to my diet and began taking magnesium supplements
Prevailing Magnesium Deficiency
My discovery of magnesium deficiency also brought me another surprise – I was not just one of the few but one of the 70% of American adults that have magnesium deficiency. Many people have heard about the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in adults, but very few know that two out of three American adults are magnesium deficient. Studies have shown that 57% of Americans does not meet the US RDA for daily intake of magnesium. The health consequences of deficiency can be serious. Unfortunately, magnesium deficiency is often misdiagnosed due to a lack of reliable tests. Most doctors and laboratories do not even include magnesium tests in routine blood tests.
An Essential Mineral to the Body
Magnesium is essential to our well-being, but is also often overlooked. It is involved in more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body and is required for the body to maintain nerve and muscle functions, balance hormones, strengthen bones and teeth, and regulate heart rhythm. A deficiency in magnesium can lead to muscle spams, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes.
Magnesium-rich diet
The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of magnesium for young adults is around 400 mg/day for men and 310 mg/day for women. For adults over 30, the RDA is 420 mg/day for men and 320 mg/day for women. Click here for a list of foods high in magnesium.
Learn More about Magnesium
If you want to understand more about magnesium, The Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D.
