The Importance of Magnesium

 MAGNESIUM is Involved in over 300 Bodily Functions

Unchecked, unbalanced stress can cause worry, anxiety, panic attacks, irritability and depression.

When the body experiences stress, there is a cellular imbalance of more calcium and less magnesium. Stress itself depletes magnesium and few people get enough magnesium in their diets. 

Who Needs Magnesium

To help you decide how much magnesium to take to meet your individual needs I created the following list of factors that indicate magnesium deficiency. 

Consult the list and see if you are experiencing any of these symptoms. Then, take magnesium and see if your symptoms improve. You’ll be doing a scientific study with yourself as the only subject. Once your symptoms improve, stop taking magnesium and see if your symptoms come back. If they do, then you have your proof.

1. Alcohol intake—more than seven drinks per week

2. Anger

3. Angina

4. Anxiety

5. Apathy

6. Arrhythmia of the heart

7. Asthma

8. Blood tests showing the following:

• a. Low calcium
• b. Low potassium
• c. Low magnesium
• 9. Bowel problems
• a. Undigested fat in stool
• b. Constipation
• c. Diarrhoea
• d. Alternating constipation and diarrhoea
• e. IBS
• f. Crohn’s
• g. Colitis

10. Brain trauma

11. Bronchitis, chronic

12. Caffeine—more than three servings of coffee, tea,or chocolate per day

13. Chronic fatigue syndrome

14. Cold extremities

15. Concentration difficulties

16. Confusion

17. Convulsions

18. Depression

19. Diabetes

• a. Type I
• b. Type II
• c. Gestational diabetes

20. Fibromyalgia

21. Food intake imbalances

• a. Limited in green leafy vegetables, seeds, and fresh fruit
• b. High protein

22. Food cravings

• a. Carbohydrates
• b. Chocolate
• c. Salt
• d. Junk food

23. Gagging or choking on food

24. Headaches

25. Heart disease

26. Heart—rapid rate

27. High blood pressure

28. Homocystinuria - Homocystinuria is an inherited disorder that affects       the metabolism of the amino acid methionine.

29. Hyperactivity

30. Hyperventilation

31. Infertility

32. Insomnia

33. Irritability

34. Kidney stones

35. Medications

• a. Digitalis
• b. Diuretics
• c. Antibiotics
• d. Steroids
• e. Oral contraceptives
• f. Indomethacin
• g. Cisplatin
• h. Amphotericin B
• i. Cholestyramine
• j. Synthetic estrogens

36. Memory impairment

37. Mercury amalgams

38. Menstrual pain and cramps

39. Migraines

40. Mineral supplements

• a. Taking calcium without magnesium
• b. Taking zinc without magnesium
• c. Taking iron without magnesium

41. Mitral valve prolapse

42. Muscle cramps or spasms

43. Muscle twitching or tics

44. Muscle weakness

45. Numbness of hands or feet

46. Osteoporosis

47. Paranoia

48. Parathyroid hyperactivity

49. PMS

50. Polycystic ovarian disease

51. Pregnancy

• a. Currently pregnant
• b. Pregnant within one year
• c. History of preeclampsia or eclampsia
• d. Postpartum depression
• e. Have a child with cerebral palsy

52. Radiation therapy, recent

53. Raynaud’s syndrome - Raynaud’s syndrome is is a condition in which cold temperatures or strong emotions cause blood vessel spasms that block blood flow to the fingers, toes, ears, and nose.

54. Restlessness

55. Sexual energy diminished

56. Shortness of breath

57. Smoking

58. Startled easily by noise

59. Stressful life or circumstances

60. Stroke

61. Sugar, high intake daily

62. Syndrome X

63. Thyroid hyperactivity

64. Tingling of hands or feet

65. Transplants

• a. Kidney
• b. Liver

66. Tremor of the hands

67. Water that contains the following

• a. Fluoride
• b. Chlorine
• c. Calcium

68. Wheezing

How Much and When

When it comes to magnesium, there isn’t a specific dose for a given health condition. How much magnesium to take has to be determined by your symptoms and your reaction to magnesium.

The RDA for magnesium is about 400 mg of elemental magnesium. However,

many people need much more than that. I’m one of them. If I don’t

take enough magnesium, I get heart palpitations, leg cramps, and twitchy

muscles. If you take a daily dose all at one time in pill form, the

magnesium can overwhelm the intestines and cause a laxative effect.



One of the easiest and most efficient ways of absorbing magnesium is by taking a bath and adding Epsom Salt. Your skin absorbs a quarter of a litre of water during a 15 minute bath.


Try to take magnesium in powder form. Epsom salt dissolves immediately in water, so you know your body doesn’t have to wait for a capsule or tablet to break down. You can also put from a quarter to one whole teaspoon of Epsom salt in a glass of water or right into your water bottle and sip over several hours. That way the magnesium is absorbed slowly and effectively into your body instead of running through your intestines.

Some people get so excited about taking magnesium, that they forget to slowly build up their dose. And we all think that “more is better.”

Taking too much magnesium initially might create a laxative effect you

weren’t expecting, giving you the mistaken impression that you are having

a bad reaction to magnesium. To prevent this, it’s important to start with a lower dose of a quarter teaspoon (2 grams) and build up to 1 teaspoon (4 grams) once or twice a day until your bowel movements are comfortably loose.

The need for magnesium will vary from person to person. Don’t be surprised

if you need a certain amount of the mineral while your partner needs

twice as much. Also, there is a greater requirement for magnesium during

periods of stress, heavy athletic activity, or physical work. 

Food Sources of Magnesium  

The best sources of magnesium include seaweeds, dark green leafy vegetables, raw chocolate (cacao) and fermented vegetables. Raw nuts and seeds are listed as good sources; however, the body is unable to effectively absorb magnesium due to the anti-nutrient phytic acids. When you soak and sprout your nuts and seeds, you remove the phytic acids and make minerals such as magnesium and zinc more bioavailable.


Another outstanding source of magnesium is in raw dairy from grass-fed cows. When the dairy is fermented and made into kefir, amasai or cheese, the magnesium becomes the most bio-available.