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You have to deal with stress on a daily basis. And this, in turn, affects the level of magnesium in the body. It gradually decreases, which subsequently leads to a weakening of the immune system and the appearance of symptoms such as sleep disturbance, increased anxiety, poor digestion and muscle spasms.
You can get this nutrient from food, but studies show that even a complete diet rich in magnesium-rich foods will not provide sufficient levels (1). The body does not synthesize this element, and today a person receives only 40% of the useful substance from food, the rest is supplements and multivitamins. But you still need to eat food rich in magnesium: an insufficient amount of the nutrient will affect the work of all body systems.
What is important to know about magnesium
| Affects the state of the nervous system | Magnesium deficiency causes anxiety, fatigue, fear and even panic attacks. In addition, people with low magnesium levels experience occasional headaches. Magnesium in alliance with vitamin B6 is prescribed for emotional stress. |
| What Nutrients Does It Work With? | Magnesium is well combined with calcium, as well as with vitamin B1 – in a pair they have a calming and vasoconstrictive effect. Vitamin B6 helps magnesium enter cells faster. And with a lack of magnesium, vitamin D, which is important for humans, is absorbed much worse. The magnesium content directly depends on the amount of potassium in the cells of the body. |
| Magnesium antagonists | Magnesium intake should be canceled while taking iron: these two substances do not combine with each other. Although magnesium and calcium are often taken together, it is worth keeping an eye on the percentage: 1 to 10 calcium to magnesium. In this balance, they will be well absorbed. Foods high in magnesium should not be eaten with fatty foods such as butter or red fish. |
| How much magnesium do you need per day | On average 400 mg, the maximum allowable amount is 800 mg. |
Who Should Eat Magnesium Rich Foods?
Magnesium deficiency occurs with protein starvation, as well as with the use of food containing little unrefined grains, greens, vegetables and fruits (2).
Foods high in magnesium are included in the diet of people suffering from cardiovascular diseases. It plays a significant role in ensuring the normal electrophysiological function of the heart, and the insufficient content of this substance in the body leads to the development of various arrhythmias (3).
Stress and magnesium are closely linked: a macronutrient deficiency can lead to symptoms such as anxiety, nervous tension, and seizures (4). At the same time, an excessive effect on the nervous system: worries about moving, changing jobs, problems in the family – affects the level of magnesium in the body. Therefore, additional intake of magnesium in such situations will help to avoid severe deficiency.
A systematic and varied diet with the addition of foods high in magnesium to the diet supports the functioning of the nervous system and prevents a person from experiencing the symptoms listed above.
Magnesium is especially important for pregnant women. During pregnancy, taking the mineral has a positive effect on the development of the placenta and fetus. It also takes part in the formation of proteins and a healthy nervous system of the fetus: these two factors are important for the nascent organism.
Women often experience cramps during pregnancy, and magnesium helps prevent them and keep them from coming back (5).
What foods contain magnesium
Foods rich in magnesium can be found in all categories: vegetables, fruits, legumes, and even sweets. When adding this or that food to the diet, it is worth considering how much of the trace element is contained in the composition.
1. Pumpkin seeds
100 g of pumpkin seeds contain about 534 mg of magnesium, which is 15-20% more than the daily intake. In addition, this product is a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, fiber and iron.
2. Whole grain bread
Cereals are rich in magnesium: this includes wheat, rye, barley. A lot of the substance is found in whole grain flour: 140 mg per 100 g of product. Whole grain bread is best consumed in combination with protein foods – so magnesium is better absorbed.
3. Avocado
Many have heard about the benefits of avocados, but not everyone knows exactly how it helps our body. The fact is that 100 g of avocado contains more than 30 mg of magnesium, as well as potassium and monounsaturated fats, which are important for maintaining the cardiovascular system.
4. Tofu
Tofu is known for its high protein properties, but its benefits go beyond that. Bean curd, as it is also called, contains 53 mg of magnesium per 100 g – this is an impressive figure. In addition to its beneficial properties, tofu has a neutral taste, which makes it a versatile product for cooking various dishes.
5. Dark Chocolate
A lot of magnesium and iron, as well as copper and antioxidants, are found in chocolate, which contains at least 70% cocoa. Theoretically, if you eat a hundred-gram bar, you can get 200 mg of magnesium. But it’s better not to do this: moderation is important in everything.
6. Salmon
Fatty fish is distinguished not only by a high content of useful polyunsaturated fatty acids, but also by a large amount of magnesium in the composition. 100 g of Atlantic salmon contains at least 30 mg of this substance. It is also worth adding this fish to the menu because of the large amount of protein and B vitamins, which will affect the increase in strength and energy.
7. Beans
Almost all legumes are high in magnesium: these are green beans, chickpeas, and peas. But the leader among all is black beans, 100 g of which contains about 70 mg of magnesium.
8. Bananas
Getting enough magnesium from fruits is not easy. But the banana copes with this task well: one fruit weighing 200 g contains about 55 mg of magnesium.
