Nine signs you’re suffering from magnesium deficiency and how to treat it

Magnesium is an essential micronutrient for your body’s efficient functioning. It’s responsible for more than 300 biochemical functions in your body and regulates calcium, potassium, and sodium. Hypomagnesemia or magnesium deficiency affects nearly 2–15% of Americans and can cause many problems, from irregular sleep cycles to neurological disorders.

It is easy to treat magnesium deficiency if you spot a few symptoms or signs early. Like other ailments, you may require a diagnostics check for magnesium deficiency to ascertain the magnesium levels in the body. 

Diet changes and supplementation can support magnesium treatment. The body’s ability to absorb magnesium through food depends on diet, lifestyle, metabolism, and other factors. But Magtein’s magnesium l threonate has been shown to be extremely effective in breaking the blood-brain barrier to get more magnesium to the body. 

If you’re not sure about suffering from magnesium deficiency, you can check out these signs:

Signs of Magnesium Deficiency

1. Muscle Cramps

If your body is low in magnesium, you may experience leg cramps. Depending on the severity of the deficiency, these cramps could be mild to moderate. However, leg cramps are also a common age-related issue. Magnesium plays a big role in muscle movements, and its deficiency is often associated with leg cramps.

Treatment:  Physicians can suggest including magnesium-rich foods and adding supplements to fulfill the body’s magnesium requirements.

2. Fatigue and Weakness

Generally, your body will suffer muscle weakness and fatigue whenever you suffer exhaustion. However, persistent fatigue or muscle weakness could also be a sign of magnesium deficiency. Low magnesium levels often result in such symptoms, and it is advisable to undergo screening to further diagnose the issue.

Treatment: To regulate your magnesium levels, you can add foods rich in magnesium to your diet, including dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, fish, beans, whole grains, avocados, yogurt, and bananas. Depending on your condition, you may also be recommended magnesium supplements.

3. Insomnia and Sleep Disturbances

Magnesium plays an important role in sleep/wake cycles for the body’s relaxation. When your body is magnesium-deficient, you will have trouble falling asleep, have a restless night, or even feel drained.

Treatment: Doctors may prescribe magnesium supplements to help overcome insomnia and restore magnesium levels. Your physician will consider your existing health condition and the severity of the deficiency to prescribe the right magnesium dosage.

4. Anxiety and Depression

If you find your moods swinging without any triggers, you may be suffering from a lack of magnesium in your body. Neurotransmitters in your body are responsible for regulating your mood, and magnesium can influence them. So, signs of anxiety, depression, and irritability can signal magnesium deficiency. Increasing magnesium intake through diet or supplements aids in restoring neurotransmitter imbalances.

Treatment: Foods like almonds, spinach, and cashews are helpful in magnesium-related anxiety issues.  

5. High Blood Pressure

Low magnesium levels can lead to increased blood pressure and heart-related issues. By maintaining optimum magnesium levels in your body, you can lower your blood pressure and reduce elevated heart troubles and heart diseases.

Treatment: To treat high blood pressure due to magnesium deficiency, you can start eating foods like spinach, black beans, and pumpkin seeds. If your body is unable to meet the required magnesium levels, you may be prescribed magnesium supplements.

6. Irregular Heartbeats

Another alarming sign of magnesium deficiency is an irregular heartbeat, which is also called arrhythmia. Magnesium ensures your heart beats in a normal rhythm. If your heartbeats vary, it may be due to your body's lack of optimal magnesium levels.

Treatment: Irregular heartbeats could be caused by an underlying condition other than magnesium deficiency. Check with a doctor to determine whether you need to take magnesium supplements or undergo further diagnostic tests to determine the exact cause of your irregular heartbeats.

7. Headaches and Migraines

Repeated episodes of headaches and migraines could indicate low magnesium levels in your body. Magnesium is responsible for a neurotransmitter and blood circulation that causes migraines when present at low levels.

Treatment: Get relief from frequent headaches and migraines by adding magnesium supplements in the right dosage.

8. Osteoporosis

Another sign of magnesium deficiency is weak bones or Osteoporosis. Several factors can cause Osteoporosis, and magnesium deficiency is one of them. Magnesium deficiency weakens bones and lowers calcium levels, which are the fundamentals of bones.

Treatment: To prevent your bones from weakening, you can take magnesium, calcium, and vitamin D supplements to support bone health. Additionally, you can strengthen your bones by adding weight-bearing exercises to your lifestyle.

9. Skin Problems and Hair Loss

Dry, flaky skin, eczema, and other skin problems could be signs linked to magnesium deficiency. If you see hair thinning or losing hair in a short period of time, it’s time to get checked for magnesium deficiency. For magnesium deficiency skin treatments, you can consult a physician for the correct dosage of magnesium supplements.

Treatment: For recent-started problems, it’s better to introduce magnesium-rich foods and take supplements, if necessary.

How long does it take to correct magnesium deficiency?

You may suffer from magnesium deficiency if you encounter any of the above nine signs. It's best to take cognizance of your diet and introduce magnesium foods. While the severity of the deficiency and existing ailments may affect how long it takes to restore your magnesium deficiency, it generally takes weeks to months. 

Choosing the Right Magnesium Supplement

Magnesium supplements are available in various forms, like tablets, liquids, powdered forms, and more. Some variants of magnesium, like Magtein magnesium l threonate, have proven to be more effective than others. 

You can check out the best magnesium l threonate to have a greater impact on magnesium deficiency skin symptoms. People have reported visible effects after 12 weeks of constant magnesium L-threonate supplementation, some even after six weeks. So make an informed choice by monitoring your body's symptoms for lack of magnesium, making necessary changes to your diet, and adding supplementation.