Do You Have A Magnesium Deficiency?

Magnesium deficiency can link to teeth grinding, poor sleep, headaches, and many other conditions.
Some common symptoms that dentists see in their patients on a regular basis include sleep difficulty, anxiety, stress, headaches, teeth grinding, and jaw pain. All these symptoms seem to fit into the category of craniofacial (TMJ) pain.
As people who suffer from craniofacial pain will know, it can be a tricky problem to solve. But it seems that there could be a nutrient deficiency underlying all of these symptoms – magnesium.
One of the major health benefits of magnesium is its ability to support critical functions in every organ of the body.
It can be easy to become deficient in magnesium; some studies suggest that 75% of Americans do not meet their dietary requirements for magnesium. Over time, long-term magnesium deficiency can lead to bone loss and achy joints, as your body compensates by leaching magnesium from your bones.
The health benefits of magnesium
We need magnesium to prevent inflammation, keep illness at bay, and support pretty much every system in the body.
Magnesium is involved in over 600 enzymatic reactions, which regulate important biochemical reactions including:
- Nerve function
- Muscle function
- Heart function
- Energy production
- Blood sugar balance
- Blood pressure regulation
- Bone development
- DNA and RNA synthesis
- Calcium and potassium transport
- Vitamin D regulation
- Protein synthesis
- Vitamin B activation
Magnesium is such an important nutrient which affects so many bodily functions, if you’re not getting enough, you will feel it.
Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include:
- Fatigue
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Weakness
- Headaches
- Sugar cravings
- Cramps
- Nausea
- Difficulty concentrating
- Nervousness
- Mood swings
- Muscle spasms
If you have prolonged magnesium deficiency, more serious conditions can develop, such as:
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Coronary heart disease
- Osteoporosis

Are You Getting Enough Magnesium?
It depends — are you reliant on quick, processed food and sugary snacks, or are you reaching for nuts, whole grains, fruits, veggies, beans, and lean meats? If it’s the former, it could be that you’re not getting the amount of magnesium you need.
According to the NIH, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for magnesium is:
- Men 19–30 years old: 400 milligrams (mg)
- Women 19–30 years old: 310 mg
- Men 31+ years old: 420 mg
- Women 31+ years old: 320 mg
How much magnesium is in your food?
- Pumpkin seed – kernels: Serving Size 1 oz, 168 mg
- Almonds, dry roasted: Serving Size 1 oz, 80 mg
- Spinach, boiled: Serving Size ½ cup, 78 mg
- Cashews, dry roasted: Serving Size 1 oz, 74 mg
- Peanuts, oil roasted: Serving Size ¼ cup, 63 mg
- Cereal, shredded wheat: Serving Size 2 large biscuits, 61 mg
- Soymilk, plain or vanilla: Serving Size 1 cup, 61 mg
- Black beans, cooked: Serving Size ½ cup, 60 mg
- Edamame, shelled, cooked: Serving Size ½ cup, 50 mg
- Dark chocolate -60-69% cacao: Serving Size 1 oz, 50 mg
- Peanut butter, smooth: Serving Size 2 tablespoons, 49 mg
- Bread, whole-wheat: Serving Size 2 slices, 46 mg
- Avocado, cubed: Serving Size 1 cup, 44 mg
- Potato, baked with skin: Serving Size 3.5 oz, oz, 43 mg
- Rice, brown, cooked: Serving Size ½ cup, 42 mg
- Yogurt, plain, low fat: Serving Size 8 oz, 42 mg
- Breakfast cereals fortified: Serving Size 10% fortification, 40 mg
- Oatmeal, instant: Serving Size 1 packet, 36 mg
- Kidney beans, canned: Serving Size ½ cup, 35 mg
- Banana: Serving Size 1 medium, 32 mg
- Cocoa powder– unsweetened: Serving Size 1 tablespoon, 27 mg
- Salmon, Atlantic, farmed: Serving Size 3 oz, 26 mg
- Milk: Serving Size 1 cup, 24–27 mg
- Raisins: Serving Size ½ cup, 23 mg
- Chicken breast, roasted: Serving Size 3 oz, 22 mg
- Beef, ground, 90% lean: Serving Size 3 oz, 20 mg
- Broccoli, cooked: Serving Size ½ cup, 12 mg
- Rice, white, cooked: Serving Size ½ cup, 10 mg
- Apple: Serving Size 1 medium, 9 mg
- Carrot, raw: Serving Size 1 medium, 7 mg
If you are one that suffers from the conditions we listed earlier in the article, you may find that eating more foods rich in magnesium or taking a supplement could improve your conditions.
As magnesium is a critical mineral that supports all areas of the body, eating more magnesium-rich foods can only be a good thing.

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