We take vitamins every day and they contain many health benefits that many of us are not even aware of. Some foods we eat are a great source of many minerals and consuming them naturally through fruits and vegetables is the wisest choice for many. Magnesium is a mineral found in a number of foods and is plentiful in multi-vitamin supplementation and the health benefits are seemingly endless. You can find magnesium in common foods such as in a cucumber, coconuts, and in many nuts. With that said, what can magnesium do for your health? Listed below are 20 important benefits of magnesium use.

Help your immune system out with a little magnesium

The immune system does not usually get much of the credit for our health, but the truth is the immune system never stops fighting. Without our immune system, the body would become severely ill within a short amount of time, to which infection would soon overcome the body. Our body’s defense needs nourishment to help it to continue to fight off illness and magnesium is a mineral that can help nourish and feed the immune system. When taken correctly, magnesium can act as a booster for the immune system, reviving its “armor” or “shield” of defense to keep you healthy. It is wise to discuss magnesium use with a pharmacist to make sure it does not interact with any of your other medications.

Bacteria and germs in the gut can be regulated with magnesium use

We all have bacteria in our gut region. These bacteria are typically the healthy bacteria and they help to digest food for your body’s efficiency. Without these healthy bacteria, harmful bacteria would invade and take over the area, which would soon make us ill. Magnesium supplementation can help to regulate what occurs in the gut area since it helps the body to absorb other minerals such as potassium and zinc, and it helps to regulate your blood sugar levels. Common doses of magnesium are helpful to gain this gut benefit and make sure to not over use the mineral.

Your muscles and nerves function better with magnesium

The most prominent use of magnesium is with its muscular and nerve benefits, which many athletes are aware of. Magnesium use can help the muscles to calm when they are sore and it can help with the contractions during activity. Magnesium helps the body to absorb calcium more efficiently, which is critical in muscular contractions. Without magnesium and calcium, the body would not be able to move and the muscles would not be able to contract. Some athletes use a spray version to relax the muscles and many different forms exist to help fit your needs.

Control inflammation in the body

Inflammation is a harsh process on the body that can contribute to high blood sugar, high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer. It is not overtly seen by the naked eye, but inflammation can harm the entire body and cause unhealthy responses. Those who are low in magnesium may experience more inflammation in the body and are at a higher risk of developing diseases and harmful conditions. Getting your magnesium levels checked from your healthcare provider is important to determine what your blood levels are.

Prevent osteoporosis from affecting your bones

Just as in the inflammation, having too little magnesium in your body can be harmful for osteoporosis. If you are at risk for osteoporosis, it is wise to have your magnesium levels checked. Magnesium is important for the absorption of calcium in the body, which is needed for proper bone health. Without sufficient levels of magnesium, the bones, muscles, and health seem to diminish. Osteoporosis can affect women who are 45 years and older and many factors can increase one’s risk.

Blood pressure

Millions of adults worldwide have high blood pressure and it is a major risk for heart disease and vascular problems. Many people take blood pressure medication to better manage blood pressure and others prefer to be more natural about it. Exercise is a holistic way to control blood pressure, but some evidence has shown that people who eat foods that contain high magnesium content are at a better chance of lowering blood pressure. It is typically more pronounced among those who are pre-hypertensive, so the benefits are well worth it.

Prevent toxins from affecting and harming you

There are a number of body processes in the body that help to fight against toxins from affecting your body. These toxins can be described as free-radicals more often than not and basically these compounds roam free in your body and cause your cells to mutate into something that is not good for your body. During this process, the toxins oxidize certain parts of cells. This is why we take antioxidants throughout the day and one of the more important antioxidants you can take to prevent toxins from getting to you is magnesium.

Restore your daily energy levels

If you have been feeling sluggish lately, there are a number of reasons why this may be. Sleep, activity, mental stress, and toxins all affect you every day. When any of these affect you, you are likely to feel tired and want that extra cup of coffee. One of the more common reasons of low energy levels is from toxins circulating in your body. Fortunately, magnesium use and proper magnesium levels can help your body to filter and eliminate toxins from getting to your energy.

Help manage your diabetes

Magnesium use has great potential for a number of health benefits. One of the best benefits is how it can be used to help your diabetes. If you have a magnesium deficiency, you might be at risk of getting type II diabetes quicker than what is considered normal. In addition, low amounts of magnesium have been linked to retinopathy. Proper magnesium consumption can help your body metabolize carbohydrates after a meal, which is typically what insulin helps with. In addition, some suggest that 100 milligrams of magnesium every day can help decrease diabetes risk by 15 percent. Just be very cautious not to take more than what is recommended by your doctor or pharmacist.

