Magnesium's Role in the Body

Hey Team,

Magnesium is crucial for muscle and nerve function, serving as an essential component for optimal health. It acts as a cofactor in carbohydrate and protein metabolism, enhancing calcium absorption and activating vitamin D. Magnesium also supports parathyroid function, reducing bone breakdown, and aids in the hormone calcitonin's action to promote calcium absorption. It plays a role in producing antioxidants like glutathione and is involved in around 300 processes in the body. 

As the fourth most abundant positively charged mineral, about 50% of magnesium is stored in bones, with high concentrations in skeletal muscle, the liver, heart, and pancreas. It is vital for cellular metabolism, influencing metabolic rates and stabilizing DNA and RNA through its role in various enzymatic reactions.

Increased magnesium levels are crucial when the thyroid is fast, and adrenal glands are overactive, typically due to stress, which raises magnesium excretion. To combat this, boosting magnesium intake can help stabilize adrenal activity. There's a significant relationship between adrenal fatigue, metabolism, thyroid function, and magnesium presence. 

How do magnesium and calcium work together? Magnesium and calcium work together in many body functions, particularly in muscle contraction, nerve function, and bone growth. While calcium is essential for muscle contraction, releasing it during nerve stimulation allows muscles to contract. Magnesium is a natural calcium blocker, facilitating muscle relaxation by preventing excessive calcium from binding. When ATP production ceases, energy is required to remove calcium for muscle relaxation. Magnesium competes with calcium at binding sites, enabling muscles to relax. Thus, magnesium and calcium are both vital and interdependent in muscle function.

Calcium is essential for nerve function, releasing neurotransmitters that transmit signals across nerve synapses. A drop in calcium levels can help prevent over-excitability in the nervous system. Active individuals may experience hyperactivity and possible magnesium deficiency, which is crucial for calming nerves. That's why magnesium supplements are often recommended for better sleep, as they compete with calcium and reduce nerve excitability. 

Want better sleep? Overstimulation can lead to elevated cortisol levels at night, making it hard to relax. Magnesium helps absorb excess calcium and calms overactive nerve endings, promoting relaxation. 

While calcium is vital for bone health—99% of the body's calcium is stored in bones—magnesium also plays a crucial role. It enhances calcium absorption by activating vitamin D and influences the activity of osteoblasts (bone-building cells) and osteoclasts (bone-breaking cells), maintaining bone density. Magnesium is essential for healing fractures and increasing bone density, and a deficiency can disrupt the balance between these cell types, underscoring the importance of both minerals for bone health.

Are you looking to boost your magnesium intake? To balance magnesium and calcium in your body, focus on a diet rich in magnesium from green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, alongside calcium from dairy and fortified plant-based milk. Supplements can help if needed. 

Deficiencies in these minerals can cause issues like muscle cramps and anxiety. About 60% of Americans are magnesium deficient, mainly due to a lack of supplementation and insufficient intake of green vegetables. Unlike calcium, magnesium is not commonly added to foods, and its deficiency can lead to calcium accumulating in muscles, causing problems at night.

Anxiety can arise due to an imbalance between calcium and magnesium. Calcium can overly excite synapses, leading to nighttime anxiety, while magnesium helps to counter this effect. A constant balance of these minerals is crucial to prevent cardiovascular issues like arrhythmias and palpitations. 

Low levels of magnesium and calcium, known as hypomagnesemia and hypocalcemia, can cause symptoms like muscle cramps, fatigue, and sensations of numbness or tingling in the extremities. These symptoms may be mistaken for other conditions, but they often stem from deficiencies in these essential minerals, impacting overall health and muscle function.

What about irritability? Anxiety, mood swings, and gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea and irregular heartbeat can stem from magnesium deficiency. Many may experience these issues without realizing low magnesium could be the cause. Routine blood tests often fail to detect these deficiencies, leaving individuals unaware of the underlying problem despite their symptoms.

What about muscle cramps? Other symptoms that may indicate a magnesium deficiency include muscular twitching or cramping. Muscle cells contract when calcium enters them, causing magnesium to accumulate in the cell. This accumulation continues until the magnesium concentration is high enough to push the calcium out of the cell, allowing the muscle to relax.

However, if the magnesium concentration is insufficient, calcium remains in the cell, leading to a slightly contracted state. As a result, even slight movement can trigger a painful muscle cramp. This phenomenon is often observed in athletes who have been running extensively or in individuals who are dehydrated, as dehydration can alter magnesium concentration in the body. 

In summary, several factors influence magnesium levels in the body. Understanding these factors is essential, as magnesium is critical in various physiological functions. I hope this information enhances your appreciation of the importance of magnesium in maintaining overall health, wellness, and muscle relaxation.

·      The author, Rob Sumner, is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Athletic Trainer, owner of Specialized Strength Fitness and Specialized Physical Therapy in Colville.  He's happy to answer any questions about this article, wellness, fitness, or your health overall by phone at (509) 684-5621 or by email at Rob@SumnerPT.com