Magnesium benefits?

It is usually advertised associated with possible positive effects at the muscular level and this causes it to arouse interest in its functions or benefits, mainly at the sports level.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

• Magnesium is essential in muscle relaxation and contraction. In addition, it is part of the bone matrix, is involved in energy metabolism and has laxative effects.
• In athletes it is important to ensure a good supply of magnesium-rich foods, but supplements have not been shown to have benefits at the level of performance.
• Foods rich in magnesium are: nuts, whole grains, legumes, milk and derivatives, shellfish or green leafy vegetables.

Magnesium functions

As in the case of other nutrients, magnesium in the body is not only used for one purpose but the functions it fulfills are many and varied. Let's review the main ones:

• It is involved in neuromuscular transmission. It is essential in muscle relaxation.
• It is part of the skeleton: it is one of the minerals in the bone matrix.
• It also participates in the functions of parathyroid hormone and vitamin D3 at the bone level.
• It is an enzymatic cofactor, that is, it intervenes in the metabolism of nutrients, favoring the passage of complex products to elemental units.
• It synthesizes bioactive products also through its collaboration with enzymes.
• Magnesium salts have a recognized laxative effect since they favor an increase in water in the intestine, which softens the stool and facilitates defecation.
• Magnesium sulfate has exfoliating and skin softening properties.

At the sporting level

Magnesium is essential in muscle relaxation and contraction. A deficit of this mineral would compromise the proper functioning of all the body's muscles, including the heart. In addition, magnesium is necessary for the transfer and release of energy. Carrying out sports involves an expenditure of magnesium and therefore the magnesium intake of athletes should be assessed. It has been observed how recovery in periods of injury, for example, is better if the magnesium levels are correct.

So far, everything seems to indicate that magnesium supplementation at a sports level would be interesting. However, on the other hand, it has been studied that supplements of this mineral do not achieve improvements in sports performance or affect magnesium levels in blood or muscle. What's more, an excess of this mineral often causes diarrhea, gastrointestinal disorders and abdominal cramps. For this reason, with the information that we have today, we can consider it appropriate to make a diet rich in magnesium from food but we must try not to consume it in excess through drinks or sports supplements.

Distribution of magnesium in the body

An adult has between 20 and 28 g of magnesium in the body, 60% of which is found in the bones as it is one of the formers of bone structure. 26% is in the muscles where it also plays an important role and the rest is in soft tissues and body fluids.

Daily requirements

The amount that is estimated as necessary daily for all the functions of our organism that are dependent on potassium to develop correctly are different mainly depending on age and sex. In the following table we show the values ​​provided by MedLine (US National Library of Medicine).

• Children 1-3 years: 80 mg
• Children 4-8 years: 130 mg
• Children 9-13 years: 240 mg
• Teen girls: 360 mg
• Adolescents children: 410 mg
• Adult women: 310-320 mg
• Pregnant women: 350-400 mg
• Lactating women: 310-360 mg
• Adult men: 400-420 mg

It is considered that the usual diet in the Spanish population provides us between 250 and 400 mg of magnesium per day, so based on this knowledge, in principle it is not required to take supplementation of this mineral. Despite this, certain populations at risk may have deficiencies, for example people with chronic treatments with diuretics, alcoholics, cases in which intestinal malabsorption occurs, those who base their diet on refined and processed foods, etc.

Magnesium is widely distributed in food, so its deficit is rare. The foods that contain the highest amount of magnesium are: nuts (almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pistachios ...), whole grains (oats, rice or whole wheat), legumes (soybeans, chickpeas, lentils ...), milk and dairy products (milk powder, cheeses ...), shellfish (periwinkles, prawns, prawns ...), green leafy vegetables (chard, spinach ...), and other products such as sesame, coffee powder, wheat germ, paprika, dark chocolate, popcorn , pepper, tigernut ..., as well as some fruits such as coconut or peach, or fish such as anchovy, mackerel, sole, turbot, etc. All examples are listed in order from highest to lowest magnesium content.