Even the healthiest of diets may not provide all the vitamins and minerals your body needs, which is part of the reason many of us turn to supplements to ensure the best health for our bodies.
Magnesium is an incredibly important mineral but it might not be on the top of your list of supplements. But if it isn’t, it should be! Both men and women can benefit from magnesium, but magnesium for men is especially important.
Background on Magnesium
Magnesium is an alkaline earth metal. It occurs naturally in foods like whole grains, nuts, legumes, white potatoes, and leafy green vegetables. (1)
Up to 60% of adults in the United States don’t get the recommended daily allowance of magnesium, which is part of the reason supplementing can be so important. It’s the fourth most prevalent element in the human body, and about half of our magnesium stores are in our bones, while the rest is in muscles and soft tissues with a tiny amount also stored in blood. (2)
Signs and Symptoms of Low Magnesium in Men
Magnesium plays a role in over 300 biological processes in our bodies, so it’s not surprising that symptoms of low magnesium can run the gamut of issues.
A few of the varied symptoms you might see include:
Weakness
Loss of appetite
Fatigue
Nausea
Muscle contractions/cramps
Coronary spasms
Seizures
Anxiety
A big concern for men, especially those interested in endurance sports or other types of fitness, is the onset of muscle cramps caused by low magnesium. These can inhibit performance and the ability to train for events or even complete events, such as endurance races, successfully.
Causes of Low Magnesium in Men
While magnesium is present in many of the foods listed above, getting enough magnesium is still a struggle even if you have a healthy diet. Even the best diets are often deficient in the minerals we need to maintain our health.
And even if you eat enough magnesium, your body’s ability to absorb it might be hampered by many things, including:
Your diet
Stress levels
Medications
Pathological conditions like diabetes (3)
Past mold exposure
In other words, it might be harder than you think to get enough magnesium in your body to reap all the benefits it can give you!
Top 5 Benefits of Magnesium
Getting enough magnesium can help you avoid some of those negative consequences listed above. But, getting enough magnesium can help support your body, help you reach your goals, and lead to a more vibrant life by improving these five areas.
1. Detox Support Liver Pathways
Magnesium levels are closely linked with liver function. When magnesium levels are low, liver function also decreases; when liver function is poor, increased magnesium can help support the liver and increase liver function. (4) Magnesium helps produce ATP, which helps remove toxins from your body. Toxins from mold, your own kitchen, and other products you use every day can be reduced with magnesium use!
2. Weight Control
Magnesium helps regulate blood sugar and insulin levels, and reduces the risk of diabetes. (5)
3. Electrolyte Balance
You know that sweat isn’t just water; it’s made up of other important minerals like sodium, calcium, and potassium. But did you know that magnesium is also an electrolyte? Magnesium assists in the contraction and relaxation of muscles, and muscle performance is positively associated with higher magnesium levels. (6)
4. Sleep Support
Insomnia is one of the symptoms of magnesium, so it makes sense that getting enough of this critical mineral would help you sleep better at night. Magnesium supplementation can help you get better, longer-lasting sleep and can even help if you suffer from restless leg syndrome at night. (7)
5. Pain Management
Whether you suffer from migraines, arthritis, or other types of chronic pain, magnesium has been shown to play a role in pain management because it blocks the NMDA receptor and prevents central sensitization. (8)
Bonus: Testosterone Production
Magnesium is such an important supplement for men that I couldn’t resist adding on one last benefit to my list: increased testosterone production!
Magnesium supplementation has been shown to increase testosterone production in both athletes and non-athletes, although athletes received a bigger boost in their levels. (9) Low testosterone can cause several issues for men, and magnesium helps support testosterone production.
Men, Boost Your Magnesium Levels!
I always recommend eating a healthy, well-rounded diet. Unfortunately, that’s not always enough to get the magnesium you need for optimal performance.
Thankfully, I created a magnesium supplement which is easy to absorb (so your body makes use of it) and doesn’t have the typical gastrointestinal side effects caused by many other types of supplements.
So, ladies, if your man is trying to optimize health but NOT taking magnesium, buy him some bottles!
Get Your Magnesium!
You can grab my brand-new Winter Wellness Bundle. This bundle includes chelated magnesium, along with other crucial nutrients to keep you healthy!
Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNP, is trained in functional health coaching and has worked with thousands of women over her career since 2004. She is the founder of Women’s Wellness Collaborative llc and HormoneDetoxShop.com.
Check our her easy 5-Day DIY Detox Guide here!