Also, this fruit is rich in fiber, which improves digestion and has a positive effect on the functioning of the nervous system.
9. Spinach
Greens, like legumes, are rich in magnesium. Most of all it is in spinach: tasty leaves contain 88 mg of magnesium per 100 g of product. It is also worth adding arugula (48 mg magnesium), parsley (up to 85 mg magnesium) to the diet.
10. Peanut
Nuts as a snack – you can’t imagine better. In addition to a large amount of protein, they contain active forms of magnesium, which are better absorbed: 100 mg of magnesium per 168 g of peanuts.
But it is worth noting that peanuts are a rather allergenic product. Therefore, you can replace it in the diet with almonds or hazelnuts, which are also rich in magnesium.
11. Chicken eggs
No wonder they are added to nutrition to make up for deficiencies: eggs have a high biological value. The composition contains substances such as potassium, calcium, iodine, zinc and, of course, magnesium. In 100 g of chicken eggs – 11 mg of this macronutrient.
12. Cashew
In terms of magnesium content, cashews are ahead of peanuts and lead among all nuts. Eating 100 g of cashews, you can get a daily intake of magnesium – 200 mg. Do not forget that nuts are not only micro and macro elements, protein, but also fiber that is useful for the digestion process.
13. Quinoa
Quinoa, which has become popular, stands out from other grains in terms of its protein content. Not only this makes it especially useful. The composition also contains a lot of iron, copper, manganese, folic acid, magnesium. 100 g of cooked quinoa contains 65 mg of magnesium.
14. Seaweed
Raw seaweed contains 120 mg of magnesium, if it is dried algae, then the substance is slightly less – 107 mg. Seaweed, like quinoa, has a biological value: it contains all the B vitamins, a large amount of calcium and vitamin C.
15. Buckwheat groats
Buckwheat is definitely not worth passing by: it can be considered universal among all cereals. It contains protein, carbohydrates, and many useful vitamins, micro and macro elements, tannins and routine. Magnesium in 100 g of buckwheat – 230 mg.
How to Take Foods with Magnesium Properly
There are several factors that affect the absorption of this substance – they must be taken into account in order for food to really be useful.
Balanced diet
Make sure your food intake is balanced. Magnesium, like other elements and minerals, is better absorbed if it does not enter the body alone. That is why when compiling a diet, you need to give preference to whole foods: meat, fish, nuts, eggs, herbs, vegetables and fruits. And it is important to ensure that in one meal there are all the nutrients: proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
Ready for steam
It is best to cook food for a couple – so it retains more nutrients. The steamer does not allow them to collapse under the influence of high temperature, since a more gentle mode is used – about 100 ° C. In an oven, for example, the temperature reaches 200°C.
Limit tea, coffee, alcohol
Foods such as coffee, tea, and alcoholic beverages interfere with the absorption of magnesium.
There is a study that showed an increase in urinary magnesium excretion after coffee consumption (from 70 mg to 110 mg) (6). In general, these drinks have the ability to interfere with the absorption of nutrients such as calcium, vitamin C and iron. This is due to the content of polyphenols in them. But if you do not drink tea or coffee with food, and drink them an hour before a meal, this effect is not observed.
Separate from fatty foods
You should not combine the intake of magnesium (or eat foods rich in this nutrient) with fat-containing foods. In order for magnesium to be better absorbed by the body, you should not add, for example, olive and butter, cheese to foods rich in this substance. It is recommended to take a break between these products – 1-2 hours.
Diuretics
Also, diuretics, diuretics, which are often prescribed to hypertensive patients and people with cardiovascular diseases, antibiotics, oral contraceptives, can become an obstacle to the absorption of magnesium.
Reviews of doctors about products with magnesium
– “Champions” in terms of magnesium content: rice and wheat bran and dry seaweed agar-agar. But you will not eat only them, because. this will lead to a lack of other nutrients, says Maria Gerasimova, nutritionist, pediatric endocrinologist. – Add various seeds (pumpkin, sesame, poppy, linseed, sunflower) to salads and pastries. Grab a few almonds, hazelnuts, or cashews for a snack. Add a scoop of peanut butter to your cereal (instead of butter) or to your sandwich. Alternate grains in your diet: buckwheat, amaranth, rice, oatmeal, whole grain pasta, bulgur, spelt.
Do not forget legumes: soybeans, green beans, lima (white) and other types of beans, chickpeas.
“The main source of magnesium for the body is, of course, food,” notes Guzel Likhtina, therapist at the Biorise clinic, integrative nutritionist. – To get enough of it, you should add to the diet:
- nuts,
- beans,
- cocoa,
- mineral waters with magnesium,
- fresh vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables,
- greens and algae,
- coarse cereals,
- liver,
- eggs.
However, it is worth considering that nuts and legumes contain phytic acid, which prevents the absorption of beneficial trace elements. In order to neutralize it, before use, it is worth soaking these products in water for 3-4 hours, and even better overnight.
