Lack of magnesium - these are the symptoms

The most important points in brief

• Magnesium, along with other minerals, is an extremely important building block for our health.
• There is a particularly large amount of magnesium in sunflower seeds, almonds, oat flakes, walnuts and rice, but also in marzipan, whole wheat bread and durum wheat noodles.
• Magnesium is extremely important for nerves and muscles.
• Symptoms of a magnesium deficiency include tiredness, headaches, muscle twitching, sleep disorders, heart problems and restlessness.

An important fact right from the start: Magnesium deficiency does not always and necessarily lead to symptoms. However, if there are signs of illness, they can be serious. If you do not consume enough magnesium through your regular diet, you can get magnesium through dietary supplements.

Magnesium intake: the body regulates itself

Our organism is able to prevent ourselves from excreting too much magnesium - provided we consume a sufficient amount of this element. And that's exactly what we can do through diet. Magnesium is present in sufficient quantities in the foods we eat every day, be it sunflower seeds, oatmeal, rice, walnuts or almonds.

But we can also cover our daily magnesium needs with pasta made from durum wheat, whole wheat bread, marzipan and many other foods - such as herring. If we consume more magnesium than we have to, the body regulates itself and simply eliminates the superfluous ration. If, on the other hand, we take in too little magnesium, sooner or later we will get deficiencies.

Typical symptoms of magnesium deficiency

If you feel muscle twitching more often, you should check whether an unmet need for magnesium could be the cause. Permanent tiredness can also be a consequence of this deficit - just like headache, easy irritability and an inner restlessness. Other symptoms of magnesium deficiency are often:

• Palpitations or irregular palpitations
• Difficulties with digestion (constipation or diarrhea, often alternating)
• Dizziness
• a feeling of numbness in the feet or hands
• Difficulty with blood circulation
• Hints of depression

Keep in mind, however, that there are many other diseases or deficiency symptoms that can trigger exactly the same symptoms.

Even babies can be affected

If your baby is sick or has cramps frequently, a magnesium deficiency may well be the cause. Small children and older children sometimes show weakness in their ability to concentrate or are they often tired? This may also be a consequence of an unmet need for magnesium. Girls who have delayed menstrual bleeding may also be magnesium deficient. Another characteristic is often cramping during menstruation.

Another group of people often affected are pregnant women. If they have an insufficient supply of magnesium, vomiting and nausea are not uncommon. High blood pressure is often associated with it. With magnesium supplements you can reduce the risk of quite excruciating pre-labor.

Magnesium deficiency and the causes

An undersupply of magnesium is almost always due to an unhealthy diet, eating disorders, too much alcohol or a significantly increased need as a result of pregnancy. Competitive athletes also need an additional ration of magnesium. Those who suffer from diarrhea for a long time also lose a lot of magnesium. Bowel diseases, kidney problems, diabetes mellitus and an overactive thyroid or impaired function of the parathyroid can also lead to a magnesium deficiency.