Magnesium, together with calcium and phosphorus, accounts for 98% of all minerals in the human body.
An adequate intake of magnesium is essential for the proper functioning of the entire calcium-phosphate and bone metabolism.
Magnesium - Symptoms and course
Magnesium deficiency causes concentration disorders, fibrillary muscle tremors (eyelid twitching, etc.), impaired mental and physical performance and promotes a decrease in serum calcium concentration. The main sources of magnesium are milk, nuts, cocoa, chocolate, cereals and cereal products.
Decreased magnesium concentrations are often observed in heavy coffee and tea drinkers and cigarette smokers. Low blood magnesium concentrations are also sometimes the result of damage to the intestine, causing macro- and micronutrient malabsorption (e.g. in coeliac disease or Crohn's disease), and the result of some kidney diseases.
When to go to the doctor and treat
If you find the symptoms described above, consider the possibility of magnesium deficiency. Before taking magnesium-containing preparations, it is worth checking the concentration of this element in your blood.
If magnesium concentrations are low and not justified by diet, suggest to your doctor that tests for intestinal absorption disorders and assessment of renal function are necessary.
Magnesium - Treatment
When magnesium deficiency secondary to gastrointestinal or renal disease is suspected, it is essential to follow medical advice and treat the underlying disease. In cases of mild deficiency, most likely due to dietary errors, the intake of coffee and tea should be reduced and the supply of magnesium-rich foods increased.
Over-the-counter oral preparations containing magnesium and vitamin B6 can be used during the first treatment period.