Unfortunately, if you’re already deficient in magnesium, it’s next to impossible to replace it with food alone.
“It should be remembered that some types of processing of grain crops with the removal of bran and germ significantly reduce the content of magnesium in them, and therefore it is recommended to choose coarser flour, as well as whole grain products,” adds Anastasia Shustova, head of the therapeutic department, general practitioner at the MEDSI clinic in Kotelniki. – Magnesium in various quantities is also found in ordinary water, including tap, bottled drinking and mineral water. The amount of magnesium in water depends on the source and brand (it can range from 1 mg/l to over 120 mg/l).
Popular questions and answers
Anastasia Shustova, a general practitioner, answers questions from readers of the KP.
How to find out if there is a lack of magnesium in the body?
The most easily accessible and commonly used way to reliably determine the lack of magnesium in the body is to measure it in the blood serum. Normal serum magnesium concentrations range from 0,75 to 1,2 mmol/L. Early signs of deficiency: loss of appetite, nausea, fatigue and weakness. As the deficiency worsens, numbness and tingling in the arms and legs, muscle twitches, tremors and seizures, and heart rhythm disturbances can occur. Severe magnesium deficiency can lead to hypocalcemia or hypokalemia (decreased serum calcium or potassium levels).
Magnesium deficiency due to dietary deficiency in healthy people, especially one that presents with any visible symptoms, is rare because the kidneys severely limit the excretion of this mineral in the urine if its concentration in the body is reduced. However, there are situations in which magnesium deficiency can be significant and symptoms associated with magnesium deficiency occur. This is usually associated with impaired absorption of magnesium in the intestines, accelerated excretion with the kidneys, alcohol abuse, or certain medications. In these situations, you may need to take additional magnesium supplements after consulting your doctor.
Who is at risk for magnesium deficiency?
2. People with type 2 diabetes, especially if blood glucose levels are poorly controlled. The loss of magnesium in this situation is probably secondary to the problem of high blood glucose concentration and increased excretion.
kidneys.
3. People with alcohol addiction. Causes – many factors, ranging from insufficient and malnutrition, ending with the presence of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, as well as a deficiency of other minerals and vitamins.
4. Elderly people. It is known that patients of mature age often receive less magnesium from food, with age they worsen the absorption of magnesium in the intestines, and more often there are various chronic diseases, which together increase the risk of magnesium deficiency.
5. People who take proton pump inhibitors (drugs that reduce the acidity of the stomach) such as omeprazole, esomeprazole, lansoprazole, etc. for a long time (a year or more) as prescribed by a doctor.
6. People taking diuretic (diuretic) drugs, such as furosemide, torasemide, hydrochlorothiazide, as prescribed by a doctor. Long-term use of these drugs can lead to magnesium depletion due to increased urinary excretion.
7. People who are seen by an endocrinologist with a diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism (a disease associated with an increase in the function of the parathyroid glands).
8. Patients who have undergone organ transplantation, especially after kidney transplantation.
What foods interfere with the absorption of magnesium?
Somehow limiting yourself in the choice of products or changing your varied and complete diet does not make sense. However, if you have been prescribed magnesium supplements as a drug or supplement, there are some important drug interactions to be aware of.
• Magnesium preparations can reduce the absorption of bisphosphonates in tablet form (substances used to treat osteoporosis). The use of these drugs should be separated from each other in time by at least 2 hours.
• Magnesium preparations can form insoluble complexes with antibiotics from the tetracycline group (tetracycline, doxycycline) and from the fluoroquinolone group (ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin). These antibiotics should be taken at least 2 hours before or 4-6 hours after a magnesium supplement.
What are the best magnesium foods for women?
Currently, there is good reason to believe that a sufficient level of magnesium in the body helps to control diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, as well as reduce the risk of their terrible complications in the form of heart attacks and strokes.
Sources of
- Shkolnikova M.A. Magnesium metabolism and the therapeutic value of its preparations: a guide. for doctors / Moscow Research Institute of Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery of the Ministry of Health of the Federation. – M: Medpraktika-M, 2002. – 27 p.
- Sheybak M.P. Magnesium in clinical practice / Journal of the State Medical University. 2003. No. 4. URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/magniy-v-klinicheskoy-praktike-1
- Erastova E.K. The use of magnesium preparations in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias in children. 2011. URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/primenenie-preparatov-magniya-pri-lechenii-narusheniy-ritma-serdtsa-u-detey
- Akarachkova E.S. Stress and adjustment disorders / Attending physician. 2014. №6. URL: https://www.lvrach.ru/2014/06/15435991
- Gromova O.A. Magnesium and pyridoxine / Fundamentals of knowledge. UNESCO Educational Programs, Moscow. 2006.
- E A Bergman, L.K. Massey. Effects of dietary caffeine on renal handling of minerals in adult women. 1990. URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2402180/