The Importance of Magnesium

💪🌱 Few people are aware of the enormous role magnesium plays in our health: It’s important to nearly every function and tissue in the body, supports a healthy immune system, prevents inflammation associated with certain cancers, boosts heart health, and could even cut your risk for a heart attack. A Harvard University study found that high daily magnesium intake reduced the risk of developing diabetes by 33 percent; still other studies found that the mineral helps ward off depression and migraines.

Magnesium is a vital mineral for everyone and particularly important for bodybuilders and athletes. Studies have shown massive amounts of magnesium is lost in sweat, and most bodybuilders don't make up for these losses in their diets as many foods high in magnesium (nuts, legumes, etc) are not included in a typical bodybuilder's grocery list. So the next time someone asks you "Dude.. where do you get your protein?!" 💪🌱 Ask them where they get their magnesium!?.

A recent study showed Magnesium supplemented lifters exerted greater quadriceps force that unsupplemented lifters. Considering magnesium's role in bodybuilding, factors leading to a possible suboptimal magnesium status in athletes and results of research such as this, it's not hard to see why so many sports nutrition specialists working with strength/power athletes are excited about magnesium's potential.

The average American diet fails to contain an adequate supply of magnesium. 👎 In fact, adults average only 66% of the RDA for magnesium from their food intake (even though they get another 8% from supplements). This average intake level leaves U.S. adults about 100-125 milligrams short in the magnesium department. A likely reason for this deficient magnesium intake is the tendency of the average U.S. diet to focus predominantly on heavily processed convenience foods at the expense of the green leafy vegetables, 🌱 nuts and seeds, and legumes that are among our best food sources of the mineral. Increasingly, researchers are becoming aware of a link between poor magnesium nutrition and risks of several important chronic conditions. Getting enough magnesium on a vegan diet is no problem!