Help reduce the frequency of migraine headaches

Migraines are the worst form of headaches around and they affect a large amount of people around. Women are typically affected more than men and the severity of the migraine can last a few hours and as long as a full day. Some individuals who have migraines are reported to have lower levels of magnesium than from those who do not have migraines. In addition, some suggest that magnesium use can improve the frequency of migraines by about 41 percent. This is a great benefit for those who suffer from frequent migraines.

Reduce insomnia with magnesium use

Insomnia affects many individuals and it is prevalent among older adults. When insomnia hits, it can affect your health and cause many days to simply drag on. While there is medication for insomnia, there are a number of individuals who do not want to take medication for insomnia, which has led many to move towards magnesium use. Recent studies have shown magnesium to improve overall sleep efficiency, the amount of time the individual sleeps, the onset of sleep and its latency, and the time in which individuals wake in the mornings. This is a great health benefit for those who suffer from insomnia and the potential to help older adults without medication is high.

Reduce anxiety and symptoms of depression

There is a lot that a magnesium deficiency does on the body, but reports of low levels of magnesium may be a part of contributing to depression and anxiety. Partly through stress, magnesium levels are depleted and as a result, individuals tend to become anxious and depressed. Diet plays a major role in making sure magnesium levels are sufficient and if diet is not meeting the daily needs, it is wise to seek the advice of a pharmacist to ensure proper dosing with a supplement.

It lowers your cancer risk

If the world was able to reduce cancer by almost 15 percent, there would be a significant drop in the number of diagnoses. The good news is that taking magnesium may help to reduce the overall risk of cancer by 13 percent in those who take it regularly. While there are many factors that contribute to cancer, it is helpful to lower and reduce risk in any way possible.

Improve flexibility in your body

Your doctor may have told you to be more active for your health. Through this, you have developed tight muscles that may be causing you some pain. While a sound flexibility and stretching program is important for improving your flexibility in muscles, magnesium can help improve your elastic properties in muscle fibers. Consuming regular amount of foods high in magnesium can help to accommodate a healthy lifestyle and flexibility program.

Improve the strength of your teeth

Just as your bones receive benefit from magnesium consumption, your teeth are the beneficiaries as well. Magnesium is important for calcium absorption to help improve the integrity of your teeth. In addition, sufficient levels of magnesium help to eliminate high levels of phosphoric acid from harming your enamel and your teeth, which is responsible for tooth decay. Consuming regular amounts of magnesium can be helpful for your teeth and taking the right amounts can be high

pH balance in the body

It is not often that individuals walk around stating their pH levels are off, but the great thing about magnesium use is it can help neutralize your body’s acidity and alkalinity. Some foods and beverages cause your body to become more acidic or alkaline, depending on the source. When this happens, your body needs to use its buffering system to keep it in constant management. In addition, your body produces lactic acid during cardiovascular exercise, which causes your body to fatigue and become acidic. Too much acid in your body is highly dangerous and magnesium use can help to correct this.

Prevent constipation

Some individuals are succumbed to constipation through a variety of factors, but when it hits, it can be harmful to the body. One natural benefit of magnesium use is the natural effects it has on bowel health. Magnesium is commonly used to help the body cleanse and eliminate toxins from the intestinal tract, which turns into a strong laxative.

Prevent asthma from getting to you

This is typically a condition which affects young children, but it can affect adults as well. Those who suffer from asthma are better able to manage their breathing when they take magnesium supplementation. Since magnesium aids in relaxing the muscles, it acts in a similar way in the bronchial tubes by preventing bronchospasms. Due to this, the individual has a better chance to breathe.

Prevent muscle cramps

When muscle cramps hit your body, it hurts. One of the most commonly affected areas is the lower leg and cramps tend to come on at night. Magnesium use can help soothe and calm the muscles to help prevent the cramps from starting altogether. Talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or qualified healthcare provider for proper dosing if you are experiencing leg cramps.

Stop a heart attack from occurring

Magnesium use can already help reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure, but one of the best benefits from its use is to prevent a heart attack. Through the protection from irregular heartbeats, magnesium, can shield and protect your heart from damage and stress. With heart disease affecting millions of adults in the world, magnesium supplementation can help prevent fatal conditions from getting to us.