A2Z Vitamin And Herbs Guide For Natural Care And Healing

Magnesium, a Human Body Requirement

Magnesium is a essential mineral that your body needs to function properly.

Its main purpose is to aid in muscle function. At birth, the human body contains 760 mg of magnesium. After 4 to 5 months, it becomes 5 g. Then in adulthood, it becomes 25 g.

The most important function of magnesium is servicing over 300 enzyme systems in our body, including in the kreb’s cycle, glycolysis, nucleic acid synthesis, creatinine phospahate formation, amino acid activation, cyclic AMP formation, smooth muscle contractility, and protein synthesis. Most of these minerals are stored in tissues. It ranks fourth in the abundance of mineral in the human body.

The enzyme creatinine kinase also needs magnesium. In this reaction, the creatine converts into phosphocreatine, a storage form of creatine. Magnesium can be of great help also to visualize creatine function. Creaine kinase also helps phosphocreatine combine with ADP to resynthesize ATP in the contractile activity in active muscle. The process involves magnesium.

Magnesium is also a great component to protein biosynthesis. In the activation of amino acids and attachment of mRNA to the ribosome, magnesium is also necessary. Through this process, proteins are made. Protein synthesis obviously depends on optimal magnesium concentrations. With least intake of magnesium, the protein metabolism is also affected.

Increased in dietary protein intake may also demand increase magnesium requirements for the reason that high protein intake may reduce magnesium retention.

Magnesium also helps in the prevention of muscle spasms and muscle cramps. In a study, the intake of 500 mg of magnesium gluconate within a few days, relieved muscle spasm, with a person with total body activity. The study shows that the amount of magnesium lost through urination and perspiration during the performance of the activity causes muscle spasm. The more aerobic the activity, the more it needs the mineral to avoid spasm. This is maybe the reason why athletes are required with more magnesium intake.

What are the particular foods that provide magnesium?

Magnesium is usually found in green vegetables. Spinach is one among the major sources of magnesium. Nuts, seeds and some whole grains also contain magnesium. Normally it is also found in almost all foods but only in small amounts. Small amount of servings cannot assure you of meeting the daily magnesium needs, 5 servings of fruits and vegetables can assure you of adequate magnesium intake.

Water also provides magnesium. It depends upon the water supply. Hard water supplies more magnesium than the soft water could. Refined food usually contains small amount of magnesium.

The human body needs 97-98% of magnesium intake daily. Men age 14-18 needs 410mg of magnesium daily, 19-30 needs 400mgs while 31- and above needs 420mg of magnesium daily. For women, 14-18 needs 360 mgs, 19-30 needs 310 mgs and 31 and above needs 320 mgs of magnesium daily. During pregnancy, it increases by up to 40 mg.