Magnesium is a mineral that the human body uses for a wide range of functions, so magnesium deficiency can cause a wide range of problems. Magnesium is used by the skeletal system, the cardiovascular system, and the digestive system. The difficulty is that the symptoms of low magnesium can be general enough that they do not always point to magnesium as the initial problem. If left untreated, low magnesium levels can lead to chronic illnesses such as diabetes, celiac disease, epilepsy, migraines, and more.
The body tends to exacerbate a low magnesium condition by stripping magnesium and calcium from the bones to make up for the deficit in other areas. That means that the sufferer is prone to the problems that go along with weak bone mass as well as the potential chronic illnesses associated with a lack of magnesium. The best way to take in more magnesium is through a diet that includes foods rich in the mineral, such as peanut butter, salmon, whole grains, spinach, milk, bananas, and beans. While low magnesium, also known as hypomagnesemia, is common in the United States, very few of the people who suffer from the problem have been diagnosed and treated for it.
1. Muscle Twitches
One of the most active processes in which the body uses magnesium is energy production. That means that one of the first signs of a magnesium problem will show up in the muscles. Low magnesium can cause the muscles to fatigue more quickly than usual, which can lead to spasms or twitches as the muscle fibers misfire. The lack of magnesium in the nervous system is another reason twitching can occur. The muscle rapidly tightening and then relaxing over and over again causes the twitch. Twitches can occur in any muscle in the body, although magnesium related twitching seems to concentrate in the facial muscles.
Twitching can be caused by many different factors, such as chronic stress or excessive caffeine intake. You can combat the twitches by cutting back on caffeinated beverages and trying some relaxation techniques. If the twitch persists, you can try magnesium and calcium supplements to replace the minerals your body lacks. Although chronic muscle twitches can be annoying, they are rarely painful and generally not a serious health risk. Twitching is simply a sign that the muscle is fatigued and either needs some rest or needs additional minerals to help it restore itself to full strength.
2. Cramps
Unlike twitches, cramps tend to be extremely painful while they last. During a cramp a muscle will contract violently and can remain contracted for a few seconds up to a few minutes. When a cramp occurs in a larger muscle the best thing to do is try to extend the muscle so that it stretches and relaxes. Cramping is another one of the signs that the muscle is not receiving all of the nutrients it needs to function properly. It could indicate dehydration, a lack of potassium, or a lack of magnesium. Eating a banana daily is one easy way to get the magnesium and potassium your system needs.
3. Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a bone disease that can occur when your system is magnesium deficient for a long period of time. The various systems that need magnesium in order to function properly will steal it from the bones if there is not enough of it in the diet. This leaves the bones vulnerable to early deterioration or abnormal softness, which be debilitating in the long run. Osteoporosis can cause bones to break more easily and it can also create a permanently hunched back because the spine is no longer strong enough to bear the full weight of the body in an upright position.
4. Fatigue
Everyone experiences fatigue from time to time, especially after exercise or if they do not get a full night’s sleep. The sort of exhaustion that accompanies magnesium deficiency is different, however. This fatigue does not go away with rest and recovery. Because magnesium plays such a vital role in converting nutrients to energy in the cells the lack of magnesium becomes noticeable in the amount of overall energy a person feels throughout the day. This leaves a person feeling more than just tired, but feeling lethargic. Just moving around in a normal way during the day can seem exhausting. As with most of these symptoms, a magnesium supplement may help. If the fatigue remains overwhelming for a few days you should visit a doctor to make sure the cause is not more serious.
5. Muscle Weakness
Muscle weakness feels like an unusual lack of strength in all of your muscles. You might experience shaking when performing any task that requires exertion. You might find it difficult to lift things you normally would have no problem lifting. Muscle weakness can also make it difficult to sit at a desk for more than a few minutes because the muscles that hold up your torso become fatigued quickly. When magnesium levels are low, muscles do not receive the energy they need to perform up to their normal strength. If the weakness increases or lasts for more than a few days, you may need to visit a doctor.
6. High Blood Pressure
Researchers have found that a steady intake of magnesium improves general blood flow, which lowers overall blood pressure. If magnesium is lacking, however, the blood flow could become more constricted. High blood pressure has very few physical symptoms, so it can be difficult to know if you suffer from it without measuring your blood pressure regularly. As with most of the symptoms of hypomagnesemia, blood pressure problems can be the result of many different causes. Any time your blood pressure is higher than normal for more than a week you should visit a doctor just to make sure nothing serious is wrong.
7. Asthma
When the respiratory system is starved for magnesium for a long period of time it can trigger a chronic asthma condition. Asthma makes it difficult to take in enough air when you breathe. If the cause is magnesium deficiency, the lungs cannot take in more air because they have not had enough time between breaths to process the air that has already been taken in. Without the proper magnesium levels, the oxygen does not get absorbed into the blood stream as quickly as it should, making it difficult to draw another breath. Asthma due to hypomagnesemia develops slowly, so it can be avoided if you catch the problem early enough.
8. Irregular Heartbeat
An irregular heartbeat due to low levels of magnesium is essentially a twitching heart muscle. While most twitches are nothing to worry about, it can be dangerous for a heart muscle to twitch too often. The heart needs to maintain a steady rhythm to deliver the oxygen and nutrients in the blood to all of the body’s systems consistently. When the heart beats erratically that blood flow can be interrupted and lead to more serious trouble. Not all irregular heartbeats are dangerous, however. The time to think about visiting a doctor is when the irregularities happen often, or if they are accompanied by pain.
